In the minds of most people, it has developed that dogs and cats cannot get along together under any circumstances. Therefore, for many, the meaning of the phrase “live like a cat and a dog” is clear, which characterizes people who constantly arrange conflicts with each other. In fact, these two pets are very friendly towards each other on very rare occasions.
Families where peace reigns between the cat and dog living together are the exception rather than the rule. However, with the right approach it is possible to make it so that even these contradictory creatures can live in harmony. But first you need to understand the essence of the question, why they developed such an attitude towards each other.
Why do cats and dogs fight?
Everyone knows that cats are used to hunting small animals like mice. Dogs are not prey for them. Those, in turn, perceive cats as one of the most attractive hunting trophies. even more aroused by the cat, which begins to run away. Many dogs like chasing prey, because at this moment their hunter instinct awakens. Therefore, the owner will have to make a lot of efforts to ensure that peace reigns between the dog and the cat in the house, but few succeed in this.
If you have a desire to get a cat, while you already have a dog who does not like street cats, then you must prepare and train your pet. You need to give your dog an obedience course so that he learns that a cat is not prey, and chasing her is not fun. If you have the opposite situation, for example, you have had a cat for a long time and you decide to buy a puppy, then you don’t have to worry too much about them living together.
There are very few dogs that, from birth, begin to treat cats as prey. In most cases, puppies that grew up in a house with a cat, from small claws begin to respect these animals or simply ignore them.
The most reliable hypothesis explaining why dogs do not like cats who live in the house with them is a manifestation of jealousy towards humans. Please note that, although cats are not used to showing strong emotions, they still need communication with humans more than with their fellow tribesmen. Therefore, you should not single out any one of your pets by spending more time with them in games and communication, otherwise they may quarrel because of this.
You must ensure that each of your pets receives enough attention from you. The pet should not feel forgotten, and therefore you should equally spend a lot of time with each one, communicating, participating in various games and getting pleasant impressions from this pastime.
Conflict of needs
Scientists, exploring the reasons for the centuries-old enmity of our pets, have discovered that the cat runs away not at all from the fear of being eaten, but to get rid of the dog’s obsessive attention. Our furry pets hate familiarity and always keep their distance even in relations with their owner. What can we say about the little boy eager to communicate! As a rule, even in childhood, puppies run up to the purr, wanting to get to know each other, and in response receive an offensive blow to the nose with a paw for being unceremonious. If the cat tries to avoid unnecessary contact and runs away, the hunter’s instinct awakens in the dog. Such a childhood experience is never forgotten!
How to make friends between a cat and a dog?
In order for peace to reign between these contradictory animals in the house, it is necessary to convey to the dog that the cat is not an enemy, moreover, in some way it is even the property of a person, therefore it must be treated accordingly without any harassment. A cat may seem like a strange family member to a dog, but the latter should feel safe in the house.
Creating comfortable conditions
When planning to introduce a dog to a cat, try to create favorable conditions for them. There should be a minimum of people in the room, and the dating process itself should take place without human participation. If you try to help animals , you will do more harm than good. Don't be afraid if your dog gets hit on the nose with a soft paw while exploring a new family member. This may leave her with a scratch, but she will understand that the cat is able to fight back if she is bothered. Also, the cat will easily guess that the dog is not a threat to it.
However, you must keep in mind that with such attempts at contact, the cat will not calmly perceive this and will begin to react accordingly - its eyes will become huge, its tail will turn into a squirrel , its whiskers will spread out, and it will emit a frightening hiss that turns into a roar. . When your pet makes such sounds, it means that he is only warning, but he will never be the first to attack.
If you try to have a dog and a cat with each other at a young age, then over time they may establish neutrality towards each other , which can later develop into friendship. Over the years, the dog will no longer perceive the cat as prey, and the cat, in turn, will no longer be afraid of the little hunter, since she will realize that she has a better chance of winning if this strange family member decides to attack her.
If you are going to introduce a cat to a dog, we advise you to first take precautions and put a muzzle on the dog. Remember that if the dog already has an aggressive attitude towards cats, then you first need to conduct a training course for it, and only after that you can introduce it to a new family member.
Cats are a constant source of irritation
Many people think that dogs are big, strong and toothy, so cats should be horrified by the mere sight of them. The dogs themselves probably think so. However, the problem is that cats do not take their opinion into account at all and refuse to be afraid. Often they simply ignore the presence of aces, which cannot leave them indifferent. Murka is always confident in herself and her safety, and this confidence drives the dogs crazy, forcing them to try to prove their superiority every time.
We are preparing a bridgehead
Before getting a cat, you must prepare a room in which new family members will meet.
- Find a place for the cat's bowl that is as far away from the dog's bowls as possible. It is best if you choose some kind of elevation for it.
- Carefully choose a location for the litter box, which should be installed in a place where the cat can see the door.
- Hide away all heavy and fragile objects that could break, in case your pets decide to start a “catch-up”.
- Before meeting the animals directly, open all the doors in the house except the entrance. If the animal sees that it has an escape route, it will feel more confident. But at the same time, make sure that the windows in the apartment are closed. Otherwise, the cat may get so scared that it will jump out of the open window. Moreover, this can even happen to an animal that has lived in the house for a long time and knows how high the apartment is to the ground.
Pay attention to how your cat looks - if necessary, trim its claws and polish them with a nail file. If a cat feels threatened by a dog, it will not be afraid to take preventive action and grab its furry muzzle with its paws.
Arming ourselves
Remember that meeting a dog and a cat can end in trouble for one or both of your pets. Therefore, prepare things in advance so that you can quickly separate irreconcilable enemies.
You may need a heavy, thick cloth that can be thrown over mating animals to separate them. Once in the dark , the animals will stop for a while and wait for further action on your part. If this does not help, then you can resort to drastic measures - pour several liters of water on their backs.
It is unlikely that the first meeting between a dog and a cat will end in serious injuries. However, in this case it will not hurt you to prepare the appropriate items:
- hydrogen peroxide;
- sterile cotton wool;
- bandages.
To avoid trouble, prepare a treat to reward the dog and attract the cat's attention. If you can feed two animals at once on the day you meet, then you can consider yourself a born parliamentarian.
Security measures
Also, it won’t hurt you to set up an enclosure or partition in advance so that the dog has less opportunity to get to the cat. Although, most likely, the cat will behave more aggressively Cats do not tolerate being restricted in their freedom; it’s a different matter with dogs, who take this quite calmly.
Let the cat first stand away from the dog, and then, if she has such a desire, you can allow her to approach the dog and sniff him through the bars. Do not forget to free your dog after meeting him, because you created the enclosure only in case you cannot control the behavior of the animals.
Who is faster?
It often seems as if dogs and cats are in a race to see which one is faster. Who really has the speed advantage? In an open space, a dog will always (sooner or later) catch up with a cat, since it is a stayer. The descendants of wolves by nature have the ability to pursue prey for a long time without getting tired.
A cat is definitely a sprinter. She has no equal in sprinting. It’s not for nothing that the fastest animal on earth, the cheetah, also belongs to the cat family. In addition, murkas have an amazing talent for maneuvering. They are able to change their trajectory with lightning speed, which allows them to escape from the eyes of their pursuer in a matter of seconds by jumping up a tree or sneaking into a gap in a fence. That's why the chase almost always ends in a draw.
The first fight is the hardest
Let us once again recall the main rule that must be followed when introducing two animals - let your pets get to know each other themselves, and you, for your part, limit your participation in this process to a minimum.
- When you bring a new pet into your home, sit him on the floor and let him get acquainted with his new environment.
- Allow the animals to explore each other from a distance, but if they suddenly have a desire to get to know each other better, do not limit them in this. Surely the dog will sit closer to you, and the cat will climb somewhere further away, onto a hill, and from there will watch the “alien.”
Misunderstanding
Dogs and cats express emotions and react to the emotions of other creatures differently. Discord between animals can occur if there is a misunderstanding between them on an emotional level. For a dog, for example, a wagging tail means friendliness and good mood, but for a cat this sign characterizes irritation.
The dog, in turn, can also misinterpret the cat’s behavior, which becomes the reason for hunting or chasing one pet after another.
War is war, but lunch is on schedule
Try to behave as usual - do not raise your voice, pretend that you are doing important things, but at the same time sneak glances at the tailed couple. You must do everything to make sure that the animals’ fear goes away and their stress level decreases. Remember that the condition of pets largely depends on how people behave. Therefore, if you do not behave strangely - run around the rooms screaming loudly, try to offend them, then your tailed friends will feel calm.
Natural factor
The main theory that explains the aggressive attitude of dogs towards cats is the influence of nature on the character and behavior of animals.
Both dogs and cats are hunters by nature, but the difference is that cats hunt small animals: rats, mice, and for a dog, the cats themselves can become an object of attack, and it’s only a matter of instincts that have been laid down since ancient times. We also recommend reading:
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In addition, cats should be wary of “fighting dogs”, because their aggression can manifest itself even more strongly. These dogs are trained and trained on all animals and suspicious people.
Some scientists adhere to the following explanation: dog aggression is determined at the genetic level. This arose in those days when tigers, which belong to the cat family, caused severe damage to dogs. It is believed that these memories are stored at the genetic level in animals, which is why dogs, seeing a creature that vaguely resembles a tiger, rush at it with a thirst for revenge.
