A dog's first meeting with a cat

There are many people who love cats and dogs at the same time. And these pets, as you know, by nature do not get along with each other. But this is only in theory: in practice, there are dogs that get along with cats in an apartment and get along well at the same time. But it was the owners who helped them make friends first of all. A lot depends on your behavior, especially in the first days of the meeting. Be patient and follow simple tips that will help make friends with animals and avoid conflicts.

Why introduce pets

If you simply bring in a new dog and leave him with an animal that feels like the boss of the house, it will be stressful for both of them. As you know, stress can provoke the development of many diseases, including baldness or urinary incontinence. We wrote more about stress in cats and dogs in this article.

In addition, the dog can bite the cat. And often the opposite happens, when a cat, in defense, rushes at the dog. This can result in claw cuts to the eyes and other injuries.

Therefore, proper introduction of pets is, first of all, a matter of health and safety.

Legends and myths

There are a huge number of legends and myths about the feud between dogs and cats. The most popular is a Chinese folk tale.

According to legend, a dog saves a girl, who turns out to be a princess. To thank the dog, the king issues a decree in which he promises each dog a home and plenty of food. To spread the news, a scroll containing the king's will is tied to the savior's tail.

The dogs decided to have a feast, and so that the decree would not be lost, they gave it to the cat for safekeeping. When in the morning the dogs wanted to return the valuable document, it turned out that it was lost. The cat, in turn, claimed that mice had stolen it.

The dogs did not believe the cat and attacked her to punish the culprit. Since then, it has become a tradition that dogs hate cats, and the latter are at enmity with mice.

Why cats and dogs are aggressive towards each other

Oddly enough, most often the reason is fear. Moreover, dogs are no less afraid. A pet of a different species is something new and incomprehensible. And scary and interesting at the same time. When a dog reaches out to sniff a cat, the cat instinctively either runs away or defends itself. Seeing such a reaction, the dog gets upset, that is, a negative response occurs. In the future, at the level of reflexes, the dog, trying to protect itself from negative experiences, will bark at the cat. Of course, at this stage, hunting instincts also come into play: when potential “prey” runs away or hides in a corner, the dog becomes interested in catching it.

Our task as owners is to prevent the dog’s hunting instinct from turning on in relation to the cat. If pets do not see each other as a threat, they will be able to coexist peacefully.

What are neurons?

A neuron is a cell, thanks to which everyone living on earth is capable of complex mental actions: thought process, analysis, thinking, learning, planning and others. That is, the presence of neural connections is a sign of the presence of intelligence, without them thinking is impossible.

The fewer active neuron cells in the brain, the weaker the mental abilities. With a very small volume of neurons, the activity of the central nervous system is reduced only to reflexes and ensuring internal processes in the body.

What to consider before getting a new pet

You should prepare everything you need : food, bowls, tray, collar, toys, care products, etc. We have detailed articles for future owners on keeping cats and dogs.
Make sure that the new pet is completely healthy and will not pose a threat to the animals already living in the house. If you picked it up from the street, it is better to quarantine for at least a month. If a newly admitted person has an infection, everyone in the household can become infected. Therefore, you must take your pet to the veterinarian. It is equally important to carry out deworming, treatment against ectoparasites and vaccination.
If a pet already living in the house reacts too aggressively to cats or dogs, you should think about whether you should get someone else at all.

Does brain size matter?

Paradoxically, the weight and volume of the brain as a whole does not affect intelligence in any way. A big brain doesn't make you smarter. For example, the cerebral cortex of such a fundamentally intelligent animal as a brown bear is 10 times heavier and larger in volume than that of a cat. However, the number of active neuron cells is higher in cats. Accordingly, cats are smarter, although their brain sizes are smaller.

The volume and weight of the brain does not play a role in the animal’s ability to perform complex actions, show understanding and flexibility when necessary. That is, all the habits of an animal, its intelligence, directly depend not on the size of its head, but on how much active gray matter is in the brain.

Who is the head in this house

Depending on which pet you got first and its age, there may be nuances when you first meet. Let's consider the possible options.

How to bring a kitten home if you have a dog

This is usually one of the simplest options. The kitten has no negative experience with animals yet; he is open to the whole world and very curious. Therefore, he can easily let himself be sniffed by the dog, and this is one of the most important moments in the first acquaintance.

But first things first:

Before meeting, you need to let the kitten get comfortable. Temporarily allocate him a separate room in the apartment, where the dog will not have access. Place his tray, bowl, scratching post, sleeping place, etc. there. Let the baby go everywhere on his own.
At the second stage, the carrier with the kitten must be brought into the room where the dog is. Let the dog come and sniff. If the dog shows aggression, use your voice to rein in the dog; if it behaves calmly, reward it with treats.
If sniffing the carrier was successful, you can gently let the dog sniff the kitten from your hands. For safety reasons, it is better to do this together: one person holds the kitten in his hands, the second brings the dog into the room, holding it on a leash. In case of barking or sudden jerks from the dog, you can slightly pull the leash, giving a strict command with your voice. If the dog peacefully sniffs the kitten or sits calmly next to it, do not forget to give encouragement.
Do not leave pets alone unattended.
When feeding, make sure that the kitten does not climb into the dog’s bowl.
Pay more attention to the dog: it should not feel left out.

How to introduce an adult dog to an adult cat

Since these animals already have experience of interspecies communication, including negative ones, their reaction to a new pet can be unpredictable.

But the basic principles of dating are the same:

Give your new pet a separate room and only let it out there.
Trim your cat's claws. How to do it yourself, watch our video. To avoid injury, it is better to disarm scratching paws in advance.
Introduce the tailed “owner” to the smell of the new pet by placing his things on the bed or near the bowl.
Let your pets sniff each other's territory. While you are walking your dog, allow your cat to leave her room and wander around the apartment. Likewise, when there is no cat, let the dog go into the cat's room and sniff everything there.
Place the animals' bowls within sight, but in different rooms, so that at the initial stage there is a barrier in the form of a door. For example, you can place a dog’s bowl near the door to the “cat’s” room. After some time, carefully open the door slightly, observing the reaction of the animals.

First meeting:

Prepare a shelter for the cat (house, carrier, box) that will be inaccessible to the dog.
Relax your pets before meeting them. The dog should be fed, taken for a walk, and ideally slightly tired after active games. It is also better to feed the cat, pet it, and you can give it a sedative. We provided a list of safe sedatives for cats in this article.
On neutral territory, place the cat in a carrier, box, or other shelter where she feels calm.
Put a leash on the dog (and a muzzle if necessary), talk to it affectionately, and go into the room with the cat. Let your dog sniff the cat carrier and reward him for calm behavior. For any type of aggression, lightly pull on the leash and give a stern command with your voice. The first meeting should ideally not last more than a couple of minutes.

Further communication:

Have meetings as often as possible. Be sure to reward your dog for calm behavior. If the animal's reaction is normal, organize an introduction without using a carrier, by holding the cat in your arms.
If any of the pets become too agitated, end the meeting.
Limit your dog's access to the cat room. In the first stages, it is important not to allow your pets to interact without your participation in order to avoid a negative experience.

How to properly introduce an adult cat to a puppy

Make sure that the cat has somewhere to hide or climb: you need a place where the puppy cannot reach her.
Give your puppy a separate room in which all his belongings will be located.
When you first meet him, hold the puppy (you can pick him up) so that he doesn’t scare the cat with his activity.
When your puppy tries to chase the cat, distract him by switching him to another activity.

Otherwise, the advice is the same as above.

Does domestication affect the mind?

The same study published in Frontiers in Neuroanatomy, which proved that dogs are more intelligent than cats based on the number of neurons, also revealed the curious fact that domestication does not in any way affect the activity of gray matter and its quantity.

The fact that a dog is smarter, from the point of view of scientists, is in no way connected with the fact that these animals were domesticated much earlier than cats. People domesticated dogs about 30 thousand years ago, but cats have lived next to humans for only 10 thousand years.

The basic principle of conflict-free communication between cats and dogs

Everything is simple here: pets should associate each other with calmness and safety.

Food, restful sleep, games, stroking and the owner's gentle tone of voice are the tools that need to be used to create such associations.

Feeding _ If the dog always sees the cat when eating, the conditioned reflex we need will arise. The cat's bowl can be placed on a raised surface to prevent the dog from eating the cat food, but the animals must be able to see each other.
Getting used to smells . Cats and dogs trust their sense of smell the most. Therefore, if possible, you need to take the bedding or other thing of the new pet in advance and put it on the sleeping place of the tailed household member. This way your pet will get used to the smell of the newcomer even before meeting you.
Cooperative games . While the dog is playing with his favorite toy, you can take a teaser or a bow on a string and play with the cat. The main condition is that the pets are close to each other.
Weasel. When you pet a cat curled up on your lap, you can simultaneously call your dog and give him a treat. If possible, also pet the dog or scratch behind the ear.
Tone of voice . This is one of the most important points to regulate the relationship between pets. A dog barks at a cat - we react in a stern tone, sniffs peacefully or just sits next to it - we praise, give encouragement and pet it.
Walking together . In the warm season, when walking your dog, you can also take your domestic cat out on a harness. He will be interested in sniffing the grass and listening to unfamiliar sounds of the street. For the dog, this familiar environment will be an additional positive incentive to get to know each other.

Animal Meeting

Moving to another place of residence is stressful for any living creature. Before introducing the new arrival to the other residents of the house, give him time to get comfortable. To do this, free up as much space as possible where he will not meet other animals, and give him the opportunity to calm down. The animal may hide, not make contact, and even refuse food. Sometimes this behavior lasts for several days. When you see that the new resident of the house has already settled down, start getting acquainted with other family members.

Offer to sniff the other animal's toys or things. The reaction may vary: if the dog reacts aggressively to the smell of the cat, you should be careful when introducing them.

The meeting of animals should take place in a limited space, for example, a closed room. Remove all glass objects and make sure there are no extraneous loud sounds. Place the cat in a closed carrier and keep the dog on a leash. Animals must see each other, but the distance between them must be decent. Enlist the help of one more person.

Before introducing yourself, take your dog for an active, long walk - this will use up his strength and reduce his activity.

Take turns feeding your dog and cat with one hand. It is important that animals see each other! For them, this will mean that they are not deprived of food in the presence of another animal, which means that nothing threatens their safety and survival. During this time, you can pet your pets and also talk to them affectionately.

It will be useful to meet in the presence of a dog handler, who will adjust the situation and help carry out the procedure competently.

After this, try letting the cat out of the carrier while continuing to keep the dog on a leash. The cat can stay in your arms for a while: pet it, and let your assistant pet the dog. Release the cat on the floor - it will probably want to walk around and sniff its future neighbor.

If the dog jerks towards the cat, restrain it in the manner that is customary for you. The command “fu” works best.

The relaxed state of the dog and cat, both physical and emotional, will indicate that the acquaintance was successful.

Don't be upset if the first attempt was a failure and your pets got nervous. This is fine! Repeat the procedure periodically until you see a weakening of the nervous reaction.

If your cat is too scared, read my article on how to calm your cat.

Typical mistakes owners make when introducing pets

You shouldn’t force things : acquaintance in all cases should happen gradually. Don't push pets against each other. Let them get to know each other the way they want.

If the dog is used to chasing cats on the street, then a corresponding reaction will occur to the new pet. Therefore, when walking, it is also important to reward your dog for non-aggressive behavior towards other cats. This makes it easier for your pet to understand that cats are friends, not danger, and they should not be offended. It is better to carry out this training long before the cat arrives in the house.

Don't let pigtails eat from each other's bowls. They should not compete for your attention, food or toys.

The main thing is to ensure the safety of both pets. You should not leave animals together unattended until you are sure that they are accustomed to each other and do not show aggression. This usually takes about a month.

We hope that these recommendations will help you make friends with your pets, and we, in turn, are always ready to check and support their health.

Competition between species

Since ancient times, these two species have competed with each other for territory and prey. Both species are predators, therefore, living in the same territory, they had to constantly clash with each other in confrontation for food and territory. All representatives of the cat family (with the exception of cats themselves) are larger in size than representatives of the canine family. In a one-on-one confrontation, dogs lose to cats, and they have to share prey and territory. But against a pack, lonely representatives of the cat family have no chance. Therefore, even now, wild representatives of these two species in nature are irreconcilable enemies and clashes in the vast expanses of the savannah or jungle are not uncommon.

What to do?

As a rule, a dog runs away from a cat when attacked, if it manages to do so. In the event that a domestic dog was attacked by a street cat and did not have time to escape, it is necessary to visit a veterinarian without delay. The cat may be sick. Deep scratches may cause anatomical damage. There may be helminth eggs or other parasites under the claws, so in the event of a street attack, be sure to take your dog to see a doctor.

If a cat attacks a dog living under the same roof with it, you need to very carefully study the behavior of both pets and analyze your own priorities in relation to your pets. This is necessary in order to identify the cause of aggression and eliminate it. This is the only way to stop cat attacks. Remember that punishing or isolating the animal will only make the situation worse. Once the cause of the attacks is eliminated, the aggression will immediately disappear.

How to separate?

If the cat does get involved with the dog, there are several options:

Cover one of the animals (preferably the attacker) with a blanket;
Spray them with water from a spray bottle or pour water from a basin (depending on where you are on the street or in the house, and at what time of year);
Make some noise (throw a bunch of keys on the floor, knock pots, slam a door).

Under no circumstances should you shout at animals. This will only increase excitement and worsen the consequences of the fight. It is also not recommended to get between pets, otherwise the cat may redirect aggression towards you.

If cat attacks continue constantly and none of the above helps, contact a zoopsychologist.

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How dangerous are dog bites?

Penetrating or superficial wounds after animal bites always become infected. Without proper treatment and care, in most cases, suppuration and abscess occur. The greatest danger is caused by deep wounds caused by fangs, as they may not heal for many months.

In addition to major blood loss, cats can become infected with dangerous diseases when bitten by a dog, namely:

Rabies. Unfortunately, it is an incurable fatal disease. Transmitted through the saliva of an infected animal. Most often, stray animals living in gardening and cottage communities get rabies. But the main carriers of rabies in our country are foxes. They often run into suburban villages, landfills and come into contact with wild dogs. Preventive measures include timely vaccination and choosing the right and safe place for walking.
Tularemia. A fatal but curable disease. The virus enters the body through the saliva of an infected animal. Most often, the carriers are rodents, but there are also cases of infection from dogs.
Bacterial fungal infections. When a dog fights with a cat, close contact occurs, and if there are infections on the dog’s skin, this will lead to infection of your furry pet.
Infection with fleas, worms, ticks is possible from stray animals through close contact.

Which cats attack more often?

Any cat attacks a dog if it gives it a reason. But there are also cat breeds that are more prone to aggression. The Siamese breed is considered to be the most “vicious”. Moreover, they are not only evil, but also extremely cunning.

However, Siamese do not rush into battle just like that. If a Siamese cat attacked a dog, then there was a reason. And anything can be a reason for aggression. Each animal has its own reason. Some cats feel extremely offended if a dog licks their bowl, while others are completely calm about it. Some cats remember for years the dog that once attacked them and are capable of showing aggression even after several years. Others, on the contrary, will avoid the offender, run away, and climb a tree at the sight of a bully dog.

Aggressive behavior occurs least often in Classic Persians. Such a cat attacks a dog in exceptional situations in which there is simply no other way out. For example, protecting your kittens, or a plate of delicious sausage that the owner’s dog decided to lay claim to.