5 ways to make friends between a cat and a dog in an apartment

Many animal lovers have both cats and dogs. But the first question that worries many people who want to have two different animals at the same time is: how to make friends with each other?

Animal psychologists say that the main mistake of any owner is not to interfere in the relationship of pets in the first days.

Animals are not people, and they cannot resolve conflicts among themselves.

In addition, they speak different “languages”.

Therefore, if you do nothing, the cat will definitely harbor a grudge or be very scared.

It is very important here to adhere to the golden mean: you cannot indulge the animal, but you also cannot use jealousy as a method of education.

The following recommendations and tips will be useful to you:

encourage good neighborly relationships between dogs and cats;
do not let the dog very close to the cat, otherwise it will start to hiss and rush;
If possible, keep the animals in different rooms for the first days, even if the pets do not start fights;
You cannot feed pets in the same room.

Dachshunds get along very poorly with representatives of the feline species. They take a long time to get used to cats and can injure them in the first weeks of living together.

The most amazing thing is that in the presence of the owner, these dogs behave very friendly, but as soon as you step outside the threshold, at the first opportunity they will grab the cat’s neck. Hunting dogs act this way instinctively.

Animal psychologists recommend arranging the first meeting to get to know each other in 1-2 days, but animals must be kept at a distance of 2-3 meters.

At the same time, pets need to be calmed, for example, by petting them. But first, feel sorry for the animal that was already in the house, and then for the new pet.

After which they need to be treated to something tasty.

Causes of enmity between dogs and cats

According to a number of studies, cats are not afraid of dogs, as is commonly believed. Zoologists believe that avoidance of contact and aggression are just a way to stop unwanted attention from oneself. Dogs by nature are social animals with a strong need for companionship. Cats prefer independence and privacy. They don't like it when their personal space is violated. These behavioral differences lie at the heart of the long-standing feud between cats and dogs.

Without the supervision of the owner, the first meeting of animals in most cases ends in failure also because the same signs of attention are interpreted erroneously:

When a dog wags its tail, it means joy from the sight of its owner, an upcoming treat, a quick walk, or a toy. The pet is in high spirits and ready to communicate. In cat body language, tail twitching indicates irritation and anxiety. If the animal begins to wag it and practically whip itself on the sides, this means the highest degree of aggression and readiness to attack.
A dog's low head and tightly pressed ears are interpreted as an awareness of guilt. The animal understands that it may be punished, and in advance demonstrates its subordinate position in relation to the person, trying to appease the owner. A similar pose in cats has the exact opposite meaning - the pet is angry and is about to attack.
In cats, purring is responsible for the expression of pleasure. A purring animal is calm and enjoys the company of a person or pet. Low and rolling sounds are interpreted completely differently in dogs. The quiet, guttural rumbling of a dog means readiness to defend or attack. The animal is aggressive and may bite.

A cat and a dog interpret their neighbor’s body language differently, so the first contact of adults most often proceeds according to one of the following scenarios:

The dog, without realizing it, makes a threatening impression on the cat and forces it to run away. In response, the first one’s hunting instincts are triggered and the pursuit of “prey” begins.
The cat perceives too intense sniffing and light head pokes as an invasion of personal space and may bite the dog in the face. The answer will be aggression.
The cat sees that the dog is wagging its tail and understands this as the stranger’s readiness to attack. Trying to defend herself, she may attack him.

Mr. Cat recommends: tips for first meeting

Even before meeting, pets should be taught to adequately perceive representatives of another species. So, when walking, you need to scold them for barking towards cats or reward them for being friendly. In the future, the success of reconciling pets will depend on following the following tips:

It is necessary to teach your pet the “Near” and “Sit” commands as early as possible, otherwise it will be difficult to control him.
Cat's nails should be trimmed regularly.
You cannot physically punish your pets.
At the first signs of friendship between pets, you should not rush to arrange for them to live together. Animals left alone can quarrel and fight.
When choosing a puppy in a shelter, it is important to find out from the workers which of the wards reacts calmer to cats.
The most aggressive dogs towards cats are hunting dogs. Owners of such breeds should think carefully before making such a serious decision.

Differences in habits

A cat and a dog have different attitudes towards the society of their own kind. Since ancient times, cats have been distinguished by their independent character and value peace and solitude. Dogs are more likely to seek constant company. Previously, the ancestors of the canine family gathered in packs.

Cats are inherently antisocial animals. In their natural habitat, they hunt alone and jealously defend their territory. Representatives of the cat family converge with other individuals exclusively during the breeding season. If the owner did not help the pets when introducing them, it will be difficult for them to get along in the same apartment in the future. You can find out which dog is best to have in an apartment in this article.

Expert opinion

Anna Abramenko

An avid dog lover. Experience in veterinary medicine since 2009.

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This is not to say that all cats are selfish. There are many breeds whose need for communication is as high as that of dogs. If there are already animals in the house, it is recommended to pay attention to these species, which are distinguished by their good-natured disposition.

How to calm a cat's aggression?

The hardest part is the “snack”. Exactly! Cat aggression is much more difficult to defeat! The dog instinctively serves, obeys, and is tormented by its conscience when its owner is upset. A cat has no such moral burdens. Even a kitten that has recently moved into the house can prove to be a cruel “dictator”.

There is only one way out - patience and affection, cats are not forced, they are negotiated with. Take the animal in your arms more often, sitting in a chair and stroking the cat, call the dog with a gesture and lay it at your feet, the pets should understand that your attention and territory will be enough for both. There is only one trick on your side - the cat feels more confident when it is higher than its opponent. Equip the animal with holes on window sills and furniture; being at the “top of the world”, the pet will ignore the dog.

Rivalry between cats and dogs in the apartment

When an adult cat cohabitates with a puppy, difficulties usually do not arise, since the animal does not see a threat to its position in the house in the small creature. A large breed or an adult dog is perceived as a danger to the existing hierarchy, so the cat must be accustomed to a new neighbor. A street dog, accustomed to a constant struggle for survival, and a domestic cat, which has never seen other animals before, can compete especially sharply with each other.

It will be easier to train a cat to live peacefully with a dog if you understand exactly how their zones of influence intersect. Following a number of general recommendations will help your pets become friends:

Do not place bowls for two types of animals too close. It is advisable to place them further away, especially in the first days of cohabitation. Also, the owner must stop any attempts by pets to steal food from a neighbor. Encroaching on food can provoke aggression, which often escalates into a fight.
Relationships become less tense if pets have a kind of “tier” where they dominate. For example, dogs usually occupy the floor. Cats love to climb higher. To prevent animals from crowding, you should organize a sufficient number of such places: nail down special shelves or buy a cat house with several floors.
It is necessary to make it clear to the animals who is boss in the apartment. Love and affection are important, but pets should not be allowed to become impudent and cross the lines of what is permitted. Approved boundaries must be strictly observed, otherwise all commands will be ignored.

If a cat or dog corners a neighbor after encroaching on someone else's territory, the animals must be separated immediately. No one should feel like a victim.

Introducing a puppy to a kitten or adult cat

Yes, the puppy’s behavior needs to be considered separately. The baby is unlikely to intentionally harm the cat, but is guaranteed to turn the existence of the mustachioed tabby into a “holiday.” Your task is to exhaust the dog on walks and distract it at home if the cat is not in the mood to communicate. Over time, Murzik will adapt to moving around the house without touching the floor, and the puppy will understand that the arched back and hiss of a “forced playmate” are far from a friendly invitation to frolic.

If serious aggression is shown, the dog should be punished by you, and not by the cat - it is safer. Your task is to catch the moment of the attack and strictly stop it with the command “Fu”, with a jerk of the parforce, a rolled-up newspaper on the butt as a last resort. If you do not “break” this moment in the process of growing up, either the dog will need a dog handler, or your cat will die the “death of the brave.”

How to establish contact between pets

It is recommended to accustom animals to peaceful coexistence according to the following scheme:

The cat and dog are kept in separate rooms for 2-3 days. This way, these neighbors will have time to get used to new smells and sounds.
Before introducing the pets, they are fed - well-fed animals are less aggressive.
For the first meeting, it is better to prepare a leash and muzzle, especially when introducing an adult dog to a small kitten.
The pets are given time to slowly sniff each other.
The dog growls, barks - it is necessary to give the command “fu” and demonstrate your displeasure with such behavior, and it is better to postpone further acquaintance for several days.
Meetings are repeated throughout the week. Then the animals are allowed into one room without restraints, but even then it is recommended to stay close to them.
For greater safety, the cat is placed in a carrier. A fence will help protect the animal from a large breed dog if it suddenly reacts aggressively to an introduction.

Joint walks and games help bring a cat and a dog closer together or reconcile them after a fight.

Fight for food

Even if the bowls of each of the pets are always full and there is enough food, the process of eating will most often be accompanied by new conflicts and rivalries. The root of the problem lies in the instinct of self-preservation inherent in both animals.

Competition for food increases even more if food bowls are close to each other and if feeding occurs at the same time.

Common Mistakes

It is easier to properly organize communication between pets from the very beginning than to later try to reconcile them after a conflict. To do this, it is important to familiarize yourself with the most common mistakes when introducing a dog and a cat:

You cannot put pressure on animals or force them to communicate.
No one should feel left out – both cats and dogs should be given equal attention.
In case of conflict, you should not scold the culprit or use physical force against him. In dogs, punishment causes long-term fear, and cats begin to mischief and take revenge.
It is not recommended to have pets in cramped living conditions. Animals should have a private rest area and enough space to move freely.
Since dogs need companionship more than cats and are more active, you should regularly walk them and play outside. This way they will not bother their neighbor, demanding attention.

Cats and dogs can be friends, but only if they demarcate the territory for feeding and have a personal space where they retreat, having exhausted the limit of sociability. It should be remembered that it is not always possible to establish friendship between a cat and a dog, even taking into account all the characteristics of these species. In this case, you cannot put pressure on animals and try to make them “friends” by force. The best thing to do if coexistence is strained is to try to bring their relationship to a neutral level. Peace is achieved through moderate isolation of pets from each other. Over time, they will stop openly fighting, having gotten used to their mutual presence.

Sociability of dogs

As they say, a dog is man's best friend, which is fully justified by the quick attachment of dogs to their owners. Socialized dogs constantly need company.

On a subconscious level, they strive to gain approval from the owner and can even set self-restraints in order to please and receive the coveted praise.
There are often cases when a dog provides selfless help to a person, for example, when a child is drowning in a pond.
The animal's instincts are triggered, and it immediately strives to help.

Therefore, dogs are trainable and quickly learn certain behavior patterns.

The principles of living under one roof

To accustom a cat to a puppy, you need to arrange living areas for both representatives from the cat and dog world. You can buy a high scratching post for your cat, on which he can watch his “neighbor”; for a puppy - a cage or enclosure (depending on where the owner lives).
To teach animals to live together in harmony, during your absence you need to make sure that eye contact is maintained, but they cannot physically communicate. That is, for example, a dog can be locked in a cage (for its own safety). Or place the animals in different rooms.
When the owner is at home, it is necessary to let the puppy out of the shelter so that he gets to know the cat better. If a cat’s “brother” begins to become impudent and tries to beat a young dog, the owner must stop this immediately, clearly indicating the need to unconditionally accept the new member of the pack. There is no need to persuade under any circumstances.
Feeding both the dog and the cat should happen at the same time. But the bowls should be placed separately. Perhaps even to different levels. You need to make sure that no one steals food from someone else's bowl.
One of the basic rules for teaching two animals to live in peace and harmony is to pay attention to both of them. Moreover, this must be done simultaneously. If the owner has petted one pet, then he should immediately call and pet the second one. Otherwise, jealousy will “destroy” the owner’s efforts to improve relationships between animals.
In order to accustom a cat to “good manners” and accept a new family member, you always need to restore justice in fights, “thefts” of toys and food. Otherwise, the cat’s impudence will know no bounds.

Perhaps the moment will come when the owner begins to be jealous of the cat and the puppy, because they will find a common language and will frolic and play, thereby bringing pleasure to the whole family.

First meeting

Before the very first meeting with a kitten, the dog must be wearing a collar and muzzle. Acquaintance should take place gradually, without stress. It is strictly forbidden to immediately leave a dog in the same room with a kitten. It is best to introduce pets through a small opening under the strict supervision of the owner.

If neither the dog nor the kitten develops pronounced aggression, then such meetings can be held regularly until the pets are completely accustomed to each other. It is important to note that there are hunting breeds of dogs, the representatives of which are very difficult to accustom to a kitten - the dog will see its prey in the small creature. With such an introduction, the most important thing is not to let go of the kitten - if the kitten runs, the dog will start hunting for it.

Meeting new “neighbors”

Of course, the easiest way to accustom a cat to a dog is when they appeared at the same time in infancy on the owner’s territory. If kids grow up together, then in the future they will have no problems with sharing territory, toys, etc. It is much more difficult to establish contact between a dog and a cat if one of them appeared in the apartment or house before his newly arrived “brother”. The “old-timer” rightfully considers himself the master of the house (and, as a rule, this is a cat), so you need to teach the cat to accept the new neighbor without beating around the bush.

Rules for keeping in one room

The first and main law of such a community is the equal distribution of love and attention to both pets, so that thoughts of jealousy do not arise. In addition, each of them must have their own place for rest and food. Pets must understand that there is only one leader, and that is the owner. There are examples when people allowed one to punish the other, and the hostility between them did not stop. There must be one punishing hand.

In this case, it is important to understand that physical punishment must be avoided: the animal will remember the pain from the punishment and will associate it with its neighbor, directing all the anger and resentment towards him.