How to make friends between a dog and a cat: 8 steps to a peaceful life

Causes of enmity between dogs and cats

train a dog and a cat to live in an apartment or house
Dogs and cats are representatives of different families of the same order. Animals have specific behavioral characteristics and almost opposite types of temperament.

According to research, cats are not afraid of dogs. Aggression and attempts to avoid contact are effective ways to stop unwanted attention.

Cats have an independent character and love privacy. They value personal space and do not tolerate encroachments. Dogs, on the other hand, are considered social animals that seek company. Because of this, conflicts often break out between dogs and cats.

Cats and dogs also interpret body language differently:

The cat regards light pushes of the skull and intense sniffing as an attempt to invade personal space. Such behavior causes aggression in the animal and a desire to grab the dog’s face.
A dog's tail wagging means joy from an upcoming walk, meeting the owner, or seeing a toy. In this way, a cat expresses the highest degree of irritation and demonstrates its readiness to attack. Before a fight, the animal vigorously wags its tail and lashes its sides.
Tight ears and a low head are interpreted by cats as a readiness to attack. In dogs, a similar pose means an admission of guilt. The dog understands that he deserves punishment and tries to appease the owner, demonstrating submission in advance.
Cats purr to express the highest degree of satisfaction. The quiet, guttural growl of a dog means its readiness to attack and defend itself.

The dog unconsciously creates an intimidating impression on the cat. Frightened, she begins to run, awakening the hunting instincts in the dog.

Reasons why animals are not friends with each other

For what reasons may animals not be friends with each other, even after making friends at first? Zoologists identify the following reasons in this case.

Lack of attention from the owner

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Many have heard the hackneyed phrase “A cat that walks by itself.” Some people really believe that cats are independent and do not like too much attention from their owner or family. But this does not mean that they should be given less attention; they need it just like dogs. Dogs are simpler in this matter: if they require the owner’s attention, they will show it with all their appearance.

If a dog and a cat live in the house, the struggle for the owner’s attention will be active. This can manifest itself in different ways, from who will be the first to greet the owner at the door from work, to the place near the owner. If more attention is paid to one pet, the second will show aggression, both towards the second animal in the house and towards the owner himself.

Important! Owners should understand that in terms of jealousy, animals resemble six-month-old children, so it is important to pay equal attention to both.

Food as an object of increased attention

If there is a dog and a cat at home, many owners know how often one looks into the other’s bowl, even if he himself has a thicket of goodies. Zoologists say that cats, for the most part, eat without much appetite; a dog, on the contrary, will eat everything from the bowl and ask for more. Therefore, in a house where a cat and a dog live, the first ones will have to change their eating habits.

Food is an eternal object of contention

Owners must remember: the dog is prone to overeating, so a certain part of the cat food will be eaten. A cat can walk around half-starved. Because of this, pets can quarrel with each other. If possible, you need to place the animals' bowls so that one cannot look in and feast on the other's bowl.

Fighting for your own place in the house

Often, pets can start battles among themselves to clarify positions - who is the boss and commander in this house. Such showdowns take place anywhere in the house: from the kitchen to the master’s sofa. Therefore, owners should internally prepare for the fact that there will never be peace and order in the house.

Note! Thanks to the attention and control on the part of the owner, it will be possible to ensure normal coexistence of pets, and this will not lead to frequent and zealous conflicts.

Attention to only one

Even if after a few days the pets become friends, the owners should continue to monitor them for some time and pay equal attention to both pets. If a treat is given, then only to both. This applies to everything: food, attention and pastime.

Each pet should have its own place in the house (bed), a bowl for food and water, and its own toys. All this provided will equally ensure the peaceful existence of pets.

If the tips above did not help, you can read special literature on cynology, it will help you understand what signs indicate a particular mood of animals. The main thing is that you should not stand aside if your pets cannot yet find a common language with each other.

Is it possible to make pets friends?

A kitten and a dog are friends for life
If after the first acquaintance of the animals the situation is not left to chance, then it is quite possible to accustom a dog to a cat. Correct behavior of the owner and taking into account the characteristics of the pets will help establish friendly relations.

How quickly animals become friends depends not only on the owner, but also on the age at which the pets were taken into the family and began to be taught to peaceful coexistence.

How to make friends with kids: kitten and puppy

The ideal option is when both pets were taken into the house as babies at the same time. Animals, only separated from their mother, will begin to look for understanding and support in each other. Due to their age, puppies and kittens cannot sleep alone and begin to instinctively cuddle each other in their sleep. Together they adapt faster and easier to their new home.

Also, a puppy and a kitten will be brought together by joint pranks and games. The kids will explore the world around them together, which will help them make friends.

Even if at the first meeting the puppy and kitten show dissatisfaction with the presence of their neighbor, it will disappear after a few hours. After sniffing, the kids will quickly get used to it and make friends.

Important! Left alone, the kitten and puppy can get carried away with games and mischief. Therefore, children cannot be left to their own devices for a long time.

How to make friends between an adult dog and a kitten, 8 rules for a peaceful neighborhood

Adult dogs are often friendly towards kittens. But increased attention can frighten the baby.

To ensure that the introduction of pets goes smoothly and without damage to the kitten’s psyche, it is advisable to pay attention to the following points:

Exchange of smells. Before the kitten arrives, it is recommended to give the dog something that smells like the baby, so that his appearance is not regarded as a threat. At first, it is better to isolate pets in separate rooms, organizing daily meetings for them. This makes it easier for animals to become accustomed to each other’s smell and make friends.
Adding cat scent. If the dog is aggressive or older, a few weeks before the expected arrival of the kitten, it is recommended to use special pheromones that emit a cat scent. This way the dog will stop stressing and will accept his new neighbor more loyally.
Separate feeding. Dogs are jealous of their own food and in order not to heat up the situation, it is advisable to separate the eating area. Subsequently, the old-timer is recommended to give food first.
A safe place for a cat. It is advisable for each pet to have its own corner. It is recommended to place the kitten's place higher so that the dog cannot reach it. If the owner does not take care of this issue, the animals will deal with the rest areas on their own, which will lead to a deterioration in relations. Prepare “safe places” where your cat can run and hide from your dog when he feels threatened .
Obedience training. Your dog needs to be taught that chasing cats is not acceptable behavior. Teach your dog basic commands such as sit, stay and down. Then it will be easier for you to reconcile the cat and dog.
Interaction control. You should only allow interactions under your supervision, especially in the first few weeks after your cat and dog have just met.
Desensitization. The goal of desensitization is to reduce your dog's reaction to your cat through constant exposure. Separate them temporarily with a fence so they can see each other and sniff, but try to distract the dog's attention with toys and food so that the dog is not fixated on the cat. Over time, the dog will lose interest in cats.
You can't scold a dog too much. The fact is that the dog may understand that he is being scolded because of his relationship with the cat and will pursue the cat even more. Try to encourage a positive attitude between them.

Desensitization of dogs and cats
You cannot scold or punish a dog for aggression. It is enough to strictly explain to the animal that it is not good to offend the baby. An adult dog usually does not want to harm the baby, but it is better not to take risks. The owner must equally distribute attention between the animals and organize a joint game.

Various origins

Cats and dogs have long been classified as different types of predators. The so-called “canines” have always united in packs, since in such conditions it was much easier to hunt and obtain food. In the process of uniting in packs, dogs developed natural sociability and a desire for the company of their relatives, and in the process of domestication, for people.

Cats, on the contrary, at the dawn of their appearance, preferred loneliness. A solitary lifestyle did not at all impede access to food, since felines acquired agility and speed, which are indispensable when hunting.

How to make friends between an adult cat and a puppy

Adult cats often perceive puppies aggressively. To protect the new resident from the sharp claws of the old-timer, the animals are initially isolated in different rooms.

Then the cat will not scratch the curious, playful puppy, who will probably become excessively active.

It is recommended that animals have separate places for feeding and sleeping. The cat will quickly get bored with the puppy’s pestering and will want to retire. Therefore, the owner must regulate the time the pets communicate and limit it.

If personal boundaries are violated, the cat will hiss for a long time at the new neighbor. If the puppy does not climb into her bowls, bed and tray, she will quickly get used to his presence.

Preparing for dating

To ensure everything goes smoothly, you need to prepare in advance.:

First, make sure that your dog is ready for the new stage of his life: at a minimum, he should know the basic commands and be accustomed to a muzzle.
The territory should be divided in advance into “cat” and “dog”: animals should have their own place for sleeping, feeding and litter box. If possible, place them as far apart as possible.
Trimming your kitten's nails and filing them with a nail file may seem like an exaggeration, but in reality, a scared kitten can cause serious damage to a dog's walrus.

How to make friends with adult animals

How to make friends between an adult dog and a cat
Accustoming adult animals to live together is very difficult, but quite possible. At first, the dog will begin to perceive the cat as an object for play or hunting.

Therefore, it will take a long time to separate the animals. If it is not possible to place your pets in separate rooms, it is recommended to buy an indoor aviary.

When first meeting the dog, it is advisable to keep the dog on a leash and muzzle. The animals will probably limit themselves to visual contact and refuse to sniff. You should not let the dog get close to the cat, otherwise the cat will decide that it is being attacked and will begin to defend itself.

It is recommended to organize further communication between pets at a distance to avoid a possible fight. If conflict between animals cannot be avoided, it is advisable to tie the dog and force it to sit on command. It is recommended to calm an angry cat with a voice and gentle stroking. Such actions will help relieve tension and resolve conflict.

To accustom a dog to a cat, it is recommended to reward any manifestation of goodwill with a treat. But you can feed animals in one place only after good neighborly relations have been established between them. Competition for food can cause serious conflict.

What not to do

Inexperienced owners, trying to accustom a dog to a cat, make serious mistakes.

To quickly make friends with your pets, you should not make the following mistakes:

It is prohibited to put pressure on animals , forcing them to communicate.
You cannot give one animal more attention than the other. Some owners deliberately single out their pet. Others unknowingly neglect one pet. As a result, the animal feels like an outcast and begins to be jealous, provoking conflicts.
In the event of a quarrel, it is prohibited to punish the initiator of the fight. At the initial stage of accustoming a dog to a cat, conflicts will inevitably break out between animals. The owner must notice the emerging quarrel in time and extinguish it. In a cat, swearing causes a desire to take revenge; in a dog, a long-term fear arises.
It is prohibited to have animals in cramped living conditions. Each pet should have its own resting place and enough space to move around.
It is prohibited to leave animals alone. Attacks of aggression often come out of nowhere and calm can quickly escalate into a fight. Animal behavior is unpredictable and the owner must control the pets.

Dogs are more active and sociable. To prevent them from pestering their furry neighbor, they should not be limited in walks and active games.

We recommend reading:

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Training or education of dogs

Additional sources of information:

Tips on how to make a cat and dog become friends

Resolving conflicts between animals

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Animals are always animals, so periodic fights are normal. This will happen more likely for educational purposes, when the senior animal in the hierarchy will be put in the place of the younger one. It is important for owners to promptly recognize confrontation and prevent aggressive behavior. What to do in this situation:

Is it worth fighting for the windowsill or the sofa? You need to place a large object (a flowerpot or a pillow) in the middle, so each pet will have its own place;
If in the house a cat or dog takes on the role of leader and occupies a certain place, you should not drive him out of there just like that. The main thing is not to create in the animal a feeling of superiority as the owner;
You should always monitor how your pets eat; you should not allow one to steal food from another’s bowl. If there are always fights for food, they pour as much as the animal eats at a time in front of the owner.

You should always give each animal equal attention and affection. A dog or a cat must understand this.

Animal conflicts are a common occurrence in many homes.

If the pets have made peace and found a common language, it is important to maintain this relationship at the proper level. Tips and recommendations from zoologists to help:

it is necessary to clearly define the hierarchy in the house for pets, and the cat should be higher than the dog. The former are actually allowed more, and she will never obey commands. The dog perceives the family as its own pack and it is easier for it to live according to certain rules;
Pet owners are advised to take a dog training course. Obeying the owner's command, she will not pull the cat by the scruff of the neck or steal food from his bowl. The cat, feeling safer, will not enter into conflict;
when walking a dog on the street, the owner should reward it with affection and treats for its lack of reaction to oncoming cats;
a dog is more active by nature than a cat, so it is important to give it maximum commands and stress during walks, this will protect your second pet from being too active at home;
You need to trim your cat's nails periodically. This procedure is done regularly, since by showing aggression, the cat can seriously injure the dog. This will provoke anger on the part of the dog and serve as a reason for a quarrel;
It is important to play at home with both animals. The game should not be accompanied by injury or aggression on the part of the owner;
correct behavior of pets is always reinforced with treats, attention from the owner, affection and a good word;
If possible, it is worth having pets of different sexes. A boy cat and a girl dog, or vice versa, this way the pets will quickly find a common language with each other.

What is prohibited to do:

use force against your own pets. The dog will be afraid of the owner, the cat will begin to take revenge and shit everywhere. This is ineffective in the process of correcting animal behavior;
allow pets to fight and hunt each other;
when a conflict arises, take the side of the injured party, punishing the culprit. This will aggravate the conflict situation in the future, it may flare up again;
Compare pets with each other, this will provoke aggression between them.

An abundance of food in the house, attention from the owner, the presence of personal space for the animal - these are the main conditions for mutual understanding between pets. This is the only way a cat and a dog will be friends and live together for a long time without conflicts.