How do I make them friends?
It can be difficult if you have a cat and a dog who don’t really get along. It makes meal times, walks, and family fun more stressful than they have to be. However, there are a lot of things you do to make your pets more comfortable with each other.
Who knows, your pets may become best friends! They don’t have to fight like Garfield & Odie. If you supervise and control their interactions, give them plenty of time and space apart from each other, and make them comfortable with each other before they meet, your pets won’t care about each other so much.
Looking at the character
More than species, the personality of your pets is very important for knowing whether or not they will be friends.
A really lively kitten would probably annoy an angry old dog standing in his ways. Or, if you have a very active and playful puppy, he will probably be too annoying for an antisocial cat.
A dog’s breed does not really affect how well he tolerates cats. a Phantom Labradoodle You would probably get along with a cat like a Doberman! However, if you have a very territorial dog, it is likely that he will not like another animal in the house.
If you notice immediate hostility, try dividing the house so that each animal has its own land. Or you could try leaving the cat at a friend’s house for a few days and bringing him into your house just for “play dates.”
This way, the puppy can feel comfortable with the idea of having another animal in the house.
Smell swap
Before you let pets meet face to face, it is important to let them get used to other people’s scents. Have you ever seen it in Some veterinary officesDo they have bandanas or towels dipped in dog/cat pheromone? These chemicals help calm your pet’s nerves. Obviously, our pets are really good at picking up distinct scents.
So, if you have a cat coming home, start by rubbing your cat’s fur with a towel. Place the towel under the dog’s food bowl while eating. This means that while your dog is eating, he will smell the cat and will associate it with the cat.
Therefore, he will be more welcome when he meets a cat in real life.
separate spaces
Dogs and cats are both territorial animals. It is important that you create different areas of the house. The dog should have its own personal space that the cat cannot enter. This space can be his cagea room with his food bowls, or even just his bed.
Also, the cat should have its own small area in case the dog begins to get rough.
Ideally, this spot should be on a shelf like this isin a high place where the dog can not reach it.
If you create separate spaces, your cat and dog are less likely to quarrel over the floor. Also, make sure that their food bowls are in different areas in case animals own their food.
obedience training
The most beneficial thing you can do is start obedience training. Train your dog not to act when the cat is in the room. If you can get his attention while the cat enters the room, reward your dog with a treat!
Be sure to desensitize your dog to people who touch him and put their hands in the food bowl while he is eating. This will make your dog more relaxed if the cat decides to put its paws into his food.
For the most efficient training, you must know what motivates your dog. Is it food, toys, affirmations, or just pets? Whatever it is, use it when your dog can stay still and give you his full attention. This will prove very useful when there is a kitten running around the house.
Supervising interactions
Make sure you carefully monitor all of their interactions. No matter how well-behaved your animals are, it is very likely that one of them will randomly become excited and begin to austere with the other.
This can lead to serious consequences, especially if there is a large size difference between the pets.
The first interaction should be to eat in different corners of the same room, and the dog is on a leash.
This makes it easy to monitor and distract them if they have a negative reaction. In addition, they will associate the scent of the other animal with mealtime, which will create a positive association in their heads.
You can then introduce them to each other in a room with plenty of exits, in case the cat needs to escape.
In this way, the animals can react on their own terms, and they can also leave if it becomes overwhelming.
Keep in mind the age difference
Take into account the age and species of your animals. The safest bet is usually to introduce a younger puppy into the home of an older cat. This is because a cat usually cannot do as much harm as a dog. You can certainly bring a kitten home with an older dog, as long as the dog is fully trained and will give you his full attention if he is doing something naughty. Also, make sure the dog is on a leash if it is larger than the cat.
conclusion
Dogs and cats are not meant to be enemies; This is just a stereotype from our childhood cartoons! A dog can easily be trained to welcome a cat into the house. If you make sure to monitor their interactions and can de-escalate the situation when it becomes dangerous, you can definitely train your pets to become best friends!
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