Thinking of getting a new pet but afraid your current furry friends won’t be pleased about it? Or perhaps you already own a cat and a dog, and their constant bickering is starting to get on your nerves.
Cats and dogs are infamously incompatible as companions. However, this doesn’t have to be the case! As a pet owner, you’ll be happy to know that cats and dogs can live in harmony together with a little invitation from their humans. Here are nine helpful tips to bring peace to your home.
1. Introduce Them Slowly
First impressions matter – even with cats and dogs! If you’re thinking of bringing a new addition into the family, you’ve got one chance to make that first meeting perfect and hopefully set them up for a loving friendship instead of a relationship of hostility.
At first, you’ll want to keep your cat and dog separate from one another, in different rooms of the house. Try to introduce your cat and dog for the first time during mealtimes, but do whatever you can to keep the animals as far away from one another as possible, only letting them smell one another (such as on opposite ends of a closed door). This will allow them to begin to associate one another’s scent with food – a positive connection if there ever was one!
2. Train Them Well
Well-behaved pets are easier to manage and far more likely to understand others’ boundaries! Especially with a dog, thorough training is important if you want to keep the peace in your home.
Use positive reinforcement training techniques to teach your pup how to play gently with others – especially cats and young children – and practice basic commands like “sit,” “lie down,” “stop,” and “come.”
Having these tricks up your sleeve will help give your dog confidence and allow you to manage your pets when things seem to be getting rowdy.
3. Create a Safe Space for Each of Them
Animals can be territorial, and it’s important that all parties feel like they have their own designated safe space to escape to when the frustrations of having a furry sibling get a bit too much.
This is especially important for the pet you had first – having a new animal suddenly encroaching on their space could bring out hostility and aggression in dogs and cats. Make sure you have different beds for each pet, a cat tree or similar hiding spot for your cats, and a private place for their litter tray. You might also consider keeping their food separate from one another.
4. Manage Feeding Times and Stations
We all know that our pets can get touchy about food. What’s theirs is theirs! Fighting over food is common amongst all animals, and you can avoid this issue completely by keeping their food bowls in different locations and even feeding them at separate times.
It might be a good idea to feed your cat on a high-up surface like the kitchen counter, where they’re out of the way of the dog and can enjoy their meal unbothered as long as your dog isn’t prone to counter surfing! Alternatively, if you have enough space, feeding your cat in the kitchen and your dog in another room or outdoors could work splendidly.
5. Care For Their Mental Wellness
Cats and dogs feeling anxious, bored, frustrated, or restless are far more likely to pick a fight with their housemates.
Make sure that all of your pets – dogs in particular – are always well-exercised and have the time and space they need to run around and burn off energy. Exercising your dog daily and playing with them will help them stay calm and collected when they’re interacting with their feline friends.
6. Offer Equal Attention
Pets can get jealous over food, and they can also get jealous over an unfair division of fuss and attention! If your pets notice that one of them is getting way more snuggles than the other, it can cause behavioral problems in dogs and cat, too, biting and nipping at one another as a result.
This is especially important during the introduction phase, as it will show your first furry friends that they don’t need to worry about being replaced.
7. Buy Them Separate Toys
Just like children, pets can get fussy about who touches their things. Buying separate toys for your cats and dogs will go a long way in keeping them happy and entertained without attacking one another.
It’s also a great idea to keep their toys in separate locations, if possible. As mentioned, it’s important for each of your pets to have their own safe space, and this can be a good home for their toys, too. Of course, they’re likely to drag things around the house, but try your best to return items to their rightful home every day, so your furry companions know where to find them.
8. Raise Them Together
If possible, it’s a great idea to raise a puppy and kitten together in unison. Socializing younger animals is much easier than introducing them as adults, and younger cats and dogs are far less likely to hurt one another if they do end up getting in a fight.
If you know you’re planning on owning cats and dogs, consider adopting both at the same time. This can be a lot of work for a pet owner, but it can also make it far easier to manage their relationship!
9. Get Professional Help
Sometimes, we, as owners, can do everything in our power to help our pets and still not see the results we want. Remember that it’s not your fault if your animals aren’t getting along, and a lot of it simply comes down to their unique pet personalities.
If you’re really struggling to help your pets get along, it might be worth talking to a pet behaviorist or a professional trainer. However, this would only be necessary if you notice extreme aggression or fear in your pets’ interactions.
