Cats and Dogs: Togetherness Tips

My cat and dog fight like, well, like cats and dogs. In one corner of the ring is Spike, an 8-year-old, black, long-haired catzilla, weighing in at more than 16 pounds. Sure, a few of those pounds come from too much snacking and catnapping. But he’s also just big-boned–really! He has paws like kitty-asaurus.

In the other corner (cowering) is Clyde, a 90-pound, 3-year-old Plott Hound wuss. He is ruled by his nose, which often leads him into the vicinity of the cat food. And so the trouble begins. First, we hear a growl, low as faraway thunder, vibrate through the house. That erupts into a frenzy of hissing, screeching, and RWARRs, and soon after, Clyde is seen fleeing, tail between his legs, to the safety of his crate, baying mournfully the whole way. It’s pathetic really. He’s the laughingstock of the neighborhood dog park.

Both Clyde and Spike are pound pets, and they’ve only been living together for about a year. And while I’ve had a few roommates of my own I’ve wanted to growl and claw at myself, I feel like Clyde and Spike should be friends. Growing up, I had three dogs and three cats. And they got along famously. One dog would curl up asleep on the couch and a cat would lie curled asleep on top him–yes, on top of him.

This proves to me that amicable inter-special relationships are possible. But how? Is there anything I can do to establish such a furry friendship between Spike and Clyde? I spoke to my veterinarian, Cristina Gutierrez, at the Humane Society of Boulder Valley, and she gave me these tips:

• Start them when they’re young. “Kittens and puppies can grow to become best friends much more easily than pets already set in their ways,” says Gutierrez. With older pets, as in my case, introduce them to each other slowly. For the first month or two, keep the dog in one half of the house and the cat in the other (by using a safety gate, for example), so they get used to having this other, somewhat-alarming critter around. The dog learns the cat isn’t food, and the cat learns the dog won’t eat him. Slowly, under supervision, start bringing them into the same room together.

• Keep the cat’s food and water in a place the dog can’t get to. This will minimize territory conflicts and the cat’s need to defend his food.

• Have safe areas to which the cat can retreat (for instance, a pillow atop a bookshelf). This will help the cat feel secure and ease any anxiety. Let the dog learn “the law of the claw,” Gutierrez says. One or two swipes from the cat will teach the dog a healthy respect for the cat–and that he needs to keep his distance a bit.

If these tactics fail, don’t fret too much, and practice acceptance. “Nothing in nature says dogs and cats have to be friends,” she says. You do need to make sure the dog doesn’t injure the cat, however, so if the aggression escalates, you may want to keep them permanently separated, she says. This week, I’m going to try some of these suggestions, and I’m crossing my fingers that the lion (Spike) will lie down with the lamb (Clyde). Failing these strategies, I’ll move on to plan B: Dousing Clyde in a bottle of catnip.

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Read more: Behavior & Communication, Cats, Dogs, Pets, cat, dog, friendship, home, living, Pets, together

By Kristin Bjornsen, Natural Solutions magazine

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Mary Beth M.

10:25AM PDT on Apr 29, 2011

Try Comfort Zone plug-ins for both the dog and the cat. They are natural pheromones which ease stress and anxiety and a variety of other unwanted behaviors. You can also spray the bedding. You would need both feline and canine to help ease tension. They really do work!

send a green star

Ann E.

9:57AM PDT on Aug 3, 2010

I really enjoyed Kristin Bjornsen's writing style. Informative but also lots of fun.

8:26PM PDT on May 19, 2010

My cat, Lola, used to ride on my dog's back when she was little. Well, 'ride' is a bit of a stretch. But Lola used to sit atop Harley all the time. Every now and again, she'd attempt to hang on when Harley started to move around . . . which didn't last too long! Cute as hell to see Lola just sitting on Harley though!

Jean L.

3:52AM PDT on May 18, 2010

Cats and dogs together can be done. I have had both at the same time. You have to get them adjusted to each other slowly and keep a close eye on them. My cat used to sleep next to the dog, but the cat was the boss of the house and the dog was aware of the pecking order.

Val R.

3:53PM PDT on Mar 27, 2010

Forgot to say we had to de-claw the cat - something I hate to do. ANd right now she's meowing and knocking my glasses off - wants attn. Gotta go.

3:48PM PDT on Mar 27, 2010

Well - I think you answered my question; how do I get my at and my dog to be at least half-nice to each other? I have a cat I've had almost 6 years. She's always been a kind-of one animal pet. But recently we got a dog from the shelter as a watchdog. They are both indoor pets and I live in a mobile home (single-wide). The few times I have tried to get the 2 even close, the dog high-tailed straight to the cat, barking and snarling with looks to kill. She is like this with other animals, people, etc... whatever...the wind. SO I din't have high hopes and began keeping the cat in 2 rooms and the dog in the other. It's quite stressful though the dog is getting a little better not following me everywhere - she bonded to me rather than my partner who is good with her. But we are planning on putting a door in the hallway so the cat can roam 1/2 the home without me smuggling her from room to room. I guess we're at that: keep them separated stage.

Past Member .

9:27AM PDT on Jun 14, 2009

thanksss...
Kabin

Konteyner

Melissa F.

6:19AM PDT on May 19, 2009

Ms. Roseburg had a very good and important point to make about temperaments. One should always have an idea about their dog's natural inclinations before bringing a cat, dog, or even rodents home. Prey Drive is innate and difficult to deal with unless you take pains to control it.

Most importantly, a dog should never be allowed to chase a cat or kitten. Always keep your dog or puppy on a leash so you can keep them within close range. This will prevent the cat or kitten from learning to be scared of the dog. Having your dog lay down while giving him praise and treats teaches your dog to be calm while the kitty is scampering around. You need to be calm, too, and never get frightened or panicked if your dog becomes excited.

I had two cats when I adopted my dog, the black longhair had grown up around dogs, but my redhead hadn't and was terrified. Over a year of watching my black kitty walk around my dog, my redhead became less frightened but remained wary. When my black kitty passed away, we adopted two kittens into our home and my redhead learned from them not to be frightened of the dog. He still hisses at my dog, but he is no longer scared to come out of the bedroom. What helps greatly is feeding my cats before feeding my dog, who must watch as the cats eat first. I also eat before my dog, to establish rank order.

Babygating (my husband cut holes in them for the cats) helps designate cat-only rooms for comfort and privacy!

6:18AM PDT on May 19, 2009

Rossie H.

3:48AM PDT on May 5, 2009

We have a cat a dog, and often times, in the morning sun, we observe, our mini Jack russell, loves to be petted by the cat licking her all over, like her daily bath. A bit like a mother cat with her kittens, and you should, see the jack russells face! Is there anyone out there, who has had the same antics?