How to get a cat used to a dog

Author: Laura McKinney
Date Of Creation: 6 August 2021
Update Date: 1 November 2024
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How to Introduce Dogs & Cats SAFELY 🐱🐶 What to AVOID
Video: How to Introduce Dogs & Cats SAFELY 🐱🐶 What to AVOID

Content

The arrival of a new family member may not be well received by your cat, even less so if the newcomer is nothing less than a dog. It's possible that your feline is cute and adorable to you, but it can behave like the worst of your puppy's enemies.

Indeed, that story about dogs and cats not getting along may be right in some cases, but is that a hopeless question? Just the opposite. stop knowing how to get a cat used to a dog, in this article by PeritoAnimal we will detail what you can do to resolve this enmity.

Can dog and cat get along?

The relationship between dogs and cats is reputed to be complicated. The truth is that a stable and secure relationship between these two species depends on multiple factors.


By this we mean that, effectively, a cat and a dog can get along to the point of being great friends or, at the very least, tolerating each other and living in the same home. If you wonder why your cat snorts and growls at your dog, you should know that this relationship will depend to a large extent on the fulfillment of the following conditions:

  • Adequate socialization during the puppies stage.
  • Allow adequate time for adaptation and acceptance.
  • Establish some clear coexistence guidelines.
  • Provide a comfortable environment for both.

As we will see below, when one or more of these points are not met, this can generate a bad relationship between the two species that will make harmonious coexistence at home difficult.

In this other article by PeritoAnimal we give some advice for a dog and a cat to get along well.


Why doesn't my cat accept my dog?

Both dogs and cats are sociable animals, who have an innate tendency to create bonds of friendship and belonging in a group. However, in this case, the learning process it will be a fundamental part that will determine the point of sociability, as well as what to be afraid of and what not to be afraid of. With that in mind, these are some reasons why your cat rejects your dog:

Null socialization with dogs

A kitten's socialization period is a stage in which it is especially susceptible to learning about its surroundings and those who inhabit it.

In this period, your cat learns to relate to others, whether with other cats, people or dogs. If, on the contrary, your cat has not met any friendly puppy dogs, if you introduce him to a dog, it will result in a situation totally unknown to him, which is why he will be afraid.


negative experience

A very common reason why your cat might reject the dog friend is because the feline has lived through a negative experience with one or several dogs; be it a simple bark, that you have been chased or even assaulted.

If we add the aforementioned, it means that your cat has not met any friendly dog ​​and the perfect combination will form for the cat to brazenly show its discomfort with the new member of the family.

Resource protection

If your cat was used to living comfortably alone at home, without having to share, it is natural to feel uncomfortable with the sudden presence of a third member in the household, since this could take your valuable resources, like your food, your bed, your affection, etc. Therefore he needs to keep this threat far away.

Hurry to introduce the new family member

It is very important when introducing the new member to the home, be it dog or cat, among others, to try to do in the most progressive way possible. And is that cats are very susceptible to change; they need time to adapt and associate a change with something positive. But if this change is sudden, the feline will feel stressed and will likely develop an irritable or skittish mood, as well as affecting its quality of life.

How to get a dog to a cat

If your cat openly rejects your dog, grunting, snorting or attacking, as well as if you are wondering how to introduce a dog into a house with a cat, you must understand that this relationship can be on the one hand completely hostile or, on the other hand, tolerable and even pleasant if done properly and progressively.

Understand below how to present a dog and a cat correctly so that your pets get along well:

1. Prepare the ground before arrival

As already mentioned, any sudden change will cause your cat to feel insecure and stressed. That's why, before bringing a dog home, to get a cat used to a dog you need to prepare your house a few days in advance so that the cat adapts in advance. This implies:

  • Make sure both have at least one individual space where they can feel safe. Keep in mind that your cat's refuge should be located in a high place where the cat can watch the surroundings and the dog cannot reach it.
  • each of your pets should have access to water and food individually and without feeling harassed by the other, as a conflict could arise.
  • THE your cat's litter box it should be located in an intimate place, where the puppy cannot have access.
  • prepare one place for the dog (like a bedroom) in which it will be installed during the first days of adaptation. This zone should not be a point of interest for your cat (like the salon) so that he doesn't notice the change in a negative way.
  • It is recommended to use a pheromone diffuser to make it easier for the cat to feel comfortable despite the change.

2. Olfactory exchange

Sometimes we forget the importance of smell, as this is not a very developed sense in humans, but for cats and dogs, sniffing is an essential part of their lives.

Considering this, a few days before the first visual contact between your two furry ones, it will be necessary, by way of presentation, to carry out an olfactory exchange, for example exchanging toys or blankets.

3. Allow eye contact

The visual exchange is, without a doubt, the most delicate part. This is the time where a cat can be most easily scared. For this reason, eye contact should be first from far away, at a distance where the cat feels safe. In this process, the help of a second person is recommended, so that one of them keeps an eye on the cat and the other holds the dog with a collar.

In addition, it is very important for them to associate the experience with something positive, reinforce the meeting with prizes for both. Every time your cat sees the dog and is calm (remember to keep enough distance to feel safe), you can give him a reward. Likewise, if the dog doesn't get nervous, barking at the sight of the feline, you should also reward him for learning to be calm (without scaring the cat away).

little by little you should reduce the distance, always encouraging calm behaviors with prizes, so that they perceive the other person's presence in a positive and fearless way. Never try to approach them hastily, as forcing the situation can generate a negative experience in the cat, which will be even more difficult to reverse.

4. Let them interact

If your two furry ones are so close to each other that they could touch and both are calm, let them interact, that they sniff each other out, and reward them for getting along so well.

For safety, it is important that the dog muzzle, especially if you are an adult (that's why it's important to get used to it before), to prevent a quick movement of the cat inciting the dog to play in an abrupt way and hurting the cat.

5. Leave them loose, but with surveillance

Lastly, if you are 100% sure that your pets will get along well and have a calm attitude in the presence of the other, you can start to let them loose in the same space. Always under your supervision and avoiding situations in which conflicts could arise, such as if you had a bowl of food.