Cats and dogs are fabled enemies in many stories. Dogs are known to chase cats down and cats are known to hiss at the big scary dog. That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the company of both a cat and a dog. With a bit of knowledge, your home can be a place where cats and dogs live in peace.
It is very important to think ahead before bringing another pet into the home. Cats and dogs are territorial animals. Most of them want to protect their territories from intruders. You can’t just put a new cat and dog face to face and expect them to be friends. It can actually be dangerous for both animals to meet so quickly. Be prepared to alter your schedule for a few days for the animals to slowly get acquainted.
Prepare the home
Make sure that your home is ready for the slow introduction of a cat and a dog. You will need a room where one animal can live separately from the other for a few days. Make sure that room is equipped with everything that pet will need. Food, water, and entertainment. When you first bring the new pet home, cat or dog, put them in the room set aside and close the door. Don’t allow your established pet inside yet. Allow the new pet to get comfortable in the room. The new pet will be there for a few days to adjust to the new environment.
This is where you will need to do a little bit of work. Get some old rags and towels. Get quite a few, maybe two for each pet. Rub down each pet with their own rag. After the rub down, switch the rags. Put the rag of your established pet and place it in the room with the new pet. Do the same with the new pet’s rag. Keep the rags around while the pets are separated for a few days. This is so that the pets will get used to each other’s scent before they have face to face contact. A more familiar scent is less of a threat.
The introduction
After a few days and separation and scent swapping, your pets will be ready to meet. You will need your dog on a leash and a another family member to help you out. First off, stay calm! Don’t be nervous or scared about your new pets meeting. Pets can sense when a human is on edge and it can rub off on them. Be cool like nothing is about to happen. Attach the leash to your dog, but don’t hold onto the leash. It is just there if you need it. Tension on the leash can make the dog nervous! Remember to have a place where your cat can run and hide from the dog, just in case.
Have a family member hold the cat in their lap calmly. Bring your dog to come see the cat slowly. Depending on how you have your dog trained, tell them no if they growl or show fangs at your cat. If your dog is curious and friendly, be sure to praise them! Praise is one of the strongest tools for a dog. If both pets are too aggressive, keep them separated and try again another day. It may take some time, but they will eventually get along.
Andrea is a blogger at Smith Monitoring. She specializes in writing about home security and getting the best home security Dallas has to offer.
