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How to make friends with animals. Will there be friendship? How to make friends between an adult dog and a kitten

Many cat owners who decide to have a puppy worry about how the animals will get along together. After all, the fact that these species do not get along is known to everyone. But, in fact, the problem is not as big as it seems: cats and dogs can make good friends. You only need to help them. Let's look at how to make friends a cat with a puppy.

Causes of enmity

If a cat and a puppy quarrel, there is always a reason for this.

Usually it's a fight:

  • Territory;
  • Owner's attention
  • food.

Territory

Of course, if a cat has been living in your house for many years, she is used to considering it her own. And, of course, the appearance on the territory that previously belonged only to her, another animal can cause serious aggression. And so it happens: when a puppy appears, the cat often hisses at him, hits him with his paw, attacks and shows discontent in every possible way. Sometimes the situation is aggravated by the fact that puppies pester cats: due to their age and temperament, they want to play and frolic, which adult cat may respond aggressively.

In this situation, you can influence a lot. Start by dividing the space into "cat" and "dog" - places for sleeping, feeding and toileting the cat and puppy should be in different parts residential premises. Ideally, if you have a house and the puppy can live in an outdoor enclosure.

You should also protect the puppy from possible injuries. To do this, cut the cat's claws, and treat them with a nail file - so she will not inflict painful wounds on him.

Host Attention

A cat and a puppy are different: if the former seem completely independent, then the latter tend to attract attention to themselves or even demand it from their owners.

Remember, no matter how independent your cat may seem, it still needs attention. She may not show it, but sometimes the "resentment" of cats manifests itself through minor annoyances like a soiled carpet or torn curtains.

Of course, the puppy requires a lot of attention, and because of his restlessness, he gets it in full. But don't forget about the cat: during this period, be more affectionate with her than usual, indulge in the treats she loves, and find time to play with her. Then you will not spoil the already established relationship with the pet and help her reconcile with another family member.

Food

Animals are very jealous of the process of feeding. On this basis, serious conflicts can arise between a cat and a puppy. To prevent this from happening, feed them in different places as far apart as possible. It is advisable to do this at the same time so that none of the pets feel left out.

Also, after feeding, clean the bowls, even if there is still something left in them. So you will not allow a situation where one pet eats from a bowl of another, provoking him into a conflict.

Will there be friendship?

Sometimes cats get along easily with puppies, and sometimes it is not possible to reconcile the animals. In many ways, future friendship depends on the breed of cat. After all, character and breed are often linked.

More aggressive breeds cats:

  • Siamese;
  • British;
  • Maine Coon.

More Peaceful Cat Breeds:

  • Persian;
  • Sphinx;
  • Devon Rex.

The quality of the relationship depends less on the breed of the puppy, because all puppies, due to their young age, very mobile and mischievous. This is why you should provide a puppy enough toys and often walk with him.

For a cat, you need to allocate a special place, inaccessible to the puppy, where she can hide from his assertive temperament. It is best if this place is on a hill - on a bookshelf or on the refrigerator. Arrange it so that your pet can easily climb into it. So the cat will feel more confident.

The dog is peacefully dozing on the rug, and the cat is comfortably settled next to it and lulls its tailed friend with an affectionate and gentle purr. How to make a cat and a dog friends in an apartment so that such an idyllic picture becomes a reality? Indeed, many owners are faced with the opposite situation, when their beloved pets turn the house into a war zone and compete not only for territory, but also for the attention of all family members. AND the main task the owner in this case is not to take a neutral position, but to make every effort to reconcile the animals and help them become true friends.

Causes of animosity between dogs and cats

If we recall the work of the English writer Rudyard Kipling "The Cat that Walks by itself", then dogs and cats are eternal enemies and there can be no talk of any friendship between them. But in fact, these animals have no special reasons for enmity, they just perceive the world around them differently.

Dogs, like their closest relatives, wolves, prefer to lead a pack life, because it is easier for them to survive and protect their territory from strangers. Cats, on the contrary, are loners by nature and avoid communication not only with other animal species, but also with representatives of their own kind.

These features of the behavior of cats and dogs and due to their mutual dislike, since the doggie considers all household members and animals living in the house to be members of his pack and will persistently seek their society. Naturally, the cat does not like such an obtrusive neighbor, so the fluffy pet begins to defend itself, taking a fighting stance and hissing at the dog, which eventually ends in a fierce fight between the two pets.

And often the owners, watching the daily conflicts of their pets, take radical solution give one of them to another family, although it is quite possible to make friends with a cat with a dog if you show a little patience and follow certain rules.

Who is the head in this house?

When a kitten and a puppy enter the house at the same time, the question of how to reconcile them does not even arise, because the kids see each other not as a rival or enemy, but as a companion with whom they can play and frolic.

In adult animals, the process of adaptation to a new neighbor is much more difficult, therefore, before introducing a dog to a cat or a cat to a dog, it is advisable to prepare for this in advance.

If a dog lives in the house:

  • Before you get a kitten, you should observe how the dog on a walk reacts to cats running past. If he is torn off the leash, trying to rush after the cat, the pet must be taught the commands “no” or “fu”;
  • It would not be superfluous to take the dog to visit friends who have a cat and observe the behavior of a four-legged pet. In the case when the dog does not show aggression towards the cat, but shows interest, you can safely get a fluffy pet;
  • On big dog or a representative of a hunting breed, before meeting a cat, it is advisable to put on a muzzle or at least a leash so that he cannot harm a new pet;
  • The dog must know and follow basic commands such as "sit" and "down" so that the owner can control it in the process of getting to know the kitten.

If a cat lives in the house:

  • In order for the cat to get used to the new neighbor faster, you can first introduce it to the neighbor's dog and give the animals the opportunity to communicate, of course, under the supervision of the owners;
  • Before bringing a puppy into the house, it is advisable for the cat to cut its claws so that in the event of an attack on the dog, the pet does not inflict serious wounds on him;
  • The sounds of a dog barking unnerve and frighten a cat. Therefore, before getting a four-legged pet, some owners record dog barking on a cassette or disk and turn it on every day for several minutes so that the cat gets used to the source of irritation and subsequently ceases to perceive it as a threat.

First acquaintance of pets

It is very important to correctly and competently organize the first acquaintance of animals, because it depends on this how their relationship will develop in the future. If a dog frightens a fluffy pet with a loud bark or tries to attack him, then one can hardly expect that friendship and mutual understanding will arise between the pets.

If a cat has been a full-fledged owner in the house for more than one year, then before you add a new neighbor to him, you should make sure that he is in a calm and relaxed state. You can put the dog in the room and see how the cat reacts to it. If she took on a menacing look and began to hiss, but is at a safe distance and does not try to attack the puppy, then you should not interfere, it is better to give the animals a few minutes to get to know each other.

But, when, when meeting a dog, a cat, without warning, rushed at her and grabbed her claws, the animals must be immediately bred according to different rooms and avoid contact between them for the next two or three days. Perhaps in a few days, the cat will get used to the smell of a new pet and subsequently treat him more friendly.

In the event that the dog was the first to appear in the house, they put a leash on it before meeting the cat and only then let the new pet into the room. When the dog does not show aggression and does not bark furiously, the cat is allowed to examine the room, but at the same time, the behavior of the dog is monitored all the time. If he calmly watches the movements of the newly-made neighbor, we can assume that the first acquaintance was successful and in the future the cat and dog will make friends, and will not turn into irreconcilable enemies.

If the dog is hostile towards the cat and the owner fears for the life of the fluffy pet, in the next few days the dog is put on a muzzle and allowed to watch the cat from afar.

You can also apply this method: the room is divided by a mesh partition so that the pets can see each other, and every day arrange short meetings for them, lasting 15-20 minutes. After a while, the animals will get used to the fact that they now have to share one territory and may be more comfortable with the presence of another pet in the house.

Advice to owners: in no case should animals be forcibly pushed together or locked in the same room, this will only lead to aggression and hatred between them.

Rules for keeping a cat and a dog in the same house

Sometimes a dog and a cat coexist peacefully in the same apartment, but their relationship cannot be called friendly. Pets do not show any interest in each other and try to avoid communication and meeting. Most often, the owners are satisfied with such a situation when a fragile truce has reigned between the animals, and they do not start fights for the territory and attention of the owner.

But if the goal of the owner is to make pets friends, then he should help them in this, and not remain an outside observer.

  • When the owner takes the dog for a walk, he forgets that cats can also be walked on a leash. Therefore, next time you should take a fluffy pet with you, perhaps a common walk will bring the animals together and contribute to their friendship;
  • When the cat is comfortably seated on the owner’s lap, it is advisable to call the dog to him so that he is not jealous of the opponent and does not feel deprived of attention and affection;
  • Both cats and dogs love to play. Therefore, you can come up with a game in which both pets would take part, for example, throw a ball to them in turn;
  • If the dog accidentally bit the cat during the game, you can not use Physical punishment. The owner must express his dissatisfaction with the “no” command and lock the dog in another room for a few minutes. So the pet will understand that he has done something illegal and next time he will be careful;
  • Animal feeding is also important. The cat, when satiated, will calmly leave the food in the bowl and come to the plate when it gets hungry again. This is the main problem, because the dog eats everything to the last crumb and will not miss the chance to finish eating food from the cat's bowl, which, of course, does not please the cat. To avoid this, the fluffy pet's plate is placed in a place where the dog cannot reach, for example, on the windowsill;
  • Animals must be cared for and cared for equally. Then they will not have feelings of jealousy and rivalry, and the pets will not start a fight for the attention of the owner.

Despite the deeply rooted stereotype that peace between cats and dogs is impossible, these animals, so different and different from each other, often show an example of a strong and disinterested friendship. Therefore, reconciling pets is not so difficult as it might seem at first glance, you just need to be patient and surround them with affection and care, then a calm and peaceful atmosphere will always reign in the house, and this is the most important thing.

Acquaintance of a cat and a dog that did not originally grow up together can be stressful for both animals. However, there are some steps you can take to help the animals gradually and safely get used to each other. Whether you're looking to bring a new cat home to an existing dog or vice versa, these simple animal introduction steps will help you find the much-needed harmony in a multi-pet home.

Steps

Introducing an existing dog to a new cat

    Teach your dog basic commands before you bring your cat home. If you already have a dog and are considering getting a cat, you should carefully work with your dog on general obedience commands before bringing a new pet home. While a dog will very likely want to invade a cat's space to sniff and play with the cat, the cat will need time to acclimate. Work especially hard on the "Sit", "Down" and "Place" commands so that you can immediately stop the dog's attempts to stick to the cat.

    • If possible, practice executing commands in a busy place where other people and distractions are present. The idea is to teach the dog to obey, despite all the excitement that comes from the sight of a cat.
    • If you are just starting to learn basic commands, then it will not be superfluous to read the information on how to properly train a dog.

  1. Try first introducing your dog to another cat that is friendly to dogs. If the arrival of a cat in your home is your dog's first encounter with cats, then he may get too excited by the event, which will stress the new pet. If you have friends who have both cats and dogs, ask permission to visit their home and introduce the dog to a cat that is not afraid of dogs in a controlled environment.

    Put your dog on a leash. When you bring a new pet home, and also when during the acclimatization period the cat and dog can potentially be in the same place, you should keep the dog on a leash. Even if the process of introducing animals will take place at home, the dog must be on a leash so that you have the opportunity to better control the situation. This will allow the dog to be led away if it stops responding to commands and your attempts to distract it from the cat.

    Keep your cat isolated in one of the rooms in your house. Most likely, you will need to keep the animals apart for a while until they demonstrate to you that they are capable of living together. If the new pet is a cat, then it should not be overwhelmed by both the dog and the new spacious house at the same time. As soon as you bring your cat home, take his carrier, bedding, food, water, toys, and litter box to the same room. Leave the animal in the same place and make sure that the dog does not have access to this room. Different animals have different rates of acclimatization to a new environment, and a cat may need to sit in a room for several days before you can introduce it to a dog.

    Give your dog something to distract him from the cat. When you finally get both pets into the same room, you will need something to distract the dog so that the cat can independently explore it and approach it. Consider using your dog's favorite toy for this purpose, and it's a good idea to have one that can hide your dog's favorite treat so he can keep busy retrieving it and not disturb the cat.

    Provide an open path for the cat to retreat when encountering a dog. Don't position the dog or let it become so that it blocks the only way out of the room. The cat must have an escape route if the encounter with the dog is too exciting for him. The feeling of being cornered will only increase the animal's excitement. If the cat needs to run away, having this opportunity will help create a more relaxed attitude towards subsequent encounters with the dog.

    • When the cat explores new house, you can install a cat play complex for him in one of the common rooms. This will provide the cat with a high-lying hiding place from the dog if he needs to take a break from her.

  2. Arrange pet meetings lasting 5-10 minutes. The purpose of holding introductory meetings is to end them before something bad happens. Meetings should last 5-10 minutes and end before the dog runs out of patience, interest in toys and commands, and he goes to be interested in the cat.

    Give your cat treats and your own attention. Calmly talk to the cat all the time meeting with the dog, try to make this time as pleasant as possible for him. Sit on the floor, and if the cat will do to you, generously praise him and treat him. You must make sure that the first meetings with the dog give the cat a positive experience.

    Start feeding animals with opposite sides one door. In between brief encounters, you can help acclimate the animals, for example by feeding them from opposite sides of the same closed door. This will help them become aware of the presence of another pet nearby.

    • If the cat is too scared to eat, move his bowl to a distance from the door where he is no longer afraid. Move the bowl a few inches closer to the door every feeding.

  3. Continue to arrange brief pet encounters.

  4. Try to give the animals a chance to socialize without your supervision. Before you leave your pets alone, you will spend a significant amount of time organizing their supervised meetings. Should take about a month good behavior without any signs of remote threats of animals against each other, after which they can be allowed to begin to communicate without supervision.

    Lock your dog in a separate room. Instead of locking your dog behind a blank door, set doorway a children's gate or other barrier so that the dog cannot leave the room. This will allow the cat to decide on his own after a while to study the dog and, if necessary, easily use the path for retreat. Choose a room for the dog that is not of particular interest to the cat (not where he often sleeps or uses the litter box), which he rarely visits.

    • To help your cat get used to your dog's scent, let him sleep on your bed. old t-shirt, then place this t-shirt in your cat's most favorite room. Do the same with the smell of a cat for a dog. This way both pets can learn each other's scent without having to sniff nose to nose at the dividing gate.

  5. Distract the dog when the cat approaches it. If you notice that the cat is showing interest in the dog and is getting closer to her makeshift pen, try to distract the dog. Give her a favorite toy, start learning commands, and so on. The challenge is to take her attention away from the cat so he can watch and study her without being overly disturbed by the dog's attention.

    • Although this is not always possible with a new puppy or dog, you should try to teach the new pet basic commands before putting him in the same room as the cat so that you have the opportunity to give the “Sit” or “Place” command if the dog will begin to show excessive interest in the cat.

  6. Let the cat explore the dog's cage. If you have a puppy, wait until he falls asleep in his cage and move the cage to one of the cat's favorite rooms. With a closed cage (and familiar territory), your cat will feel more courageous to allow himself to get close and sniff the dog.

    Put the dog on a leash and introduce the pets to each other. For the first pet meeting without a separating gate, the dog must be on a leash so that you can better control the situation. You should also provide your dog with his favorite toys to distract him while he tries to explore his new pet without drawing attention to himself.

    Give the cat an open escape route. Don't position the dog or let it become so that it blocks the only way out of the room. The cat must have an escape route if the encounter with the dog is too exciting for him. The feeling of being cornered will only increase the animal's excitement. If the cat needs to run away, having this opportunity will help create a more relaxed attitude towards subsequent encounters with the dog.

  7. Give the cat time to get used to the dog. Whenever a cat meets a dog, let him decide what to do. Take the dog on a leash to one of the common rooms of your house and then call the cat. Keep your dog on a leash and distract him while the cat sniffs and examines the dog. Also, do not forget to generously treat and praise the cat in the process. As soon as the cat becomes more comfortable with the dog (and associates it with the appearance of treats), you will notice that he will become more and more interested in her.

    • The whole process will require you to be patient. If the dog begins to pay too much attention to the cat, and this causes the cat obvious stress, take him back to a separate room.
    • Don't force your cat to stay with your dog for longer than he wants to. Even if the dog ignores the cat, it is very likely that the cat will get bored or tired of the dog's company and want to leave. Give the cat freedom and try to arrange another meeting of pets a little later.

  8. Keep giving your pets brief, supervised encounters. It will take time and patience, but you should have daily supervised cat-dog encounters. They will probably move on to sniffing each other soon, but you will need to keep supervising their interactions until the dog becomes completely calm and completely ignores the cat, and the cat in turn also becomes calm, it will be fine eat and do your own business in the presence of the dog.

    • Increase the duration of the interaction, but still keep the dog on a leash while the animals continue to get used to each other. The goal is to achieve a satisfied and relaxed state of pets in each other's company. After that, you can try to let the dog off the leash in the presence of the cat.
    • Consider purchasing game complex for a cat. Highly located platforms of the game complex will provide the cat with the opportunity to hide from the dog in safe place. Even if both pets get along with each other, the cat will experience less stress if he knows that he has a place where he can retire.
    • Be responsible in teaching your dog commands. Practice the commands Sit, Place, and Beside in different settings. This will allow you to better control your dog's impulsive behavior should you need to intervene.
    • Another way to familiarize animals with each other's scents before they actually meet is to use synthetic cat and dog pheromones.

There are people who are incorrigible cat people, and there are equally incorrigible dog people. And between these two groups of animal lovers, disputes often arise about which of the pets is better to have, which of the two pets is kinder, smarter, more affectionate, etc. Such disputes can already be classified as eternal.

And there are people who do not participate in such discussions for the simple reason that they cannot classify themselves as either dog people or cat people: they belong to both.

It is about the third type of people, or rather about their pets, that we will talk about today.

Main stumbling blocks

Fight for the owner's attention

Many have heard the phrase "A cat walks by itself." I diligently believed in this truth: my domestic cat she is very affectionate, never rebels when trying to pet her or ponyashkat, but she herself rarely seeks human attention, preferring to do some of her own business. More precisely, she had such a demeanor exactly until the moment when the second four-legged pet, the Pekingese, appeared in our house.

This is where the fierce struggle for the attention of all family members began: competitions called “Who will quickly run to the door and meet the owners”; if they stroked or took on the hands of one of them, aggression from the other immediately began.

Sometimes the situation can take even sharper turns: the cat, seeing that the dog is being taken for a walk, with its desperate meowing, will urgently demand that they take it with them too.

Those who are going to have a cat and a dog in the same house should be aware of how jealous the animals are - almost like little children of the weather. Promise yourself to try to give the same amount of attention to both pets - this way you will prevent hostility between them.

If you have a cat at home, then you know how they eat: even if they have a full bowl of food, but no appetite, they will not eat against their will, but leave it for later and return to it during the day. Dogs have the opposite attitude towards food: they will eat everything in the bowl and ask for more.

Milles Away/Shutterstock.com

Coexisting in the same space with the dog, the cat will have to rebuild his gourmet habits: returning to the bowl during the day will not have desired result, since the dog, having eaten his food, will also grab a portion of the cat.

Remember that it is bad for dogs to overeat. Keeping in mind that a certain percentage of cat food will be eaten by the watchdog, try to ensure that both of your pets are full, but do not overeat.

It is also worth remembering what kind of dogs are beggars and how often it is difficult for us to refuse them a tidbit. Do not forget that there are certain breeds of dogs (for example, pugs and Pekingese) that cannot have sweets - only special dog treats.

Fight for a place

It is unlikely that you will be able to avoid the action between pets under the general name "Who is the boss in the house." The fight will be for any place in the house. Even for a place on your lap. Therefore, prepare in advance for the fact that while your pets get along together, there will be no peace in your house.

Things to keep in mind if you are going to have a dog and a cat in the same house

If you don't have a single animal yet, but you want to have both, then you should take a kitten and a puppy, not adult pets.

So it will be easier for them to get used to each other, and not one of them will feel that someone else has taken his place in the house.

And if you already have an adult cat or dog, then you should not immediately tune in to the fact that he will dislike the new one. It is quite possible that your pet will treat the new pet as if it were his kitten or puppy: he will take care of him in every possible way and play with him.

If you have noticed increased aggressiveness in your dog/cat, think twice before getting a new pet.

If animals to some extent show aggression, jealousy towards their owners, hostility towards other animals, then you should think carefully before getting a second pet, because you can endanger the health and life of a new pet.

If you are not sure that you can surround both pets with the same attention and love, then you should wait a little in order to get a second animal.

Remember that dogs and cats are very sensitive animals that will immediately notice the lack of attention from the owner. They need care, love and affection, and if one of the two feels that the other is being given more attention, this can provoke hatred and aggression towards the second animal.

Think about whether you can handle the responsibility of two lives.

Think very well. If you are going on vacation, will there be such a person among your loved ones who will agree to look after your mini menagerie? Cats tend to require less grooming - they don't need to be walked three or four times a day - but things are more serious with a dog.

Think about your daily routine: if you are at work all day, will other members of your family be able to go out for an afternoon walk with the dog? Are you ready to wake up at 6 a.m. sometimes if your dog needs to go to the toilet? Can you accept the fact that you will have to walk with a dog in any weather - and in 40-degree frost, and in 40-degree heat, and in a snowstorm, and in rain, and in slush - and after a walk to bathe your pet?

Answer these and other questions for yourself BEFORE you get a pet. After all, it is only because of our human irresponsibility and cruelty that there are so many homeless animals on the streets now.

Watch the reaction of both pets.

Study a couple of books about dogs and cats, study their reactions. Reactions can be completely different, for example, a dog wags its tail when it likes something, and a cat waves its tail when, on the contrary, something does not like it. If you gather information about such reactions in advance, this will help you recognize the emotions that your pets experience, and most importantly, how they are configured at a certain moment in relation to each other.

Don't stay away.

Especially at the very beginning, when your pets are just starting to get to know each other, do not let everything take its course. Try to bring them closer: come up with games that both pets can participate in at the same time, take your cat for a walk the next time you go for a dog walk, or just collapse with your pets on the couch and watch a movie.

Whether two different pets can get along in the same house depends not only on themselves, on their characters and habits, but also on their owners - you should never forget this.

And for all those who still doubt that a cat and a dog can become friends while living in the same house, I suggest watching this short video.

A dog and a cat are two different worlds. Friendship between them is the exception rather than the rule. Their neighborhood is more like a truce and patient coexistence than a sincere sympathy for each other. However, many pet owners are quite successful in keeping dogs and cats together.

Here, as in most cases, success depends on the competent behavior of the owner and his ability to control the dog. The easiest way is to develop the relationship of animals that grew up and were brought up together. But often the owners, having got a dog, after some time decide to replenish their house with another pet - a cat.

An adult dog feels like the owner of the territory, and it is natural that when a cat appears in this territory, the dog may experience stress. The main advice is to keep animals in the first days different rooms. This will allow both the dog and cat to get used to the new smell and new sounds. They also need to be fed separately.

Before the first meeting, the dog needs to be walked and fed, as positive associations are very important. The dog will not have the desire to chase the fleeing prey. Even if the dog is good-natured, it must be muzzled and on a leash. She should not be allowed to immediately approach the cat, let her get to know her first at a safe distance, best of all in a prone position. From this position, the dog is most difficult to attack.

If the dog is calm and does not react to the cat, it should be rewarded with treats and exclamations of approval. After that, she can be allowed to gently sniff the cat. For the first acquaintance is enough. When the dog shows aggression, strictly give the forbidding command “fu” and the command “down”. Let the dog see that you are unhappy with his behavior. In this case, it is better to postpone the acquaintance of the dog with the cat.

Repeat trial meetings every day until the dog gets used to the cat. This first stage usually lasts 3-4 days. As a rule, after a week the animals will be calm in each other's company.

The next task is to control and suppress any conflict situations. To keep them as few as possible, you need to give equal attention to each pet. Everyone should have a place in the house, everyone should have toys, treats and food. And everyone should get their share of attention.