How To Get Dogs And Cats To Be Friends

Those who have dared to take the doggy-kitty paths before will tell you it is filled with drama, surprise, danger, and hope of a beautiful ending.

From experience, there are things you can do to tilt the odds in your favor to get a happy ending.

1. Plan for the first moment: In building a canine-feline friendship, the first few moments together are important and can set the tone of the relationship forever.
2. Give the newcomer time: Before excitedly introducing them, give the newcomer time to settle down with the environment first.
3. Contain the dog: The cat’s space must be respected at the first meeting if you want them to befriend each other. It would be best to contain the dog at the first meeting because they tend to be more excited.
4. Learn cat and dog body language: It will help you know when to intervene. For instance, if the dog stiffens and stares, the meeting should end because they are being predatory.
5. Reward the dog’s calm behavior: Establish a positive association that shows they get treats when the cat is around. When both parties become relaxed staying in the same room, reduce the treats to allow them to focus on each other sometimes.

Before bringing a cat home, be sure your dog’s personality is accommodating. The ideal dog to establish a dog-cat friendship with is one who is calm and responds to cues such as sit, spin, shake, etc.