Can Dogs And Cats Coexist? Tips For Live Together

Can dogs and cats coexist? Living with dogs and cats is possible! These two animals that, at first glance, may seem like they have to get along badly (as the saying goes: we get along like cats and dogs) can, however, live together in the same home and even get along great. Of course: to achieve this, it is important that the owner has a lot of patience, that he takes into account the needs of each one and, above all, that he avoids any clash or fight between them.

Can dogs and cats coexist

In this OneHowTo article we are going to give you the keys so that you can see that yes, Can dogs and cats live together? but, for this, you will need to follow some specific guidelines and recommendations. Take note!

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Can dogs and cats coexist:  Steps to follow

Can dogs and cats coexist? It seems like a silly question to the one with friendly canine and feline residents, but the uninformed may have a tough time seeing any real-world scenario where cats and dogs live peacefully in the same residence. Here we will discuss more about it.

Put them together from the start

To live with dogs and cats It is important that, whenever possible, you present them since they are puppies because, in this way, they get used to each other from an early age and will manage to integrate them into their habits. He thinks that the two species have predatory characteristics and, therefore, are territorial, which is why they can fight and not end up having a good relationship.

So, if you want to make life between them placid, try introduce them when they are little and, thus, their most territorial and predatory part will not be so enhanced. With this you will get them to learn to share their space, their toys and even your love. But if this is not possible, you should know that it is always better to put a puppy dog ​​in a house where a cat lives because, this one, he usually accepts new companions better than dogs.

Can dogs and cats coexist? - Put them together from the beginning

Introduce a dog and a cat

The moment of presentation of a cat and a dog it is crucial for them to get along. You must be very respectful with this act and take care of the details to the maximum so that they are calm and do not perceive that moment as a danger or feel insecure.

You should never pick up the cat in your arms because it is quite likely that it will scratch you or get very nervous. You must give him space and freedom so that he himself assesses the situation and, if he feels good, he can move around, smell and inspect carefully. Remember that the cat is a very observant animal and is always alert, therefore, leave it free and loose.

You will have to keep the dog on a leash to control its movements and prevent it from jumping or attacking the cat. Give it a little rope but always keep it under control to avoid any pull that could hurt the cat. Don’t force contactif your cat leaves, it is because they do not feel safe and, therefore, end the presentation and try again the next day.

If it is the dog that is nervous, we recommend that you take it to a closed room and leave it there for about 10 minutes or until it calms down; When he is calmer, give him a treat to reward his behavior and make him understand that what you are asking for is calm.

Let them smell each other, observe each other, and when they get tired, take them back to their separate spaces. You must repeat this contact every day for 2 or 3 times so that, in this way, they get used to the presence of the other and do not consider themselves a threat.

Can dogs and cats coexist? - Introduce a dog and a cat

The basics for a good coexistence between dogs and cats

In response to your question of Can dogs and cats live together? the answer is YES but with a fairly controlled integration process. It is possible that, if the animals are adults when you present them, they will never end up getting along 100% well and, therefore, when you are not at home you should keep them in separate rooms. It is important to have a lot of patience and not get overwhelmed or yell at them at the first chance, it is a process that requires a lot of left hand and repeat the same patterns day after day until, in the end, they get used to each other.

A good way to speed up this process and get them used to it more quickly is to go to the smells. Let us remember that these two animals have highly enhanced sense of smell and, therefore, we can make them end up accepting the other’s smell as normal by inserting the dog’s clothes into the cat’s room and vice versa. Give him a toy of his to play with and, in this way, he will also catch the scent of the other animal. It is also recommended that you pet one and then go pet the other with his scent so that he understands that the two are part of that house.

But above all, they have to have your own space. This is something of vital importance because, as we have already mentioned, they are two very territorial animals that need to have their living space without feeling invaded. Create two well-separated rooms (with doors or dividers that prevent them from sneaking in) and make it comfortable: put their bed, their food, their water and their toys in this room. They must recognize it as theirs.

Can dogs and cats coexist? - The basics for a good coexistence between dogs and cats

Integrate them in the same space little by little

When the dog and cat are comfortable in their respective spaces, then it is time to try to share a neutral room and that neither of them created as their own. This will be where you will have to make introductions and, little by little, let the dog loose (always controlled, of course) so that he too can feel comfortable and relaxed. You should only do this process when you detect that the animal is calm, otherwise it could attack the cat or have aggressive behavior.

The dog is more dangerous than the cat for its strength, its teeth and its corpulence and, therefore, you will have to train it with more patience and dedication than the feline. Out of curiosity, he will approach the dog but he will only do so when he feels that there is no threat, otherwise he will hide and be very scared, a feeling that we want to avoid as much as possible.

As soon as your dog is calm and relaxed with your cat in front of you, then don’t forget to give him a treat. The positive reinforcement It is essential in the education of a dog and, therefore, it is important that you encourage it. Avoid yelling at him or hitting him because then he will detect that the situation is tense and he will not be able to act normally; if you want to give him an order with a forceful “No” you can do it.

If you see that you cannot control the situation and that your animals do not end up getting along, avoid leaving them in the same room without supervision as they could get hooked and end up injured. Patience, education and control is what you will need so that they can coexist a dog and a cat.

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