By Jennifer Martin
You’ve heard heart-warming
stories: Dog meets cat. Cat loves dog.
They bond and are best buds forever. But the real world is a different story,
animal behaviorists say. Whether you’re introducing a new cat to a dog, or vice
versa, it’s worth remembering that cats are from Mars, dogs are from Venus.
There’s a reason there are no cat
parks,” says Pam Johnson-Bennett, animal behaviorist and author of eight books,
including Think Like a Cat. “Cats don’t run up to a strange cat and
say, ‘Hey! Let’s play.’” Most cats are essentially solitary and territorial, a
phenomenon rooted in their wild ancestry.
Felines lay claim to their turf, and will fight invaders fiercely; they
need “home” to be a predictable, safe place.
What does this mean when it comes to
introducing dogs and cats? Following are
a few suggestions that can make the meet-up more successful.
Take it slowly. “If I’m a cat, and a
new dog is coming through the door, I’m thinking, ‘invasion!’” Johnson-Bennett
says. “The cat doesn’t know if the dog is a friend or foe.” Restrain the dog on a leash and always
provide the cat with an escape route. “Cats need to [be able to] get away,” say
animal behaviorist Sarah Wilson, author of the blog My Smart Puppy. “It helps to use baby gates, just to give the cat a safe place to run
to.” A sturdy, well-installed cat tree will give the cat a vertical escape
route, which many prefer.
If you’re bringing a new cat home
from the shelter, do not let your dog rush up to the cat carrier. Instead, take the cat to his own safe room,
if possible, and let him hide as long as he needs to. “I’ve had cats who stayed
in the linen closet for months,” Wilson notes. “They came out at night and
scoped the territory while the dog stayed in the bedroom with the door
closed. And that was fine.”
Animal behaviorist Chris Shaughness,
author of Puppy Mill Dogs SPEAK!, recommends
rubbing a washcloth or towel over your dog, then letting your cat sniff the
cloth. “If the cat hisses, never scold,”
she says. “Just talk very calmly and
happily: ‘This is your new friend. Don’t be scared.’”
Catnip and treats will help,
especially in the beginning. “I reward
the dog every time he focuses on me and relaxes,” Johnson-Bennett says. “The
dog understands that he’s going to work with me; he’s not going to go chasing
after the cat.”
While over time, most cats and dogs
come to accept one another, sometimes they never fully warm up to the idea of
co-habitation. “There are some households where the dogs and cats are
separate,” Shaughness says. “Again,
that’s Okay. Animals have their preferences
just like we do. We just need to make
sure they’re having positive experiences.
More Tricks and Tips:
1. Kittens are not as territorial as
grown cats, but they still need gradual, safe introduction to dogs, behaviorists
say. Never leave a kitten alone with a
dog, even a dog who seems non-threatening.
2. Puppies are likely to be particularly
exuberant around cats; a leash and consistent training are even more important
for them.
3. When selecting a puppy, go for a
breed with a low prey drive. Or, even better, adopt an adult dog who
demonstrates good cat manners; many rescue groups evaluate their dogs on
cat-tolerant behavior.
4. When selecting a cat, avoid
high-strung, nervous types, or those who have had bad experiences with
dogs. Instead choose one who is confident,
mellow and friendly. He’ll be more
likely to warm up to your pooch.
5. Have a ferocious feline? “There are
cats who terrorize dogs,” Wilson says.
It absolutely can go both ways.” Keep a water-filled spray bottle handy
and spritz the cat when he jumps the dog.
Don’t scold, yell or even speak to the cat, which will only teach him to
attack the dog when you’re not looking.
“You want them to associate attacking the dog with water from the sky,”
Wilson says. “Also, a crate where the
dog can hide can be a great
salvation.”
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