How to Help Dogs and Cats Live in Peace

Are you hesitant about getting a dog but are afraid that the cat at home will be upset? Or are your cats and dogs still fighting with each other? Although most dogs and cats don’t get along right away, there are ways to help them change and accept each other. By taking the time and understanding your pet’s needs, you’ll create a happy, peaceful home for both your cat and dog.

Table of Contents

Let the dog “debut” to the cat

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Prepare for the introduction. Whether you’re bringing a new cat/dog into a home with a pre-existing dog/cat or are trying to make your pet more harmonious, you need to build a foundation. nice before. To start with, make sure your home has enough space for the dog and cat to hide from each other. You’ll also need to keep them alone for a few days, so it’s better if your home has more than one room.

Besides, make sure the dog will listen to you. You may have to re-teach your obedience training from scratch if it doesn’t heed your command. ^{[1] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to the source} Don’t let your first encounter with a cat go awry because the puppy is too eager or aggressive.
If you’re getting a new dog or an unruly puppy, be extra careful when introducing it to your cat.

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Slow but sure! DO NOT let the dog chase the cat around. First, keep them separate for 3-4 days, then let the dog and cat meet in person. ^{[2] X Trusted Source Animal Humane Society Going to the source} Animals need time to get used to each other’s smells and adjust to a new home before they can accept meeting each other.

Dogs and cats have a tendency to fight or be unhappy if you suddenly force them to be together. Keep pets in a separate room and keep them out of sight of each other until both calm down.
Start mixing the pet’s scent by petting the cat, then petting the dog and vice versa (if they’re in two separate rooms).

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Swap the dog and cat room together. The goal is for pets to smell each other but not see the other’s presence. Scent is an important way animals use to recognize each other. Let your pets get used to the smell of each other, before actually meeting.

Try wiping the dog with a towel and then placing it under the cat’s food bowl. This will help the cat gradually get used to and accept the smell of his canine companion.

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Let the dog and cat smell each other through the gap under the door separating them. ^{[3] X Research Source} Pets will be able to communicate with new smells by smelling them directly on specific pets even when they can’t see each other.

Try feeding your dog and cat on different sides of the same door. ^{[4] X Trusted Source Animal Humane Society Go to the source} This will force them to adapt to each other’s smells.

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Wait until you both seem relaxed and ready to meet. ^{[5] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to the source} If your cat panics, runs away, or hides every time he approaches the door, you need to feed your cat. I have more time. As cats begin to adapt to the scent and sound of the dog, it’s time for them to see each other.

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Hold the cat in your arms until it is calm and relaxed. Then, ask a relative or friend to slowly lead the dog (on a leash) into the room. Step by step bring the dog closer and wait for them to calm down before touching. Just let the pets get used to the other’s presence, do not let them interact directly with each other.

Make sure the cat is comfortable to be held.
Wear long gloves to protect your arms from scratches.
Another option is to place the cat in a log bale, while keeping the dog on a leash. ^{[6] X Research Source} This will ensure that no physical contact occurs during the first meeting.

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Show love evenly when you introduce dogs and cats to each other. Animals, like us, get jealous when the “new kid” gets more attention than they do. Show them that you love both of them and are not partial to either pet.

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Separate them again. Do not force pets to interact with each other for too long, this will tire them and lead to conflict. Make sure the first meeting goes well by keeping it brief and pleasant.

Gradually increase the duration of each such encounter. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Adjusting for pets to live together

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Separate your pets every time you are away or not with them. You should do this for a while so that the dog and cat don’t harm each other.

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Redirect negative behavior that dogs target cats. These behaviors include barking and rough play. ^{[9] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to the source} Give your dog another activity or do some obedience training to distract his dog cat.

Try to limit yelling at the dog in these situations. As long as you maintain the positivity of the situation, the dog will gradually form positive connections with the cat in the future. ^{[10] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to source}

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Reward and praise the dog’s good behavior when it is around the cat. This includes the dog’s friendly attitude or the dog simply ignoring the cat. Thus, when the cat later enters the room, the dog will not be aggressive or overly attentive, and at the same time more interested in being nice to the housemate.

Say: “Look here __ (dog’s name), __ (cat’s name) here! Yeahhhh!” with a very cheerful voice. Then, give the dog a small training reward. Dogs will soon associate a pleasant feeling with the presence of a cat.

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Provide a place for the cat to hide when chased by a dog. It could be a tree house or a cat-only entrance, anything for the cat to escape to. In general, it is only when the cat is cornered and there is no way to avoid it that the cat will attack the dog again.

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Have realistic expectations. If your pet dog or cat has never lived with another pet before, it will temporarily not know how to deal with the situation. In addition, whether dogs view cats as pleasure, prey or exotic objects; Cats see dogs as strange or dangerous objects, all of which you can’t predict until they actually meet each other. ^{[11] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to the source} Just understand that this adaptation can take quite a while and you’ll have the patience to help your dog and cat. live in harmony with each other.

Advice

Try not to be biased. Sometimes wars happen because of jealousy. If the dog notices that the cat gets more attention, it will behave in a negative way.
It is very beneficial if animals are introduced to each other at an early age. ^{[12] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to the source} Small animals adapt more easily to the idea of living with other species. However, puppies are very playful and are not always aware of their strength, so it can accidentally injure the kitten. ^{[13] X Research Source}
Make sure you proceed with the introduction slowly, not putting the cat down in front of the dog as soon as you pick it up. Make sure the dog and cat are used to each other before allowing them to live together in an open space without your supervision.
Sometimes, dogs and cats really just can’t get along. In this case, simply separate them whenever possible and try to give your pet an even amount of attention.

Warning

Do not leave pets alone at home together until they appear to be getting along. Don’t put either pet at risk of injury if you’re not at home. It’s easier and safer to keep your dog or cat in another room while you’re away.

Steps

Let the dog “debut” to the cat

Adjusting for pets to live together

Advice

Warning

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