The arrival of a new animalin the home is always a complicated situation, especially when there are already other animals living there. Although it’s difficult to make these two four-legged companions live together in peace, with a few little tricks and a bit of patience, it is possible for anyone to end up getting along.
Discover our latest podcast
A specific body language
You have to know that cats are very territorial animals that like to have control over their own space, which can make it difficult for a dog toadapt. Furthermore, their reactions and the ways in which they communicate are different. Dogs have very clear signals that make it easy for them to be understood by other groups, while cats are more discreet and independent.
The role of age
It’s worth knowing that it’s easier to get a dog and cat to live together when they’re still babies. They will get used to growing up together without being afraid of each other. If you don’t get them both at the same time, if either the cat or the dog is young and the other is already an adult, they will be more careful around each other. The most difficult situation is when one of them is a lot older. They have already established their character and personality and could find it difficult to deal with a younger animal who is full of energy.
Tricks for making them get along
So that your two animals get on well, it’s important to lay down the law and be present at the beginning. Don’t leave the animals alone at the start. Make sure not to treat one differently to the other: if you give a treat to one, you have to give one to the other as well. Furthermore, make sure that they have the ability to leave if they don’t feel comfortable. Cats have to be able to get up high and dogs have to be able to leave.
Finally, why not swap their things so that they get used to each other’ssmell?
As for food, make sure to keep their food bowls separate. Meal times can lead to conflict for animals so we don’t advise you to feed them from the same plate.
Check out the video to find out more!