Ruff Relations to Purrfect Peace: Harmonizing Dog & Cat Connections in Your Home

Pets have the potential to bring joy into any home — unless they absolutely, completely refuse to get along. Cats and dogs earn their combative reputations in homes worldwide, fighting and terrorizing one another if not properly introduced. While kittens swatting at dopey golden retrievers make for some hilarious, adorable content, a tumultuous dog-cat relationship in your home may feel unsustainable after a time.

Here are some tips and tricks from experts, organizations, and pet lovers like you to get your feline and canine to get along.

Instincts and Opposing Languages: Obstacles Keeping Your Dog and Cat at War

Regardless of your training abilities, know-how, or the personalities of your pets, dogs and cats have innate instincts that oppose one another. According to the Journal of Applied Animal Behaviour Science, felines and canines have very different meanings attached to the body language of their species. This means that, when a dog wags its tail, a cat may interpret this as annoyance or aggression rather than joy or playfulness — and this is only one example of the different languages dogs and cats speak.

The breed of your pet may also widen the potential divide between your fur babies, especially when it comes to dogs. While all dogs are born with a prey drive, or a desire to hunt, certain breeds have a higher prey drive than others due to the reasons they were bred in the first place.

For example, terriers, hounds, and other types of hunting or herding dogs have an instinctive need to seek, pursue, and take down prey that is smaller than them and keen on running away. When we consider the average house cat who’s uncomfortable around canines, we can imagine the chase and encouragement of that prey drive in action.

But not all hope is lost if your fur babies are in a constant state of fight or flight. Check out these tips for how you can repair their ruff, er… rough relationship.

Timing is Everything

While this may not be an option for every household, one of the biggest factors in creating a harmonious, multiple-species household is the timing of their introduction. Both age and ease of meeting matter in dog-cat meet-cutes, the Journal of Applied Animal Behaviour Science elaborates.

If you’re hoping to bring a dog and a cat together under your roof, you’ll be better off choosing a kitten under the age of six months and a dog less than a year old. Introducing these species at a young age allows both pets to learn the other’s unique language with less fear and confusion. There is more curiosity than chaos if you’re able to adopt both pets at a younger age!

Any introduction, regardless of age, should be approached slowly and steadily. This is a process, especially if your pets are older or if you’re bringing a cat into a dog-ruled household (Applied Animal Behaviour Science suggests introducing a new dog to your pet cat is easier than the other way around). We’ll have more tips on a proper introduction in just a moment.

Felines Know Best

The Journal of Veterinary Behavior states that your cat will be a better metric for understanding how the relationship between your pets is going as opposed to your dog. In this study, both cat owners and the cats themselves recognized when certain dog-cat interactions were turning sour — but not because the dog griped about it. 

Cats make their discomfort clearer than dogs, something you can pay attention to as you facilitate their introduction. Catering to your feline rather than your dog is a wiser call, as your cat is technically the “prey” in this situation. Making them more comfortable and keeping them safe should be your top priority, regardless of which animal you adopted first!

How Trained is Your Canine?

A dog of any age may need additional training to properly cohabitate with a cat. Fido’s calmness is a huge factor when introducing your pets, according to the American Kennel Club. If your dog isn’t capable of sitting, lying down, and patiently waiting for your cat to approach, you may need to work on it.

Starting your dog off behind a barrier such as a baby gate or on a long lead can be a great first step to introducing your new feline. Until your dog can patiently allow a cat close to it (remember: treats often go a long way!), don’t let Fido run free. The last thing you want is for your dog to chase your cat, as these traumatic moments can be difficult to repair.

Familiarize Your Fur Babies

You can help both species adapt to their new companion by familiarizing the other with certain items or scents. Before any introduction or reintroduction, give your cat some of your dog’s blankets and toys. Fido should also have access to things that smell like your cat, such as a bed or scratching post. The power of scent goes a long way for both of these species.

Allowing both pets to listen to one another without interacting can also go a long way. The simple act of feeding your dog on the opposite side of your cat’s closed door helps these two species understand one another without the distraction of seeing one another. 

No matter what, make sure both your cat and dog have a room or space that is only theirs until they are comfortable together (though most cats still prefer a dog-free zone). Both species need a place to retreat, especially when tempers run high!

Supervise and Adapt

As with any new relationship, paying attention helps prevent the brunt of any miscommunication. As your dog and cat begin sharing spaces and affections, supervision and adapting are necessary. Your cat will be the first to let everyone know when something about your dog upsets them, so be sure to cater accordingly. Ensuring positive reinforcement occurs when interactions go well is also a good idea.

Cats and dogs don’t always have to be at war – in fact, these species are amicable more often than not! While you may have to get creative and break up some scuffles, proper training and patience should see your canine and feline peacefully cohabitating in no time!