Do Beagles Get Along with Cats?

Beagles have strong prey drives and sometimes see cats as prey to chase. While they can get along with cats, slow introductions are necessary. It’s best to adopt a grown beagle who has been around cats safely in the past.

In this article, we’ll discuss why beagles sometimes struggle to get along with cats and what you can do to help the two coexist peacefully.

Beagles Have Strong Prey Drives

Though most of them live in cushy homes without jobs today, beagles were originally bred to hunt small animals such as rabbits and hares. They’ll definitely see rodents as prey, but what about cats?

It depends on the dog. Some beagles get along well with cats, and many people keep the two together without incident.

Other beagles may get along with “their” cats at home but may chase cats roaming outside or new cats brought into the household.

Then, there are the beagles who cannot get along with cats at all due to their high prey drives. These dogs will chase cats and may even injure or kill them given the chance.

Beagle and Cat Adoption Tips

If you plan to introduce your beagle to a cat, or vice versa, here are some adoption tips:

• Adopt a beagle from a foster setting, who has experience with cats. While this isn’t a guarantee, it greatly improves the odds that they’ll get along with your cats at home.
• Or, adopt a cat who’s been around dogs before. This familiarity will lead to a cat who’s more confident around dogs.
• Adopting a kitten and puppy isn’t as reliable, nor what’s best for the animals. Puppies’ prey drives are greatly unknown, and your beagle puppy may grow to see your cat as prey. It’s also better for kittens to be raised with other kittens at this age, rather than being raised alongside a beagle. It can also be difficult for the humans in the home to take on the care of two new species at once, and it can be difficult to train both adequately.

Beagle and Cat Introduction Tips

Next, here are some tips for introducing your beagle and your cat:

• Keep your beagle leashed around the cat at all times. Until they’ve shown that they can be calm, and you know the two will get along, a leash is necessary for their safety. Your beagle shouldn’t be allowed to crowd or chase the cat.
• Make slow, gradual introductions. When you first bring the new pet home, they shouldn’t even see the resident pet. Give them time to adjust to the new environment, and for the animals to smell one another without seeing or interacting.
• Rotate their spaces. The next step is to rotate their space. If your new cat has been staying in a bedroom, let them out to explore the house while your beagle stays in that room. The animals can sniff one another without the stress of a full interaction. Do this daily for multiple days or weeks.
• Use food to build positive associations. For example, give your beagle treats when the cat is nearby and they’re behaving well. Feed both pets on either side of a closed door so they can smell or even see, but not interact further.
• Reward your beagle for ignoring the cat. Your goal shouldn’t be for the two to be best friends, but for them to coexist happily. Reward neutral behaviors.
• Enforce each animal’s boundaries. Cats and dogs have vastly different body language and usually have difficulty understanding one another. It’s up to you to understand what they’re saying and enforce boundaries between the two. For instance, lip licks and whale eyes mean your beagle needs space. A flicking tail means your cat is getting annoyed.

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