Do Poodles Get Along with Cats?

Do poodles get along with cats? If you’re considering adopting a new pet, you may ask yourself this question.

All poodle breeds tend to do well with cats, but this doesn’t guarantee they’ll all get along with them. Some poodles have strong prey drives or are too boisterous to be around cats. Poodles often ignore cats, which may seem disappointing but is perfect behavior.

Your poodle and cat don’t have to be best friends–tolerating one another is awesome! In this article, we’ll discuss whether cats and poodles get along, things to consider, and some adoption and introduction tips.

Poodles Tend to do Well with Cats

Toy, miniature, and standard poodles all tend to get along well with cats. However, every dog is different, and some absolutely cannot live with cats!

If you already have a poodle, think about their prey drive and energy levels. Do they jump up on people or play rough when they get excited? Do they like to chase small animals?

Poodles with strong prey drives may chase cats, though they’re bred to hunt waterfowl. Dogs who get overexcited may hurt cats by mistake or while trying to play.

These considerations should be taken seriously, especially for standard poodles who are much larger than cats, and thus can hurt them more easily.

Tips to Help Your Cats and Poodle Get Along

• Consider fostering first. This way, you can try fostering multiple dogs until you find one good with cats or return the cat to the rescue if things don’t work out with your poodle.
• Adopt a grown poodle who is used to cats and a cat who’s comfortable around dogs. Puppies can be unpredictable when it comes to prey drive since they tend to develop later in adolescence. For best results, adopt from a rescue that keeps their adoptable pets in foster homes.
• Make introductions slowly. Begin by allowing the new animal to get used to the home without meeting your resident pets, then scent swap without allowing them to interact or see one another physically. This will take at least a couple of weeks.
• Keep your poodle on a leash around the cat until you’re sure they can be trusted. Never let them crowd or chase the cat.
• Learn cat and dog body language and enforce boundaries for both pets. If you don’t know their body language, it’s going to be difficult to make safe introductions! Signs of discomfort can be subtle and cats and dogs communicate very differently. It’s up to us humans to interpret and enforce boundaries for them so that things don’t escalate.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Ermolaev Alexander/Shutterstock.com