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Cats will naturally get their hackles rising when they see a strange dog up close. The tendency for the cat is to start hissing and use its sharp claws to bat at the dog. The dog, which is generally bigger, will also react instinctively by attacking the cat. Some dogs will immediately go for the attack when they sight a cat for the first time.
You can prevent this by keeping the dog leashed as you bring the two closer together. Most dogs will react to a cat out of curiosity. Of course, the cat may react defensively when the dog tries to sniff at the cat which almost always results with a wounded nose for the dog.
More often than not, the cat will be the one to unintentionally start world war 3. Out of fear for its survival, the cat will defend itself against a strange dog. This defensive action will trigger the aggressive instinct of the dog. If you want peace and harmony to reign in your house between your two pets, you will need to baby sit both of them until they become used to each other.
Some people would probably suggest hiring animal psychologists to get both animals accustomed to one another. That's not really necessary. Once the initial hostility breaks down, it's very easy to instil friendship between two animals that are natural predators and prey. Just be a little patient and you will get positive results. In extreme cases where the fighting continues for days on end, then this may be the proper time to bring in an animal behavior specialist.
The first step in getting cat and dog to like each other is to use proximity. Keep the cat and dog at a distance that would prevent them from injuring the other. You can sit 3 feet away from your leashed dog while you position the cat on your lap and pet it. Make sure that the dog sees the way you are holding the cat. The intelligent dog will understand that the cat you are holding is a friend and not dinner.
Some dogs will react excitedly by barking, moving side to side and generally try to get closer so that it can sniff at the cat. This will aggravate the cat because it will interpret the movements as aggressive. Calm the dog down and tell it to sit and stay.
Even worse than the excited dog, is the jealous dog. Your dog might have been the lone pet in your house for a long time now. The introduction of a new pet will certainly trigger a dog's territorial instincts. Again, you have to let the dog get used to the cat.
During the night, you can let your cat and dog 'sleep together'. You basically position their cages in a single room like the broom closet. Make sure that both cages are not close enough to each other that the cat can take swipes at your dog. When the time comes to go to bed, put the cat and dog in their respective cages and bid them a peaceful goodnight.
If you are nervous about leaving them alone like that, you can continue your babysitting by setting up the cages in the living room and sleeping on the couch. Once they become familiar with each other, they will act like most married couples do and take each other for granted. |
