And while they do tend to be very social with you, getting them to be politely social with one another can be quite a challenge. On the upside, though, the sooner you start teaching them to be nice to one another, the sooner they will actually become friends.
Let’s take a quick look at some helpful tips you can follow to ensure peace is maintained between your pets.
Start young
Did you know that the prime time to introduce your cats and dogs to one another is while both of them are under at least three months of age? In fact, the sooner the better. The longer you wait, the harder it will be to get them to like one another.
Don’t force them to be with one another
There’s a good chance that you have someone in your life that you don’t particularly like being around 24/7. And just the same, your dog and cat may not prefer to be around each other, so don’t stuff them in the same room and close the door. Always allow them to have their own space. If you force them to be in the same room, especially when they’re first getting to know one another, this can lead to them not liking each other more so than they initially did.
Formal introduction
Just as you don’t want to force your dog and cat into a room with one another, you also don’t want them wandering through the halls of your home only to run into each other for the first time. They need to be formally introduced to one another, and to make sure things stay calm during this initial introduction, it’s a good idea to keep your dog on a leash.
Enforce time outs and take away treats
When your cat and dog get along with one another, give them a treat. On the other hand, when they act inappropriately, fight with each other, send them to time out in separate rooms, and more importantly, don’t give them any further treats for the rest of the day.
Get to know your pets
Just as all people have their own personalities, so do your pets. The better you know them, the better able you will be at knowing when the best time is for them to be around one another. For example, if your dog gets grumpy during the spring time when his allergies are acting up, then it’s probably best to keep him and the cat separated from one another until his allergies calm down.
If your dog notices you spend more time with your cat, this is likely to cause a bit of jealousy. You need to give both of them equal attention, and yes, this means that neither one of them should sleep with you unless both of them can.
This isn’t to imply that you can’t do individual activities with each of them, but make sure the activities equal out between the two.
Keep their bathrooms separate
Your dog of course goes outside to use the bathroom, but your cat likely has a litter box. In your home, make sure the litter box is put in a room that only your cat has access to.
Preventing disasters from taking place in your home starts with getting everyone to get along with one another, and this includes your cat and dog. By keeping in mind the above mentioned tips, you’ll be much more likely to keep the peace.