There is a running misconception about
dogs and cats as being mortal enemies to each other. This has become a very
popular notion especially because nowadays you can watch on television cartoons
where a cat is always being chased by a dog.
What people probably do not know is that
dogs and cats share similar characteristic traits where both of them are
considered among the predator group of animals. This means that they are
preying animals or looking to catch an inferior animal for food. By nature a
dog or a cat get very much excited once they sense strange or sudden movements
around them. This is the reason why some cats are wont to leap at any moving
object, for instance a moving curtain that is being blown by the wind. They get
excited by flying objects and swift moving tiny animals like rats which have
become their favorite target for food.
Dogs, on the other hand have the preying
instinct to catch animals that are smaller in size than themselves, also termed
as the prey drive. So then people should always watch out and be careful even
if their pet dogs are considered tame because their prey drive is just dormant.
In the meantime, kittens get their
training in catching prey when they play around with moving objects, even chase
their very own tail. When they grow older, their animal instinct takes over.
Meanwhile dogs are motivated to start a
chase when cats disturb the dog's peace. It would be very wise for the owners
to protect these animals from hurting each other by practically putting them
away from one another like separate areas in the house.
Nevertheless if you plan to have both the
pet dog and pet cat together inside the house and at the same time expect them
to coexist peacefully then you better do some good dog training for your pet.
There are many ways to train a dog and perhaps the first thing that it has to
learn is to get acquainted with a future friend in the house which is the cat.
You shouldn't forget though that the
animal instinct in the dog or the cat may come to play when any of these pets
detect each others presence. A fight will of course ensue and expectedly a
chase between the two pets will surely follow. There will be chaos all over the
house because of this and the peace that you long for is abruptly shattered.
Therefore you better start the training
of your pet dog before any untoward disaster occurs in your house. The next
step in training the pet dog is to make it familiarize itself with the presence
of another predator inside the house. You should be able to show appreciation
for the dog's behavior as it get used to having the cat around. You may give
the dog a pat or a treat whenever it is able to ignore the taunting of the cat.
A single cat should never be mingled or
brought together in the company of two or more dogs. Remember that there is
always the danger that any of the dogs might want to play catch a prey with the
cat. Distancing the dog and cat from one another should be brought to mind
particularly during feeding time. Their animal instinct is for survival so they
really get harsh when their food is being eyed by another animal.
The leave it command should be obeyed by
the dog at all times especially when its preying instinct is triggered. You
should treat both animals equally with kindness and reward them with their good
behavior.
On the part of the owner, patience is
required because of the limited means of communication with the pets.
Instruction is usually made through body language and done over and over until
the dog learns. The prize is worth your while anyways because you will attain a
peaceful and harmonious coexistence with your pet dog and cat.
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