Flying fur. Cats and dogs at war, we’ve all seen the cartoons, or maybe you’ve watched the film too, but is it really as bad as people make out, why do they seem like such enemies, and can cats and dogs ever live in harmony?
In this article, we’ll explore the reasons that dogs hate cats, whether cats and dogs can get along, whether certain breeds of dog hate cats more than others, and if you have a cat and a dog or a new puppy, how to teach them to live happily together.
If you have a new puppy, you’ll definitely need to download the Zigzag puppy training app and get started on their training journey. We have lessons to help you with socialisation, toilet training, home alone and separation training, as well as all the important life skills puppies need like walking nicely on a lead, and coming back when you call them. There’s also a team of professional dog trainers on hand to help, so if you’re struggling with puppy biting, or you’re just not sure how to help your puppy get through a rough phase, they’re there for support 24/7.
Why do dogs hate cats?
Well, we’re about to make your day, as the truth is they don’t! It’s a huge myth that dogs HATE cats, what often happens is through a lack of socialisation, exposure, a negative experience, curiosity, guarding, or a strong predatory drive it can just look like they do!
Let’s take a look at possible reasons that dogs and cats don’t get along.
Lack of early socialisation
If your dog didn’t meet cats in their puppy socialisation period, they can develop a fear response to them as cats will be a ‘new thing’.
Read all about socialisation in our article on puppy socialisation.
Curiosity
Puppies and dogs are naturally curious and like to investigate new animals. This curiosity isn’t always welcomed, and cats can feel threatened and lash out at dogs when they are too in their face.
Chase instinct when the cat flees
The curiosity that dogs show for cats, can cause problems if the cat is not confident and runs away, this triggers the dog’s chase instinct. Often the dog doesn’t want to harm the cat, but their instincts tell them to run after something that is moving. Dogs find this rewarding, so the cycle of cat runs then dog chases begins.
Seeing cats as prey
In certain breeds, the hunting instinct that chasing small furry animals is activated when they see cats and their eye-stalk predatory drive comes out.
Although we have bred out a lot of traits due to domestication for some breeds, the retention of the eye stalk motor pattern is important for them to do their job.
Negative experience around cats
If every time your dog sees the cat you act in a defensive way or behave negatively towards your dog because you’re worried your dog might hurt the cat, they are going to build strong associations that cats = a bad time for me.
Dogs look to us to understand how to behave, and are very perceptive!
Being territorial or guarding
Some dogs can be territorial, so the neighbourhood cat walking on ‘their’ property is likely to make them want to chase them away.
Can cats and dogs get along with each other?
Cats and dogs can live together in perfect harmony. They can even be great friends. If the dog is socialised to cats from a young age, if you bring a puppy home to resident cats, and introductions are done well there isn’t usually a problem getting along with a cat.
If you bring a kitten home, you can usually teach the resident dog that cats are really OK too.
Read more in our guide to introducing a puppy to a cat.
Do certain breeds hate cats more than others?
Some breeds of dog are more likely to have a problem with cats, but there’s no evidence to suggest they inherently hate them! These breeds are typically the type that are bred to hunt and control vermin, and they can see cats as another small furry to try and hunt!
Breeds who may have a problem with cats include:
- Greyhounds, Whippets and other similar breeds in the sight hound group.
- Jack Russells and other terriers who are bred to control vermin.
Other breeds like Golden Retrievers and Labradors actually get on with cats really well, and are naturally very gentle towards them.
How to get my dog to like cats
If you have a new puppy you’re bringing home to meet your cat, or you’re introducing a cat into your home with an existing dog, it’s important you have a plan put together to make sure it all goes smoothly.
There are also ways of getting your dog to become less aroused and excited by cats in your neighbourhood, with some simple basic obedience cues.
Give the cat a safe place to be
If you’re bringing a new kitten home to introduce them to your dog, or you’re bringing a new puppy home and there is a resident cat, it’s important that the cat has somewhere away from the dog that is safe. We recommend using a spare room for a kitten, so that you can have a litter tray, bed and set up there, or if you have an adult cat then a room that’s baby gated off that they come and go, as well as installing cat trees, or cat shelves so that they can be up high away from the new puppy or dog.
For a puppy, then a playpen is an ideal place to allow your cat freedom and your puppy to be contained.
Scent swaps
Both cats and dogs have an amazing sense of smell, and they also have their own smell and scent which is individual to them. Do scent swaps by swapping bedding, wiping a cloth or blanket on the cat and then allowing your dog to sniff it, it will help to familiarise your dog with the cat and who they are. You can also do the same by wiping your puppy or dog over and letting the cat smell their scent, so that it becomes more familiar to them.
Gradual introductions
Make introductions gradual, be sure that the cat feels safe, because if they go to run, the dog is likely to chase. Having your puppy or dog on lead when you do this, will prevent the chase.
Stationing and rewarding calm
Using a cat tree for your cat and a mat or bed for your dog, teach them both to station and stay on these areas while you feed them treats. Doing this will reward calm from both of them and teach them that being around one another predicts nice things.
Read more in our article on how to calm a puppy down.
Leave it
Teaching your dog a basic leave it cue, means they can learn to come away from the cat if they start getting a bit too keen to interact. It needn’t be done gruffly and can all be done with positive reinforcement training using rewards and treats.
Create positive associations
Using rewards and treats, you can teach your dog that when cats are around, nice things happen because they get rewarded for staying calm. This will help to start desensitising your dog to cats, and works if they’re overly excited, or also if they’re scared of cats.
Teaching your dog a basic level of obedience so that they can listen to you when you’re out and about and not pull on the lead when they see a cat will also be useful!
Avoid punishments
Set your dog up for success using management like playpens, baby gates, leads and safe places for your cat to go, so that you resist the urge to tell them off. If you keep telling your dog off because they’re too interested in the cat then you’re not going to make them feel happy when the cat is around, as they’ll associate the cat with you being cross.
While certain dogs may exhibit aggressive or over-the-top and rude behaviour towards cats, this is not a universal trait shared by all dogs. By careful training and socialisation, many dogs can learn to coexist peacefully with cats, and the cat is more often the boss in the relationship!
Things like early socialisation, training, and your dog’s individual temperament and personality can also play a significant role in how a dog behaves towards cats. It’s important to evaluate a dog’s behaviour towards cats on an individual basis, rather than making generalisations based solely on breed. Remember – keep the cat safe and reward them both for being around each other.
Want to read more about getting your dog and cat to get along? Check out our guide to how to introduce a puppy to a cat, or perhaps you’re looking for some training fun? See our training games library for over 50 games and exercises to play with your pup.
We also have tonnes to share with you in our Zigzag puppy training app. Download a trial today, chat to our expert team of professional dog trainers, and leave your puppy training woes behind.
