Avoid Making Your Cat Dessert

Cats and dogs have been natural animals even before man made them pets. What can you do from having the dog making the family cat dessert? Many cats and dogs can get along together. It takes time daily to get both sides to accept it each other. Sometimes, it will never happen and one of the pets needs to go to a new home. However, often cats and dogs can become lifelong buddies.

It is best to train cats and dogs when both are young especially the dog. This will reduce the time involved to get the cats and dogs accustomed.

First, don't throw the animals together. That is a sure sign for disaster. Many dogs see cat as prey, especially if the cat is running. My Rottweiler ignored a cat in the yard, until it started running. Of course, the cat scratched the dog in the face when it caught up with it. It took two of us to keep the Rottweiler from hurting the cat.

If you have a cat and are getting a new dog, see if the dog accepts cats. If you are bringing in a cat, the dog needs to have started or complete obedience training. This is important in the animals getting accustomed to each other.

At first, the cat should be confined to a small safe area such as an extra bedroom. For the first couple of days, the cat needs to get accustomed to the smell and noises of the dog. Make sure family members do not neglect the cat. It will need interaction from the family members.

The next step is to put the dog on a leash and open the door. This gives them a chance to see each other. There is a three-step approach to get the dog to accept the cat. It is to distract, redirect and reward.

If a dog cannot be distracted from watching the cat, it is a dangerous sign. Many dogs won't bark and growl at the cat because; they want to sneak up on their prey. Once, you can distract the dog, get it to redirect looking at the cat and finally reward both pets. Each pet will associate the other with treats. Don't ever punish the dog, if the dog barks, growls or lounges at the cat. The dog will associate the punishment with the cat.

After a period of time, you can let the dog off the leash. Keep a close eye to make sure either animal is aggressive. Make sure the cat has a way to escape even if it is under the bed.