No Alone Time
- Never leave them alone until you’re entirely confident that they are comfortable in each other’s presence.
- Never leave the dog and cat alone if the dog and the cat are still checking or looking at each other differently in your presence.
- Dog and cat interaction should always be under your supervision only, especially the first few weeks of their meeting.
- When they are left alone, your cat and dog may become aggressive and end up hurting one another.
Desensitization
- Desensitization reduces the reaction of your dog towards your cat through continuous appearance.
- Some dogs get too excited when they first see a cat, and sometimes their response makes the cat feel uneasy and scared.
Keep the Favorable Situation
- During their interaction, don’t scold your dog under any circumstances.
- If you do it every time your dog meets your cat, the dog might think it’s the cat’s fault, and it might increase the tension between them.
- Praise your dog with a reward; if your dog is friendly towards the cat, this will inspire your dog to remain in a positive attitude towards the cat.
Go Slow
- Sometimes the dog and cat become friends within a few hours.
- But other times it usually takes time, because we all know the behavior of cats and dogs are different, and therefore they behave differently towards each other. It takes time for both of them to adapt to each other.
- So be patient, and your cat and dog will get along eventually.
Summary
Animals with good behavior and environment often adjust with different animals quickly—other factors like past experiences, training, attitude, introduction, etc. If any of these factors don’t go well, it may take time for both dogs and cats to adjust. You can take help from professional dog trainers and consultants but don’t use punishments or scold them.
