Do Cats and Dogs Get On in Short Visits?

19 Mar 2019.

As cat owners, we all know that feeling when you invite a relative or friend over for dinner and they say the dreaded “can I bring my dog?” A dog visitor probably isn’t a delightful prospect to most cats. Unless they grew up together, they rarely make friends. Why should they, one wiggles their tail when excited, the other when they are angry. Cats and dogs have fundamentally opposite sign language. Below, Cat in a Flat offers tips on how to help cats and dogs get along on short visits.

How to prepare your cat for a visit from a dog

If the dog is just meeting the cat for only the day, you should simply see if it can be avoided. If it absolutely can’t, here are a few tips:

Feed your cat. Before the dog arrives, make sure your cat’s had their dinner while the household is peaceful and kitty still rules the house.

Set up a quiet zone. As cats are NOT pack animals like dogs, most struggle with too much unfamiliar scents, people and voices. Their instinct is to retreat and find a quiet place. So please respect this and make it as comfortable for your kitty as possible.

If your cat is an indoor cat, find a quiet room far away from all the family hustle and put your fur baby’s favourite blanket or pillow together with some toys, the water bowl and the litter tray into a room that is clearly marked: DO NOT DISTURB THE BOSS!

If your cat is an outdoor cat, keep some food and blankets outside in their favourite corner and far away from the noise of the visitors. Do not expect your furbaby to come back home until the doggy visitor has left the house.

Calm your cat. Spray a cat calming pheromone in the room or area where you’re preparing for your cat to stay.

Inform the dog owners. Your home is after all your cat’s castle. So make sure the dog and its owner know and respect it. As dogs are pack animals, they actually like to be where it’s busy. So ask the owner to keep the dog close by and not allow it to roam through the house.

Go for a walk If it is a long visit, encourage the guests to go for a long walk with the dog, while one stays behind to give your cat the deserved attention while the house is quiet again.

Getting together with friends and family is always wonderful, but please do keep your furry friends in mind  =^.^=

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• cats and dogs
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