It’s often supposed, presumably because I’m a dog lover, that I don’t like cats. The truth is, I’m as partial to a cuddle with a willing cat as the next person. I say “willing” advisedly, though: it’s nigh-on impossible to get a cat to do anything except what they want. Not that I’m a cat expert. All I know is training dogs is way easier than cats. Dogs, by and large, want to work with you. Cats don’t give a stuff. Dogs make you look good when they show off their trained skills. Cats take the mickey. Who’d want to be a cat trainer? Such people exist — I’ve seen them on film sets — but they’re more patient or cleverer than I am.
I’ve often been to houses where dogs and cats coexist quite happily. I’ve read various studies over the years relating to dogs and cats cohabiting. Generally they come to similar conclusions: that dogs interact more with owners than cats do, and that cats and dogs reared together tend to engage in play more readily with each other. They are usually fed in different areas and sleep in different beds, but I’ve also seen many exceptions that prove the rule: cute pets, snuggled up together.
A 2020 survey of more than 1,200 dog and cat owners in Italy found that “though the two species have different body languages, dogs and cats understand each other and respond accordingly: if the cat approaches with his tail up, the dog responds amicably; if the dog approaches with his tail up, the cat reacts with aggressive behaviours”. Dogs and cats read each other’s body language and each understands to some extent the other’s language. Clever, aren’t they?
Dogs (and, most likely, cats) can decipher human expressions too. If you’ve ever been told not to smile at a dog “because showing teeth is aggressive in their world”, you might want to politely ignore the advice. They know we’re not dogs and probably understand a well-meaning smile as well as you or I. Incidentally, you might hear people suggesting that “dogs don’t smile”, supposedly because bared teeth are a precursor to aggression. While that’s often true, there are many exceptions. I guess these people have never been greeted by an enthusiastic dalmatian grinning like a fool, for example. There’s a subtle difference between that and a warning snarl. Look at the rest of the body for clues: are they wagging a tail that’s connected to a floppy body, or menacingly rigid, ready to pounce?
When I’m asked if I can “train” a dog to get along with a particular cat, I always ask about the cat’s temperament first. Confident cats (by which I mean those that “stand their ground”) often arrive at an unspoken accord with dogs, particularly with calm or submissive ones. Try to match a nervous runaway scaredy-cat with a hyperactive dog with a high prey drive, though, and you may well struggle. A study carried out in 2018 by the University of Lincoln surveyed 748 households and found that an amicable relationship between dog and cat was more likely to result if the cat, more than the dog, was comfortable. Introduce them, ideally, when the cat is young.
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If you already have a cat and you’re thinking about a dog (it often seems to be that way around), consider rescuing an older, steady dog who has lived amicably with cats before. You’ll probably be stacking the odds in your favour by avoiding a hunting dog or a sheepdog (cats don’t appreciate being herded), but remember that they’re all individuals.
When all else fails, I’ve seen some very creative workarounds in pet lovers’ houses. The best was in the Black Country a few years ago when I noticed the pelmet over the curtain track of a bay window was in fact a narrow shelf that ran all the way around the room. I don’t normally comment on interior decor but my curiosity got the better of me, so I asked what the shelf was for. I’d noticed the shelves (for there were many) were joined with oversized high-level mouseholes in the interior walls and continued up the stairs, hugging the contours of the ceiling. They formed a network of runs for the family cat, who had never seen eye to eye with the dog. The run ensured sworn enemies never met. In effect they’d split the whole house into dog and cat areas based on height above ground. It obviously wasn’t as good as having two pets who were best of buddies, but peace had been ensured. Plus, pelmets will be back in fashion soon, surely?
Can cats and dogs get along? Share your experience in the comments below
