Raising young animals can be a very rewarding experience and in the case of puppies and kittens, it can also be adorable. Even so, there are things you should keep in mind when it comes to the care of both these pets together. Here, our Eastham vets discuss raising a puppy and a kitten together and some of the things you should keep in mind.
While it may seem adorable to think of raising a puppy and a kitten together, it may not be as easy as one might imagine.
While there are instances of cats and dogs growing up and living together in harmony there will still be the potential for disputes between the two. Here, our Eastham Veterinary Hospital team explains how to avoid this by setting your puppy and kitten up for success, and long happy life together.
What type of puppy makes a good match for a kitten?
Ensuring that follow a set of basic guidelines is a great way to ensure success in raising a puppy and a kitten together. It is ideal however to think about the temperaments of each breed prior to even deciding what type of puppy and kitten to bring home.
The breed and temperament of your puppy, more than your kitten, will be what determines how successful raising the two together will be in the long term. The instinctual drive to hunt is present in all dogs, in fact, a lot of their play involves simulating some aspect of hunting, from chasing down a ball (small animals) to tugging on a rope (dividing up a catch). Even squeakers in certain toys are exciting to your puppy because they simulate the sounds of dying prey (yikes!).
This hunting instinct, or "prey drive," is much stronger in some breeds of dog than others, though. And the prey drive is where you may run into issues with your dog's behavior right off the bat. As your dog grows to be larger than you cat, even if they get along swimmingly, if your pup is of a breed with a highly-tuned hunting instinct, they may have those instincts take over and seriously chance your cat like prey.
Dogs like Shiba Inus, Huskies, Terriers, Beagles, Dobermans, Malamutes and Cattle Dogs all have notoriously high prey drives and, if your puppy is one of or mixed with these breeds, you will likely have to be very mindful of their prey drive when rising them with your kitten.
Raising a puppy & kitten together
Along with taking the breed of a puppy into consideration when choosing your pets, there are a number of strategies you can use to introduce your two pets to one another in order to set them up for success and a life of friendship!
Allow them to make introductions slowly
While introducing your puppy and kitten early in their lives is a great start to helping them get used to one another, the way you introduce them is important too!
When first introducing your kitten and puppy to one another, make sure they can see one another, but each have their own personal space too. Setting them up in connected rooms with a baby gate between them can be an excellent start.
When introducing your two pets this way, you should expect some excitement. Don't be surprised or worried if your kitten hisses and spits at your dog, they are just asserting their boundaries to a new, and maybe scary, creature. The goal from these first few introductions is positive reactions, or even just apathy. If your puppy and kitten are happy to do their own thing while in eyesight of one another, that's a great sign that they will be able to safely and comfortably live together.
Ensure that you do regular training with your puppy
Working on your puppy's obedience is always important, but it is even more important than usual when they are being raised with a kitten!
Making sure that your dog knows commands like Sit, Stay, Stop and Leave It are always important. But, if your puppy is getting too physical with your kitten, getting too excited around them, or beginning to stalk or chase them, these commands can be critical in snapping your puppy out of it and teaching them what is and isn't allowed when it comes to your cat.
Monitoring the relationship between the puppy & kitten
The last thing to keep in mind when raising a puppy and kitten together is how closely you need to manage and monitor their time together. You will be able to assess this as you watch their relationship develop, but depending on your puppy and kitten's individual temperaments, you may want to do any of the following:
- Avoid having your dog and cat in the house alone together. You can crate your dog when you need to leave the house for long or close off part of your home with one of them in it to avoid confrontations.
- Avoid having your puppy and kitten eat at the same times or in the same place. Some dogs are very protective of their food and may get confrontational with your kitten, even if kitty was only sniffing the interesting food their sibling is eating.
- Set up safe areas of your home for each pet to be alone if they would like. This can include teaching each of your pets to stay out of the other's space, getting your puppy a crate, or setting aside the upstairs or basement for one pet or the other.