Talking With Pets For shelters
Mixed Company

For grown-ups and older teens

Living together: the household treaty

Life after the introductions. Hosted by Armando and Roxie: Armando for the cat's side, Roxie for the dog's.

A watercolor portrait of Armando
Your hostArmando"Introductions are the exciting part. Living together is the long, happy middle, and in my experience it comes down to dinner, real estate and a good gate."
A watercolor portrait of Roxie
Your hostRoxie"He's right. Get those three sorted and you've given them the best chance of a friendship, or at the very least a very peaceful truce."
The short answer

Introductions are only the start. Long-term peace in a cat-and-dog home comes from four things: separate dining, a cat highway above dog height, a litter box the dog can't reach, and play rules that keep the cat's escape route open. Already introducing them? Start with our cat or dog introductions guide, then come back.

Nobody tells you

Dogs raid litter boxes. To a dog it smells like cat food. It can also pass on bacteria and parasites, so this is a health rule as well as a manners one. (AKC)

What to do

  1. Separate dining rooms.Cat food goes up high or behind a gate the cat can pass and the dog can't. The dog eats in their own space. Nobody inspects anyone else's bowl. (AKC)
  2. The cat highway.In every shared room, a way across at height: shelves, a cat tree, the top of a bookcase, with a way up and a way down. (International Cat Care)
  3. A dog-free zone.At least one room that belongs to the cat, with water, a tray and a hiding place, behind a tall baby gate. (Best Friends Animal Society)
  4. Guard the litter box.Put it where the dog can't reach: behind a dog gate, or in a covered or top-entry box if your cat uses one happily (some cats, especially older ones, won't). (AKC)
  5. Play rules.No chasing the cat, ever, even "in fun". Interrupt politely, call the dog away, reward. Let the cat leave whenever they want. (AKC)
  6. Reward calm.Treat the dog for looking at the cat and then looking back at you. Calm, together, is the goal; friendship is a bonus. (Best Friends Animal Society)
  7. Apart when you can't watch.Until you're sure of them, keep them apart when you're out or can't supervise. (Best Friends Animal Society)
  8. Watch the slowest one.Go at the pace of the less comfortable animal. Some pairs take weeks, some months, and some dogs can never live safely with cats. (Best Friends Animal Society)

Friends, or a polite truce

Some pairs become friends. Others settle into polite coexistence, and that can be a good result. What counts is that both of them are safe and relaxed: the cat eats, uses the litter box and moves around freely, and the dog is calm. If your cat is still hiding or stops eating, call your vet or a behaviourist. Most pairs take weeks, and some take months. (Maddie's Fund, The Animal Foundation)

When to ask for help

Any chase that ends in a corner, a cat who stops eating or using the box, or a dog who fixes on the cat and won't look away: separate them and call your vet or a qualified behaviour professional.

One thing we never repeat

Myth: Let them sort it out.
What is true: Cats Protection's advice is plain: don't be tempted to let them sort it out themselves. You manage the house so they never have to. (Cats Protection)
Armando's field note: The treaty has held three weeks. The dog stays out of my dining room and I stay out of his, though I do watch him eat from the stairs, like a sporting event. Last night we napped in the same patch of sun. Nobody mentioned it.
Roxie: Peace is mostly furniture.
Checked by the entire family.Every tip sourced below.Reward-based only.
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