Cats & Dogs - Successful Co-habitation Of Pets

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Successful Co-habitation Of Pets

Belinda Osgood

Raise any two animals together from babies and they will learn to live as siblings, whether they are traditionally prey and predator or not. I have heard of numerous examples where this is the case. My husband often relates a story of his cousin who kept an owl, rat, and cat as a cheerful trio. Like raising human children, our smaller family members learn behaviour, interpersonal relationships, and what is acceptable from the parents (humans). Thus the ability of different species of animals to co-habitat is learned. There are exceptions to this, of course. Just like children, pets have personalities which can create friction in a household. Jealousy, mean-spiritedness, fear, domination, and so on all can affect how well pets get on together, even when they are the same species.

The story can be entirely different when a younger animal is introduced into a home where an older pet resides. When my husband and I took on our two kittens at the tender age of six weeks, I wondered how they would relate with our eight-year-old black Labrador, Wag. We were pleasantly surprised to find a respectful awareness developed between canine and felines.

Wag is an outside dog, being far too exuberant and large to risk being in the company of our interior furnishings. For many weeks we kept Smooch and Simba, the two cats, inside. They were the cutest, most vulnerable little boys ever. When they finally did foray into the great 'outside' it was with a great deal of suspicion and short scouting trips, always rushing back to the safety of a watchful mum - me! Within a week they had found their joy in the outdoors and keeping them inside was not far short of an impossibility.

To my delight the two cats soon lost their wariness around the big, black dog, and became quite at home sharing the back yard with him. Wag, in turn, was discouraged from chasing them, even if they ran. This type of communion between animals must develop through the leading of the authority figure. We had to discipline Wag if he showed the wrong reaction.

In the beginning I introduced them slowly. Cuddling a cat to me, I would gently advance to Wag. Feeling secure the cats choose to stay in the safety of my arms. In a gentle voice I introduced the animals to each other and they had a chance to get one another's scent. The cats can now pass right by the dog and the most he will do is look or lower his head to sniff. Smooch and Simba are always careful, but quite comfortable in his presence. Wag barks at every cat, except our two. If they get in a fight with a neighbourhood cat, he will rush to their defense.

This all went very smoothly and we enjoyed a happy family. It was time to introduce a new family member in the form of a rabbit. Smooch had hunted and brought home a baby rabbit and Wag was used to chasing them when we went to the river. I was naturally a little more concerned about how these relationships would develop.

I should not have worried. It required the same procedure of introductions, always keeping the more vulnerable individual safe and comfortable. Opal, the rabbit, happens to have quite a dominant personality and was never at all afraid of the cats or the dog. The older three were very curious and spent many hours in and around the hutch, watching. It might be surprising to expect them to be affectionate with each other, but I feel they are. Just last week, Wag and Opal had their heads together in her food bowl as Wag helped himself to some stolen nibbles. Wag usually lies up against her hutch when he naps during the day.

Animals can be taught how to co-habitat safely. With patience and due care, it is possible to create a harmonious family, no matter the variety of pets one may choose to own.

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Belinda writes from her home, in the company of one dog, two cats, a rabbit, and tropical fish. This article has been submitted in affiliation with http://www.PetLovers.Com/ which is a site for Pets.

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This news arrived on: 06/03/2008

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