Every one of us is aware of the old cliche of a dog chasing a cat. Those of us who have experienced being on the other side of an aggressive cat’s claws are well aware of how much damage a cat can actually inflict on another animal when they feel threatened.
While it is possible for cats and dogs to be life-long friends, there are still some instances where cats and dogs sharing one house get along as well as oil and water. If your dog happens to be the more docile one and your cat is the more aggressive between the two, can your cat hurt your dog enough to kill it?
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How dangerous are cats?
Most often than not, in a household with multiple furry members of the family, cats tend to take the most dominant role. It might be hard to believe, but it’s true.
Despite how much the image of a dog chasing a cat has been drilled into our heads ever since we watched Saturday morning cartoons in our childhood, there are a lot of real world instances of cats attacking dogs.
It is important to know that the biggest reason as to why cats attack is because they feel threatened. While a cat’s first instinct is to flee, the moment they feel like they are unable to escape a situation, out comes their claws.
Situations where cats attack dogs happen the most between younger, energetic dogs, and older cats who are just not in the mood to play around with the dog. If your very enthusiastic pup doesn’t heed your cat’s warning, the whole thing can turn bloody. If left untreated, your dog’s wounds could fester and become infected and could result in death.
How can I stop my cat and dog from fighting?
The best way to minimize the fights between your cat and dog is to make sure you give them the best chances of living well together from the very start. Make sure they are properly introduced to each other — especially if your dog is the newcomer.
Give your cat some space away from your dog. The most recommended way to go about doing this is by putting in cat shelves all over your house. These areas will be only accessible for your cat. Once again, cats would much rather escape a tense situation over fighting.
If it so happens that your cat likes to play predator to your puppy or small dog, this is a big indicator that your cat has a lot of hunting energy that they need to let out. The moment your cat prepares to pounce on your pup, distract your cat with a string toy. That way, they can hunt safely.
Invest in dog training.
Let’s be real, it’s so much easier to teach dogs to follow commands. Use this to your advantage.
The most advantageous commands your dog should learn is the “leave it” command. It’s important that your dog learns how to calm down before your cat runs out of patience.
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Common questions about cats and dogs
Can cats and dogs live together peacefully?
Absolutely! The secret behind a very peaceful and happy relationship between a dog and a cat is how well the both of them have been socialized.
If a cat has never had any experience with dogs during their kittenhood, it’s very possible that they grow up to be fearful around dogs. In the same way, if a dog has not been taught how to behave around cats — being calm — they run a higher chance of being swatted across the face with a paw full of claws.
Can cats and dogs breed?
Nope. Throughout history, there has been many people who have claimed to have done the impossible and mated a cat with a dog. The keyword there is impossible. Cats and Dogs are too genetically distinct from each other that a kuppy or a cat-dog is just not going to happen.
What do cats and dogs have in common?
Cats and dogs are very different from each other. Still, there are many ways that they are similar to each other. On top of their commonalities is how great they both are at being pets.
Both cats and dogs provide their owners with a slew of great health benefits. They’re known to decrease cholesterol and triglyceride levels in humans. They are also known to be one of the best cures for loneliness because owning cats or dogs will somehow result in more socialization and exercise activities.
Conclusion
There is a small chance that a cat could actually severely hurt a dog. However, it’s better to never let any cat and dog relationship get to this point. As much as possible, give your cats and dogs the best chances to have a great friendship.
