How to Have a Cat and Dog Under One Roof

Having a pet at home is always an amazing feeling. Playing with a pet helps us calm down. Given the stress that we face in our life, a pet can provide us with a way to forget all the worldly worries.

A dog is a man’s best friend. But a dog and a cat can sometimes not be the best of friends. Now if you have both types of pets you need to take some precautions to ensure that life is not stressful at home too. 

Let’s look at some tips to ensure that a dog and a cat can live together under the same roof.

Initial Days

It is very important to get the introduction of the new pet right. A good start will go a long way to get the two animals to like each other. 

Here are some quick tips:

1. Let the animals take turns in who has the ability to roam in the house. It’s all about getting the animals used to each other’s scent. Confine one animal either to a dog crate or another room, while the other can roam freely. 
2. Don’t allow the animals to have any unsupervised interaction in the first few days. So remember to keep them apart if no one is at home. 
3. If your dog barks at the cat for more than a day or two,you may need the help of a professional.
4. If the dog has accepted the cat and does not bark or just ignores the cat, you have achieved your objective.   Get your cat a cat tree so they can stay elevated and away from your dog. You’ll need to get large cat trees for large breeds of cats like Maine Coons. 

Feeding Time

A dog loves to eat cat food. If this is the case with your pets then you need to find a way to separate the animals’ food.

Now, that’s easier said than done. Your animals tend to find a way to get into each other’s food. 

Here are some tips for you:

1. Invest in a dog proof cat feeding station. This will let your cat eat her own food while the dog has her own food.
2. Have separate feeding times for the cat and the dog. Try to feed the dog before the cat. So if the dog has a stomach full, she will not be bothered about the cat’s food.
3. If both animals need to be fed at the same time, keep the cat’s food at a higher level (small table) than the dog’s food.
4. Finally, if you have sufficient space, feed the pets in separate rooms.

Hopefully these tips help you ensure that your pets live happily together.