Kittens and puppies are both cute animal companions, however, there are a few factors that you must consider if you want to raise them together.
Puppies and kittens are cute pets, so it's understandable why you might think it's cute to have one together in the same home. However, while it is possible that this is true, it is not always easy to raise puppies and kittens together.
While puppies and kittens can sometimes form quick friendships and keep each other company, there can be some growing pains. No matter how tragic, it is still possible for an adult dog to mistake your cat for prey.
The best type of dog to keep with a cat
While there are many practices you can implement when introducing two small pets to each other, one of the best things you can do before adopting a puppy is to make your puppy and kitten successful.
In the long run, the breed and temperament of your puppy will determine more than the breed and temperament of your kitten how successful you will be in keeping them together. All dogs have an instinctive drive to hunt, and in fact, a lot of their games involve simulating certain aspects of hunting, from chasing a ball (a small animal) to pulling a rope (splitting the catch). Even the squeaks in some toys will excite your puppy because they simulate the sounds of dying prey (oops!)
This hunting instinct, or "prey drive," is much stronger in some dog breeds than others. Prey drive is where you may experience dog behavior problems from the very beginning. As your dog grows bigger than your cat, even if they get along well, if your puppy's breed has a highly tuned hunting instinct, those instincts may take over and allow your dog to seriously chase your cat as prey.
Dogs such as Beagles, Huskies, Cattle Dogs, Dobermans, Shiba Inu, and Malamutes all have very high prey drive, and if your puppy is one or a combination of these breeds, you may have to pay a lot of attention to their prey drive to raise them with kittens.
Raise puppies and kittens together
Looking back at the breed of dog you have adopted, if you are planning to raise a kitten and puppy together, there are various strategies you can implement when introducing these two pets to ensure that you prepare them for a successful lifelong relationship.
Introducing a kitten and a puppy in the early stages of their lives can be a great way to get them Xi each other, but the way you introduce them is very important.
When introducing kittens and puppies to each other for the first time, make sure they can both see each other, but give them their own personal space. We recommend setting them up in connected rooms, but separating them with baby doors.
When introducing your two pets in this way, you should expect some excitement. Don't be surprised or worried if your kittens hiss and spit on your dog, they're just asserting their boundaries to a new, perhaps terrifying creature. The goal of the previous presentations was a positive reaction, or even just indifference. If your puppy and kitten are happy to do their own thing within each other's sight, this is a good sign that they will be able to live together safely and comfortably.
Specify a time to train your puppy
When you're raising a puppy, it's always important to implement obedience, especially if you're also going to be raising them with a kitten.
Be sure to teach your dog commands, such as leaving it, staying, stopping, and sitting. If your puppy becomes too physical with your kitten, becomes overly excited near them, or starts chasing or stocking them, these commands are essential to teach your puppy what to and cannot do when it comes to your kitten.
How to manage the time your pet spends together
Finally, when raising puppies and kittens together as part of the same family, you need to closely monitor and manage the time they spend with each other. As you observe the development of the relationship between dogs and cats, assess the situation, and depending on their respective temperaments, you may want to try to implement one or a combination of the following measures:
Set up safe areas in the home where each pet can go if they want to be alone. This could include teaching both of them to stay away from each other's spaces, giving your puppy a crate, or setting aside an upstairs or basement for one pet or another.
Do not leave your dog and cat alone at home. To prevent conflicts when you are not at home, keep your puppies in a crate or keep them in a separate place from your kitten at home.
Avoid letting your puppy and kitten eat in the same place or at the same time. Dogs can be very protective of their food and can get into conflict with your kitten, even if your kitten just sniffs the interesting food that their siblings are eating.