Raising A Puppy And Kitten Together

Raising A Puppy And Kitten Together

Cats are believed to be the nemesis of dogs and they have been portrayed since time immemorial as perpetual enemies. In reality, though, this does not always seem to be the case. It is quite common for cats and dogs to be the best of friends and living in the same household especially if they were together from a young age. Let us check out in this article if there is a secret formula on how two different animal species can coexist well with each other.

Raising a puppy and kitten together: Pros and cons 

Puppies and kittens are believed to be poles apart when it comes to temperament and personality. Thus, many people still have apprehensions if these two species can both coexist peacefully in one home. 

Here are the pros and cons of raising a puppy and kitten together:

Pros 

1. It is easier to introduce each other if both are still young. 

Both puppies and kittens are more likely to get along well with each other if they were brought in together when they are still young. However, there may be territorial issues if either one of them has lived in the house longer than the other and it may lead to tension and conflict. If both are raised together, the tendency of territorial instinct may be eliminated. 

2. Both can be potty-trained together. 

If you are raising a puppy and kitten together, they can be potty trained together and will be able to learn from each other. The same goes for other house rules, raising both a puppy and kitten together allows you to save time in teaching and training them. 

3. Since they grow together they are most likely to become friends for life.

One vital benefit of raising a puppy and kitten together is that they will most likely be the best of friends for life. Since they are growing up together, they are there for each other.  Being left at home all day will be a breeze because they will have each other to play with. Having each other also helps especially if your cat or puppy has anxiety or attachment insecurities.

Cons 

1. They might not get along well. 

While this may be rare, some kittens and puppies might never get along well with each other although it is easier to acclimate kittens and puppies together before the territorial instinct kicks in. If conflict reigns between a puppy and kitten, it is difficult to manage them. 

2. They require a lot of patience, attention and energy.

Raising a puppy and kitten together can be very challenging just as it is when raising a newborn baby.  Both require tons of patience, attention and energy so if you are bent on raising two animals together you have to prepare yourself well.  Aside from financial responsibility, you should see to it that you are prepared mentally and physically to care for them. 

Helpful tips if you are raising a puppy and kitten together 

Raising two teeny weeny pets is challenging but you can pull it through with the help of these helpful tips:

1. Start them at a very young age.

Cat experts recommend that you should get your furry pets together when they are between the ages of six months to one year.  Raising a puppy and kitten together at a much earlier age than that may be burdensome for you because it would mean they are still babies. Make sure to check with the previous owners if the kitten and puppy encountered behavior issues with other animals. 

2. Pre-introduce them to each other. 

Introducing a puppy and kitten can be tricky because you will never know what to expect so the best thing to do would be to pre-introduce them to each other. Never place a kitten and puppy together in a room immediately because conflict will likely happen. Keep them in separate rooms before meeting each other face to face for the first time. 

Place any item each from your puppy and kitten with their scents on it, such as their blanket and swap it so they will get used to each other’s smell. The purpose of this is to create a familiar and positive feeling so that when the time comes for them to meet face to face, they can easily recognize the smell. Thus, they will not react negatively since they are already familiar with each other’s scent. 

3. Provide ample time for their first meeting.  

The saying, “slowly but surely” applies well when it comes to introducing a puppy and kitten. Start with a short meeting at first, preferably for at least 10 minutes or more and eventually increase the time they spend with each other together. This way, neither the puppy nor kitten will feel threatened with each other and the former will less likely get rough with the latter which will also less likely feel scared or agitated. Also, hold your puppy on a leash during the first few meetings so your cat will not get too scared. 

4. Keep a close eye on them and train them. 

Do not leave them alone while your puppy and kitten are still getting to know and familiarize with each other. It takes quite a while before they can begin to establish a good relationship and while they are still adjusting to each other keep a close eye on them. Like a mother would do to her children, be sure to treat and care for them well and see to it that they will not get aggressive.  

Make sure to train them so they will learn to foster respect and to be able to know what they are allowed to do. By training them, it will also provide them with the needed discipline as they explore your home and yard. Most importantly, you should treat each of them fairly and provide affection and attention equally.

5. Allot a personal space for each of them. 

Although puppies and kittens can become best of friends, it is still advisable to put boundaries between them. Cats and kittens need their own personal space and so do dogs and puppies.  You should provide your dog with regular walks and your cat should have her cat perch or cat tree where she can hang out, nap and observe her surroundings.  

Feed your kitten and puppy at the same time so they will have their “me time” and won’t be able to bother each other as they enjoy their meals. Be sure to separate their food bowls to avoid conflict during mealtime. 

6. Try to consider the breed of your pets before getting them. 

Before deciding on raising a puppy and kitten together, you should be fully aware that not all breeds are a good match for each one. There are dog and cat breeds that get along well with each other but there will also be those that are not. Dogs with a strong prey drive will not sit well with cats since they will see them as prey. The best dog breeds for cats are beagles, retrievers, spaniels and poodles. The best cat breeds for dogs include the Scottish Fold, Bengal, Birman, Maine Coon and Oriental Shorthair. We have written extensive articles on how Great Danes, Boxers and Great Pyrenees get along with cats.

However, if you train them well and provide them with affection and attention, both puppies and kittens are more likely to adapt well to each other regardless of breed and personality. 

Conclusion 

Having a kitten can be enjoyable and getting both a puppy and kitten may be twice the fun but also double the trouble. Nevertheless, it is possible to raise both a puppy and kitten together. They can both be trained and taught together and they may also end up as best of friends due to the strong bond that they share. However, raising a puppy and a kitten together is very challenging and requires patience, attention and energy.

Image: istockphoto.com / anurakpong