Status: 24.11.2023, 10:01 a.m.
By: Anna Katharina Küsters
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Like cat and dog: the proverbial enmity is not a state of affairs that you have to accept. If you don't want to choose between two pets, body language is key.
Similar to humans, dogs and cats have their own body language. In addition to barking, purring, hissing and other sounds, this is crucial if you want to communicate with people as well as with each other. However, dogs and cats do not share the same body language in all areas. Therefore, misunderstandings can arise between the animals, but these can be easily cleared up.
The sooner the two get to know each other, the better
Dogs and cats can be friends. © Nano Calvo/Imago
If owners want it to be as easy as possible, they bring their dog and cat together shortly after birth. If the two animals grow up together, it is also much easier for them to interpret each other's body language correctly. If dogs and cats only get to know each other in later life, it takes a while for both to get used to each other. For example, the following points are important for a merge:
- The feeding and sleeping places of the two animals should be far away from each other.
- The cat should always have an opportunity to withdraw when first getting to know each other.
- The dog should be exhausted beforehand so that it is calmer when it meets.
- The dog must not chase the cat under any circumstances.
- In addition, he must be on a leash at the meeting.
If dogs or cats have had bad experiences with the other species, then you should refrain from merging them for the time being.
This is how differently the animals communicate
The difference in body language is one of the biggest obstacles when it comes to making friends between dog and cat. This is partly due to the fact that dogs with certain signs express different states of mind than cats. The excited wagging of the tail is a good example of this. In dogs, it means excitement, joy, fun, action, cats, wagging is more likely to be threatening. They wag their tails when they are about to fight back.
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Another difference is the stretching of the tail. In cats, this is a sign of relaxation, dogs quickly feel provoked by it. However, communication between both parties works quite well via sounds: If the cat hisses, it should usually be immediately clear to the dog that it does not want any further contact. Conversely, this also works with a growling dog. The cat will certainly not approach this.
After a few first accompanied meetings, however, nothing should stand in the way of a peaceful reunion of dog and cat. Over time, the animals learn to understand each other.