Cat and dog harmony at home can work

If living in a home with different personalities is difficult at times, then living with different species also can be challenging. Fortunately, while the challenge is not the proverbial one of getting the lion to lie down with the lamb, persuading Fido and Fluffy to live and let live can still be tricky.

Creating harmony at home starts with understanding the nature of the beast. Cats are as territorial as dogs. In fact, they stake their claim on you, as well as your home. Neither wants to share if they don't have to. Dogs and cats are predatory, so they might view the other animal as prey until they get to know each other. Cats also consider birds, rabbits and other small pets as fair game.

So how do you achieve interspecies tolerance? First, accept that no matter how much you want your pets to get along, they are as individual as people and might not have compatible personalities. Sometimes, they just learn to endure each other's company.

Before adding to your family, an assessment of your current pet's personality can help determine whether bringing in a new companion is a good idea. Begin by looking at past encounters with other animals. Was it eager to make new friends, or was it unsociable and defensive? If your pet is a dog, does it have a predatory nature and like to chase other animals?

A great way to promote canine-feline harmony is to start young. The best time to learn to socialize is between 4 and 16 weeks of age for dogs and 3 and 12 weeks for cats. Puppies and kittens are more tolerant.

AT ANY AGE, acceptance is more likely when introductions are made gradually to minimize aggression and fear.

Friendly felines The best recipe for the peaceful cohabitation of two or more cats is for the cats to be related or raised together. Kittens who have shared food, water and toys are more likely to enjoy each other's company and live together in peace. Think about your cat's personality and try to find a similar animal. Most cats can learn to coexist if introduced properly. Slow introductions are important, and cats need their personal space, litter box and feeding area. Never put two cats together to "work it out" as it's critical that cats always have an escape route for a safe retreat. If your cat is calm and doesn't like to play, a kitten might not be the best choice. Kittens want plenty of playtime, and your cat could respond negatively. Instead, an older, more sedate companion might be better. Hawaiian Humane Society

One way to begin is to confine your new pet to a medium-size room with her food, water, bed and litter box. Place both pets' food dishes near the closed door so they can associate each other's scent with the positive experience of eating. You also can rub your pet with a hand towel and place it under the dish of your other pet.

If these new encounters progress smoothly, introduce your new pet to the rest of your home. During the tour, be sure to confine the older pet to another area of the house. This is a good time to sharpen your dog's obedience skills. It is important that it obey commands such as "sit," "stay" and "down" as they will probably be used during the face-to-face encounter.

Once both animals are comfortable with each other's scents, introduce them to one another visually, but without physical contact. Try a short introduction from across the room, on opposite sides of a glass door, or a pet gate. Once both pets are relaxed, decrease the distance between them or leave the glass door slightly ajar.

At this stage, never leave them together unsupervised. If introductions are made from across the room, be prepared to physically restrain your dog. Reward each animal with words of praise, treats and petting the longer they are together without incident. Gradually allow your cat freedom to investigate the dog. Give the dog a treat for being obedient and calm.

Hissing and barking are natural reactions and likely will diminish with time. Continuous barking, growling and hissing, on the other hand, could signal a difficult time ahead. The hope is that both animals will adjust, or at least learn to tolerate each other's presence. However, sometimes the two parties never do hit it off.

The main thing is to take things slow and easy in the beginning. Allow your pets ample time to adjust to each other. Using food treats that each pet loves teaches that the presence of another animal leads to positive experiences.

Successful families adapt to change without force, and with your help, peace will prevail.

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