[PET OHANA]
PAT CAMARA PHOTO
Bridget the dog and Bernard joined the Camara family when both were about 6 months old. They are now 8. This photo, which made the Hawaiian Humane Society 2002 "Picture-Perfect Pets" calendar, was "a once-in-a-lifetime shot. The two are friendly but don't usually cuddle together like this," according to Pat Camara.
Pat Camara got a dog as a pet, then she got a playmate to keep her company ... a kitten. Certain pet species
can get alongHawaiian Humane Society
www.hawaiianhumane.org"We've noticed that's how many interspecies friendships begin," said Hawaiian Humane Society President Pamela Burns, whose home has four cats and a dog. "The old adage about fighting like cats and dogs really does not apply to animals who live in the same home."
Camara and her husband, Roy, did some research before bringing home their pets. "Since I'd never had animals before, I got a book on dog breeds and read about their characteristics," she said.
"The Wheaten terrier seemed to fit us best, especially the line that said, 'The dog will do anything to make you happy.' So we got a Wheaten terrier.
"We soon felt guilty when we had to leave this personable dog alone at home, so I went back to the breed books and picked out the kind of cat we thought would make a good friend for Bridget."
American shorthair cats, according to those who know the breed, are very relaxed with an easygoing temperament. This personality profile convinced the Camaras that the cat would fit nicely in their home. The young kitten, named Bernard, became Bridget's companion.
"They were both less than 6 months old and got along pretty well right from the start," Camara said. "Bridget was a bit more dominant for about a year, then Bernard started asserting his authority. Sometimes he'd 'torment' the dog just for fun, but now they live peacefully together, just waiting for us to come home each day."
Marty Hutchins, outreach coordinator at the humane society, shares his home with a dog and a bird. He adopted an African gray parrot first. Less than a year later, he added a cocker spaniel. Chaka the bird and Phoebe the cocker have an interesting relationship.
"We give Chaka fresh vegetables every morning," said Hutchins. "While she's eating some, she's tossing other vegetables out of the cage to Phoebe who is also known as the furry vacuum cleaner. It's a game they play together."
Kathy Helfrich had two dogs, a mother-daughter pair of golden retrievers, and then adopted two kitten siblings. "For the first two weeks, I kept the kittens in a room closed off with a louvered door so the scents could pass through from dogs to cats," said Helfrich. "Then I introduced them briefly, making sure they knew that they're all roommates. That went well, so we repeated the short introductions a few more times; several weeks later, they were all living together in the same part of the house. When I walk the dogs, they will try to chase the neighborhood cats, but they don't chase their own cats. They know the difference.
"While Cleo, my littlest sable cat, sits on a chair and grooms herself, Mandy the dog will come over and put her face close to Cleo who then grooms the dog's nose, muzzle and mouth. It's so cute to see them together. The dogs and cats go out in the yard together to watch the sunset every night, sitting next to each other in the grass."
Take a picture
If you do happen to get your pets together, it would be worth busting our your camera. Photos are being accepted now through July 31 for the 2003 Hawaiian Humane Society "Picture-Perfect Pets" calendar.Last year, the Camaras' Bernard and Bridget were chosen for the March 2002 page.
"That photo was a fluke," said Pat Camara. "I was ready with the camera -- we positioned the two animals next to each other, they stayed for a few seconds, and I snapped the picture."
To enter, send a horizontal color photo (only pets, no people) with your name, your pet's name and your phone number. Photos will not be returned. Include $15 for each photo.
Send to Hawaiian Humane Society, 2700 Waialae Ave., Honolulu, HI 96826. The deadline is July 31.
Tips for introducing new pets
>> Keep pets separated one on either side of a doorway; place their food dishes near the doorway, and gradually push the dishes closer to the door day by day.
>> Swap scents; rub a towel on one animal and place it under the food dish of the other pet; do this for all animals in the home.
>> Switch rooms; allow the new pet to explore the house while the resident pet is safe in another room.
>> Introduce the animals slowly and always with supervision.
>> Avoid fearful or aggressive meetings; if a confrontation occurs, separate them immediately and start over.
>> Tell your dog to "stay" while the cat explores the room; use positive reinforcement when the dog does not chase the cat; repeat!
>> Make sure each pet has his or her own space, a separate food dish and water dish; if you have more than one cat, you should have more than one litter box.
>> Keep cat food and litter box out of the reach of the dog, such as behind a baby gate that only the cat can fit through.
>> Keep the animals separated when you're not at home until you are certain they will remain safe.
>> Animals will be most likely to accept a new friend at 6 months of age or less, but older pets can make new friends, too; be patient.
"Pet Ohana" runs the first and third Fridays of the month. The Hawaiian Humane Society is a nonprofit agency dedicated to preventing cruelty to animals. They are at 2700 Waialae Ave. Call 946-2187.
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