are dogs afraid of cats

Dogs have a natural instinct to chase smaller animals that flee, an instinct common among cats. Most cats flee from a dog, while others take actions such as hissing, arching their backs and swiping at the dog. After being scratched by a cat, most dogs will become fearful of cats.

How to help your scared dog

During the critical socialization period, which occurs between 7 and 15 weeks of age, it is important to make sure that your dog has happy and positive experiences with cats. This is the best way to address irrational phobias, including fear of cats.

“Puppies are developing their opinions about the world around them at this time,” Dr. Wooten said. “This is also the age when fear develops. A harmonious relationship with cats is likely to result if your puppy has happy, positive experiences with them during this period. If your puppy encounters cats in a frightening or unfavorable way during this period, it is likely to instill unreasonable fears. ”.

Furthermore, even though socializing your puppy is the best way to prevent fears from arising, what if your dog was already afraid of cats when you brought her home, or if the fear developed later?

In these cases, Dr. Wooten provided some advice on calming your fearful dog down in the presence of your cat.

And how to get them to be BFFs

are dogs afraid of cats

Is your dog afraid of your cat?

Despite the fact that most dogs are larger than their feline counterparts, it is not unusual to come across a dog who is completely afraid of her roommate cat.

While it might look a little silly from the outside, you shouldn’t ignore your dog’s fear. The best thing you can do is try to figure out how to get your pup to feel more comfortable around your cat.The Dodo reached out to Dr. Sarah Wooten, a veterinary journalist and veterinarian with Pumpkin Pet Insurance, to find out why your dog is scared of your cat, and how to get them to become besties.

Why are dogs afraid of cats?

The most frequent cause of dogs’ fear of cats is a bad, frightful, or even painful encounter with one in the past. It doesn’t matter that the dog is probably larger than the cat; what matters is that the dog was scared of the cat at some point in its life. “This experience could be anything from a jump scare to a painful encounter with teeth or claws,” Dr. Wooten told The Dodo.

Evolutionarily, your dog’s fearful memory serves to shield her from further unpleasant experiences with cats. “To humans, this fearful memory often seems unreasonable and exaggerated, but to a dog, it makes perfect sense,” Dr. Wooten said.

FAQ

What do dogs think about cats?

It pretty much sums up the relationship between dogs and cats: Highly variable, and always interesting. Some dogs are best friends with cats, some ignore them, and some either chase them, or try to herd them. Or are afraid of them, often for good reason.

Can a cat hurt a dog?

It depends on the circumstances. It’s possible that a cat could kill a tiny dog like a teacup chihuahua but the majority of them would prefer to just ignore a dog that size. A cat could possibly kill a large dog by scratching it on the nose and the dog getting an infection.

Do dogs see cats as prey?

If your dog has a strong prey drive, he might become very focused on the cat. (A prey drive is the inclination to seek out, chase and potentially capture animals seen as prey — usually smaller animals such as cats or rabbits.) He will stiffen, stare, glare, and may start barking or whining.

Will my dog tolerate a cat?

The majority of cats can happily coexist with a dog if they are given time to comfortably get to know each other. If a puppy and kitten are raised together, they generally will learn right away to tolerate each other, and some cats and dogs grow to be real friends, even playing and napping together.