Enemies or Besties? How to Successfully Raise Dogs and Cats Together.

Want to Raise Cats and Dogs Together? Let's Look at What Problems Might Come Up!

For households wanting to bring in a new pet, and worried about whether they'll get along with the cat or dog you already have, let's look at how to prepare, and what to watch out for especially when raising both dogs and cats together.

Is It True That Dogs and Cats Don't Get Along?

We believe many people have heard that dogs and cats are animals that don't get along, always fighting whenever they meet. But in reality, dogs and cats can become friends, so raising a cat and dog in the same space is entirely possible. There may be some squabbling, which is considered normal and isn't unique to any particular type of pet. However, if you want your dog and cat to become comfortable with each other, it's best to raise them together from when they're both young, or while at least one of them is still young, which helps both animals build familiarity with each other effectively.

What Should You Watch Out for When Raising Cats and Dogs Together?

When raising cats and dogs together, one key precaution involves food, since cat food and dog food contain different nutrients, based on each species' specific needs, as follows:

• Dog food contains a mix of carbohydrates and meat, since domesticated dogs have been bred over time to be able to digest carbohydrates on their own, so dog food contains both carbohydrates and protein from meat.
• Cat food is primarily protein-based, with very little carbohydrate content, since a cat's body can use very little of it. It also has essential amino acids like taurine added, since cats cannot synthesize this on their own.

From this information, you can see that dogs and cats have completely different nutritional needs. So you need to be careful about food, since dogs and cats may eat each other's food, which could have negative effects on their health in the long run.

If a dog frequently eats cat food, this can cause them to become overweight and receive excessive amounts of certain nutrients. At the same time, if a cat frequently eats dog food, they can become deficient in taurine, which can lead to heart muscle disease and other conditions. So when feeding your pets, be sure to train them and keep watch to prevent them from eating each other's food, for the good health of your pets.

How to Properly Introduce a New Pet Into the Home

Now that you know what to watch out for, let's move on to the proper steps for moving a new pet into the home, to help build a stronger bond between the dog and cat in your household.

• Place the new pet in a carrier, covered with a cloth, while bringing them into the house.
• Set up a separate room specifically for the new pet.
• Let the new and existing pets get used to each other's scent through the gap under the door, until they become accustomed to it.

You could also use a blanket or towel that one pet has slept on, and let the other pet regularly smell it as well.

• Gradually let the pets spend time together, always supervising. If they growl or attack each other, separate them, and keep repeating this process until they can play together.
• Additionally, keeping the new pet separated at first also helps with screening for potential illness.

If you have questions about caring for your dog and cat's health, contact Thonglor Pet Hospital if you'd like to bring your pets in together for a health checkup, or if you have any questions about caring for cats and dogs raised together. You can bring your pets in to meet our veterinary team and ask about proper care practices, or call us at: 02-079-9999