Cats and Dogs Living Together

Posted by Jeanne on February 27, 2009

Despite their reputation for unfriendliness, cats can and often do become friendly with other animals. Cats who through some mischance have lost their kittens are especially prone, perhaps through a hormonal impulse, to adopt and mother the most unlikely small fry. Little chicks, ducklings, rats, mice, squirrels, rabbits, puppies — the list may well be endless — have all at one time or another lived in harmony with cats.

Somewhat more difficult, because it has not been arranged by the cat, is keeping alien pets together under the same roof. Usually this involves dog and cat, and the results are unpredictable, though successful often enough to be worth trying.

It’s easiest, of course, to raise puppies and kittens together, as they have been on countless farms. Puppies, whatever problems they may have, are the soul of good fellowship, open, trusting, everybody’s friend — which means that half the battle is won. Kittens, if not mauled or frightened out of their wits, will spit their protests for a few days and then learn to live and let live.

The same pattern generally is followed when a kitten is introduced to a family’s adult dog, although care must be taken that the canine, in a transport of joy, does not break his little playfellow’s neck.

A much rougher situation arises when a defenseless puppy joins a household in which an adult cat is well entrenched and reigns supreme. It can be worked out, but you have to want a dog an awful lot. In this case, or in the even more hopeless one of adult dog and adult cat, start by having your vet trim the cat’s claws. This is trickier than it seems and should be professionally done.

Don’t confront the pets with each other immediately. Keep them in the house but separated — if possible — for several days. This will inform each that there’s a stranger in the house but that, since the new smell lingers, he, she or it must belong. Familiarity, normality and habit all serve to break down the basic and traditional fears, hostilities and insecurities felt between species.

Let the first meeting be casual and brief. Stick around to see that a fight doesn’t develop, but don’t interfere any more than you have to. It figures that any show of favoritism will be deeply resented by the one left out, especially the cat. And a scolding of one in front of the other will be most mortifying, especially for the cat.

If all goes well, cat and dog will begin eventually to exchange a friendly lick. When they nestle together for a snooze, play together and eat together (from separate dishes), love has triumphed.

Be prepared to be a good loser, though, if your pets just don’t take a shine to each other. It will be a fairly miserable existence for the smaller, the weaker, the more fearful one, whichever it is.

Your Cat’s Twilight Years

Posted by Jeanne on February 25, 2009

Throughout the seasons of the years this will be the pattern of her life — countless catnaps in the sun; countless mice slain and devoured; as many kittens as nature and her human friends allow.

In summer she will enjoy the lush fullness of the earth, watching with eye and ear the movement of the days, and patrolling the scented nights. The crispness of autumn will find her vigorously campaigning among the harvesting field mice and southward-flying birds. Her coat will thicken against the threat of cold ahead. On frosty mornings she will huddle in the pale sun, arising ever more stiffly as her years advance. In winter she will retire, a fireside cat, saving of the world’s warmth that comes her way, cowering before the bleak winds, reluctant in the snow, slowed down and waiting.

With all other living things she responds at last to spring. The heart rejoices, the earth turns green, the air is filled with promise, and even old cats roll in the new grass, dance the skittering steps they learned as kittens and climb a few feet up a few good trees.

To every cat at one of these time spans will come the day that is the end of everything. With luck, the cat will be properly old yet free of disability and pain. With luck, she — or he — will have lived fully, known the urgent, purposeful mating with tom or queen, and passed on the natural faculties of being cat to younger generations. With luck, too, she will have moved among people who cherished her, often for things she was not, but inescapably for the many honest things she was. And for having shared her good life, they will account themselves lucky.

It is a painful moment when the well-loved pet reaches the end of its allotted span. Much as you may want to prolong an old association, it may be that illness or infirmity is making the cat’s life difficult. Each cat owner must choose for himself the best course to follow, but it should be known and understood that modern drugs are swift, painless, and mercifully efficient.