Cats and dogs in one home

"Fighting like cats and dogs" doesn't have to be true. Plenty of homes in Egypt have a cat and a dog living together calmly. The secret is the right match, a slow introduction, and a cat that always has an escape route.

Before you decide

• Know your dog: if it chases cats in the street relentlessly, or goes after anything that moves, it may not suit a cat. Ask a trainer or your vet.
• Pick the right cat: a calm adult cat used to dogs usually adapts more easily than a scared kitten.
• A puppy and kitten raised together often get used to each other faster, but still need supervision.

Set up a cat sanctuary

• A room just for the cat that the dog can't enter, with food, water, the litter box and somewhere high.
• High places around the home, such as shelves or tall cat trees, where the cat can get away from the dog.
• Put the cat's food and litter box where the dog can't reach. Many dogs eat cat food or dig in the litter.

Step-by-step introduction

1. Scent first: let each animal explore the home while the other is shut away, for a few days.
2. First meeting when the dog is calm, after a long walk for example, in a room with a high spot for the cat.
3. Keep the dog on a leash beside you. Reward it with a treat and praise when it stays calm and looks away from the cat.
4. Short sessions several times a day. If the dog gets too excited, calmly take it out and try later.
5. Don't carry the cat up to the dog. Let it approach on its own.

The whole process can take weeks.

Signs to watch for

• The dog stares fixedly at the cat and can't look away, trembles with excitement, or chases it.
• The cat hides all the time, or stops eating or using its litter box.
• If you see this, go back a step, and talk to a reward-based trainer.

Ground rules

• Never punish either of them by hitting or shouting. It links the other animal with something bad.
• Don't leave them alone together until you're completely sure they're comfortable.
• The cat must always have an escape route to somewhere the dog can't follow.

Have more than one cat? Read how to introduce a new cat too.