A zoopsychologist talked about ways to make friends with a cat and a dog

Cats and dogs can coexist peacefully if they get to know each other properly and follow the basic rules. Oksana Yershova, a zoopsychologist and expert at SUPERPET, a natural food manufacturer, told Izvestia about this on April 29.

According to the expert, differences in animal behavior often cause conflicts.

"Dogs are social and gregarious animals, while cats are territorial and self—sufficient. The former tend to communicate and behave, from the point of view of the cat, rudely, abruptly and intrusively. It scares cats, makes them want to run away or defend themselves," noted Ershova.

The expert explained that if animals grow up together from an early age, they adapt to each other more easily. Difficulties often arise when adult pets live together. According to her, an important condition is that each animal has its own space, including separate beds, bowls and recreation areas. This helps to reduce competition and stress levels. Yershova stressed that you should not try to speed up the dating process or force animals to communicate.

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"Do not try to make friends with pets by force, give them time," the specialist emphasized.

She added that it is important to provide the cat with access to higher ground where it can feel safe, and to control the dog, if necessary, to avoid sudden contact. The expert also recommended using positive reinforcement, encouraging the calm behavior of animals with treats.

According to Ershova, when aggression is manifested, it is important to maintain a neutral reaction and not to intensify the conflict with emotional actions. The specialist noted that if these recommendations are followed, animals can eventually switch to calm or even friendly interaction.

Yulia Nemtseva, Candidate of Veterinary Sciences, senior lecturer at the Department of Veterinary Medicine at Rosbiotech University, said on March 21 that when interacting with the owner, the cat receives a positive psychological and physical effect, while the form of attention itself is important to the pet, and not "compliments" in the human sense. However, not all cats are equally fond of tactile interaction, so it is worth considering the individual characteristics of your pet.