Can a dog and cat not only get along, but play together and like each other?

Question

I have a 1 and a half year old Golden Retriever, and i want to get a kitten soooo bad (i love cats). I know the dog will be fine with the cat, but will the cat be ok with the dog? I want them to be able to play together and not have the cat just hiss and hide. If i get a really little kitten, i was thinking it would get used to it young and be ok. Does anyone out there have a cat and dog that cuddle and play like in the cute hallmark cards? :) Tell me how you made it work!

Answer 1

Its a common myth that cats and dogs dont get along. I had 7 cats and 2 dogs and they LOVED eachother.

Make sure you get a kitten though, older cats will be harder to train. When you introduce the kitten into the home dont let it see the dog right away, it may stress it out too much. Place the kitten in a separate room, and after getting used to this room, have the dog come up to the door. They will sniff at eachother for a bit. You can place a toy at both sides, like a string or something the dog can play with as well. The kitten will associate your dogs smell with play. You can then introduce your pup to the kitten. Be sure you are holding the kitten to make him feel safe.

Soon enough the kitten will love playing and snuggling with your dog.

Answer 2

I think it depends on the personalities of your animals! But Goldens are usually pretty mellow and sweet and I would venture to guess that your dog will accept a new kitten without much trouble. If you get a young kitten, it won't know the difference anyway! I have lived in more than one household where dogs and cats curled up together just like the Hallmark cards! 8^) But be certain to have your kitten spayed or neutered as soon as it is old enough, or you will be inviting all kinds of problems.

Answer 3

I have both a cat and dog and they LOVE each other. They sleep, eat(of course different food) together, and play all day. We had the puppy first and decided her needed a friend. We decided to get a 4 month old kitten from the local pound. For a couple reasons a 4 month old is still small but able to protect hisself if needed during rough play, and we got it from the pound so he would be kinda tough. We introduced them slowly, at first the kitten hated the puppy and took charge of the house but after just 1 day they grew to love each other. and now have this special bond...AWWWW so cute! We also have both males. I dont know if that means anything...but thats how it ended up.

Answer 4

At first it will be rough. I have four dogs and now three cats one of which is a kitten. My dogs and cats have always gotten along extrememly well. I have even caught the one cat sleeping with the dogs curled up right along side of them. The new kitten needs to be introduced slowly, she has a set time where I will bring her out of her room and stand with her. After a bit I will sit down and allow the dogs to come to her. She hissed and growled the first couple of times, but now she nuzzles up to them. My dogs are big so we are going to work on her being on the ground when she gets a little older. It's not that they would try to hurt her, but they are so clumsy they just can't help it! So to answer your question absolutely give it a shot!

Answer 5

Well, all animals, especially cats have there own personality. In any case, starting out the kitten with the dog when its young, instead of introducing them when hes full grown and has no experience with a dog, would have a good chance at getting along great with your dog. I've had 3 cats and a mast if, and they got along great =) but I've noticed that when I introduced Oliver, an older cat that had no experience with a dog before, almost hated him =O. So starting out with a kitten would be great, just watch there movements.

The kitten would be interested in your house above all else before he/she even thinks about the dog, so don't introduce the dog until he gets used to the house =) above all else, kittens are extremely play full, so he would be a great playmate!

Answer 6

I have seen dogs and cats that do this. The best thing to do is take your dog with you when you go to get a cat. Hold the cat near your dog and see what the reaction is. Cats have different personalities just like humans. Some can't stand dogs from birth, others will tollerate them and there are others who will cuddle just like the halmark cards. Dogs have different personalities as well and some won't put up with cats at all. Labs and Retrievers are the best from my experience with them, but not always. Just see what happens.

Good luck!

Answer 7

I had a kitten and puppy that got along well but that was probably because they were both young. If you older dog is gentle then I would suggest you get a very young kitten and teach the dog and cat to snuggle. If you show them it's ok and there's no danger they should get along well.

Answer 8

My dog and cat play all the time. For us the secret was getting the cat as a kitten as you are suggesting. Also, we lucked out in that he is super feisty and fearless. Pay close attention to the personality when you pick your kitten and it should be fine. Also, it seems that male cats are a little more agreeable and less territorial.

Answer 9

yes, they can. But it completely depends on the cat and the dog and their individual "personalities." I have a cat who LOVED my roommate's 75 lb dog and they would cuddle and be cute all the time. The other cat could have cared less about the dog and usually kept her distance. I didn't force anything; we just had a dog free area so the cats could choose if and when to interact with the dog.

Answer 10

My friend had a dog and cat and they got along just fine.
If you decide on a cat, have a friend keep it for a couple of weeks; take ur dog to visit it. Let them get used to each other. If all goes well, they'll be fast friends! : ) good luck!