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Have you noticed that your dog sometimes chases your cat, and, in other cases, they befriend each other?
Knowing that dogs and cats are different species is essential in understanding that their interactions can differ.
But why would your dog be obsessed with your cat?
This article will examine why your dog is obsessed with your cat.
Can Dogs and Cats Live Together?
Absolutely yes!
Dogs and cats can coexist peacefully in a household and become “inseparable besties.”
However, it is essential to note that you have to train these adorable creatures under the following household rules:
- Living peacefully
- Respecting each other’s territories
- Eating their food and treats
- Not fighting and injuring one another
Is Dog-Cat Obsession Normal?
Your dog’s obsession with your cat is totally normal.
Naturally, dogs are curious, playful, and teasing creatures that love messing around with people and other household pets.
However, this obsession could lead to serious injuries to your small-size cat if not monitored and controlled.
It is important to train your dog to give the house cat its own peace and personal space in the house.
6 Reasons Why Your Dog Is Obsessed With Your Cat
1. Jealousy!
Yes! Dogs do get jealous.
Dogs develop a habit of following or teasing the cat to get your attention.
The main reason is that they are jealous of how much you pay attention to the cat compared to the time used to attend to the dog.
This issue can be corrected by dividing your dog’s and cat’s time equally.
You can gain your dog’s attention by playing with it or taking it for a walk. These dog activities help train the dog to give the cat its own space.
2. Strong Hunting Instincts
As per the strong dog hunting instincts, dogs may spot a specific behavior in cats that triggers the hunting hormone within them.
Your dog might be obsessed with your cat because of its strong prey drive, which makes it view the cat as prey.
The best way to avoid this is by keeping the cat and dog away from each other in their territories.
You can also train your dog to be nice to your cat by giving it treats every time you find your dog respecting the cat’s territory.
This reward action helps make sure they get along well.
3. Playful Mode
Dogs are playful creatures; once they get something to play with, they become very fond of the playing item.
Your dog might be obsessed with your cat because it wants a playing partner.
While your dog may interpret your cat’s action as playful, your cat may feel endangered since the dog may harm them.
The best way to reduce this is by separating them and training your dog to keep away from the cat.
4. Dominance
You notice your dog being unresponsive to your commands because it is trying to dominate.
This character trait can mean it is trying to show the cat it is obsessed with that it “rules” the household.
The best way to change this is by training your dog to obey your commands.
5. Dog Age
Puppies are easily trained to do anything you wish.
Therefore if you introduce your puppy to the cat at a younger age, you can be able to teach it not to be obsessed with the cat.
If a dog were already mature when you introduced a cat, it would not be easy to make it leave the cat.
It might take some time and a couple of hard training sessions before your dog stops teasing your cat.
At an older age, dogs tend to have a stronger prey drive than when they are puppies.
6. Idleness
It would be best to observe your dog’s behavior towards the cat at different times.
For example, if your dog enjoys eating, resting, playing, and other activities, monitor it to see whether it distracts the cat.
You will note that the dog tends to be obsessed with your cat or teases it when it is idle and has nothing to do.
Ways To Reduce The Dog’s Obsession And Cat Clinginess
1. Dog Treats
This reward system should happen when you find the dog giving your cat its space and not teasing it.
If you make this reward a habit, your dog will automatically stop teasing your cat and make the environment more friendly.
Also, if you wish to make your dog and cat friends, after some time, you can start bringing your cat close to the dog for short sessions.
This way, the cat will start to feel safer other than running away.
Lastly, rewarding your dog with a treat will make the cat and the dog get used to each other, see each other, share spaces peacefully, and get comfortable around each other.
2. Dog Training
For dog training, you can use the traditional way of training your dog to quit being obsessed with your cat.
Give your dog specific commands and train it to sleep, eat, and do other activities it likes away from the cat.
It is essential to train your dog regularly to prevent it from falling back and going back to its old habits of teasing the cat and being clingy to it.
3. Separation
Ultimately, separation helps reduce the chances of the dog being clingy to the cat and avoids conflict.
Separating both your dog and cat will help reduce the dog’s obsession with the cat.
However, there should still be a few instances where your dog and cat interact and play together.
4. Separate Feeding
Dogs can be very protective when eating, and if anything or anyone touches their food, they attack angrily.
It would be safe to feed your dog and cat separately to avoid contact when they are eating.
Also, if you leave your dog’s food in the presence of cats, cats can quickly eat the dog’s food leaving it hungry.
5. Attention To The Dog.
Always remember to give your dog the attention it deserves other than paying attention to the cat.
By doing this, the dog will not need to disturb the cat to get your attention.
You can interact with your dog by playing with it, taking it for a walk, feeding it, washing it, and many more activities.
Conclusion
Dog-cat obsession can happen because of many reasons.
Observing your dog’s and cat’s reaction when you introduce them to one another is crucial in determining whether or not your dog will get obsessed.
This analysis also helps you know whether your dog and cat will be friendly to one another or they will just be fighting now and then.
Even if they are not friendly at first, they can still get used to each other sooner or later. However, you must avoid distracting the dog when the cat is out of the dog’s field of vision.
This strategy aims to occupy the dog and make it forget about the cat for a while.
You can use a bone, chew stick, or even play with a ball or other playing item to prevent it from disturbing the cat.
Also, remember that these creatures are natural beings meant to live with each other, and you should train them to get used to living with each other.
Give your dog equal cat attention, have routines for them and ensure they do not get jealous of each other.
Fighting is something you should try your best to avoid.
Please don’t be too harsh on the cat or dog when they do not adhere to your rules!
Purrfect n’ Pawesome is the brainchild of Amanda, who has been into researching and writing about pets to help other pet parents in nurturing their adorable pets. Currently, she runs Purrfect n’ Pawesome along with her team of experienced and dedicated pet experts. Along with being an awesome writer and entrepreneur, Amanda is a cat mom to two innocently spoiled cats, Balanca and Scruffy.
She has been writing about pet care and nurturing and wants to share her readers’ experiences, learnings, and knowledge.
Over the years, she had the opportunity to work with various pet owners having multiple breeds, and that exposure gave her experience and the lessons of a lifetime.
Her family, her entire universe revolves around her two cats, who give her endless support and inspiration to move ahead with her objectives in life. Amanda is a live example of a balanced approach to all parenthood questions we all face in life.