Why Do Dogs Seem to Hate Cats? Myths, Facts, and How to Coexist

Dogs hate cats

You are taking your dog on his daily walk. He spots a squirrel and wants to run after it. Then he spots a cat and he starts barking and howling at the cat. He really wants to get to it. Have you ever wondered why dogs hate cats so much?

Or, do dogs actually have such strong odds against cats? But how come you have seen dogs living peacefully with cats. Is there any special training required to achieve that?

The conflict that makes dogs hate cats

We will start by stating that, naturally, dogs and cats hate each other. This is because of their own natural instincts. Dogs and cats interpret signals from opposite ends. What is a sign of affection to one is a war cry.

This is a conflict that has always existed and always will. This goes back to their beginnings. As you know, both dogs and cats eat meat. In the wild, while hunting, some canines will feast on felines and vice versa – some big cats, like lions partying with African wild dogs. There are other instances like this.

But right there in the wild, dogs and cats do not really “hate” or “love” each other. They just try to avoid each other. This is because they cannot communicate with each other.

Now, when we bring a dog and a cat under one same roof and are forced to interact, that is when it gets interesting. We will just go with one example. Cats are not asocial or shy, it’s just that they take more time to warm up to a person or a situation. Dogs, on the other hand, quickly go up and assess a place and/or a person by sniffing around. This is done by the dog to get to know where he is. A cat, however, instinctively interprets this as a threat and tries to attack, climb or run away.

When the cat runs away, the dog will go on chasing it because he interprets it as an invitation from the cat to play. This is when the major conflict begins.

If dogs hate cats, what should be done?

Experts agree that, with training, this antagonism can be put down. The trick here is to make the dog-cat introduction go smoothly. This introduction usually means putting the dog on a leash, since he is the one that will run towards the cat.

If the dog acts calm, give him a treat. It is also important to put these two together the younger they are. This will help them learn from each other as they grow old together.

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