Five Real Reasons Cats Don’t Like Dogs

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Cats and dogs have always been rivals, at least that is what we have always heard. But is this really true? Do cats really hate dogs, or is this just a myth. Well, if you have ever owned a cat and a dog, if you’re lucky, your cat and dog may be the best of friends, or at the very least, tolerate each other. However, you may actually be the owner of a dog and cat that seem to always fight and the cat truly despises its canine sibling. The truth is, there is actually some truth the saying that cats hate dogs, and there are some real legitimate reasons for the rivalry. Keep reading to find out five real reasons cats don’t like dogs.

1. They fight differently

Cats and dogs have totally different ways of fighting. Their styles couldn’t be anymore different and this is one reason why cats do not prefer to buddy-up with a dog. If there happened to be a tiff between the two, a cat cannot match in weight and size, but a cat will try its hardest to intimidate a dog using its sharp claws and will definitely try to match the dog in vocal intimidation. While a dog will bark loudly at the cat, a cat will reciprocate with a hiss and spitting sound. Both can growl, and a fight between the pair can be long and drawn out, and very noisy.

2. Cats are more solitary

We all know how affectionate dogs can be. Typically, dogs are more of people-lovers and want the attention of a human. They run in packs and want to be a part of a pack. Cats on the other hand, are more solitary animals and need very little attention from humans or any other mammal, for that matter. They often prefer to be alone and stay to themselves and not have much communication. The dogs’ need for communication and attention from others is hard for cats to understand and they cannot communicate with dogs in any language. They were never built to communicate to each other, nor learned how through evolution. This puts an even big barrier between the two species and makes cats less impressed with dogs.

3. Dogs love to chase

Dogs are known to chase small prey, especially certain breeds. The last thing a cat wants, is to be chased by a big, hairy, scary animal with a loud bark. A cat is easily intimidated by a dog, and it doesn’t even have to be a large dog, just the sound of a bark can send a cat scurrying through the house and hiding under the bed.

4. Not introduced as youngsters

Cats need a time for adjustment, even more than dogs. If you introduce a cat and dog when the cat is young and still a kitten, the cat will adjust to being around a dog much more easily and will even most often, willingly accept it as its furry sibling.

5. Certain breeds are more scary and intimidating

Just like for humans, certain breeds of dogs can have a more intimidating presence than others. A cat will be more frightened of a large breed than it will a small breed. A cat’s natural instinct to not like a dog will be heightened by the fact that a Doberman is close by, more-so than if a Pekingese were sitting on the couch next to him. Size does matter and definitely plays a role in why cats don’t like dogs.

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