How to Tell If a Dog Is Aggressive Towards Cats

Animal animosity is something that is mostly seen in the wild. It is a way of protecting their territories or a form of survival. This aggression/fear has found its way into our homes. In many homes, dogs and cats rarely exist together. Do you have a dog and cat in your home? How do they relate?

 

Pooch hostility towards your feline friend is a natural phenomenon. This behavior can be brought about by past trauma the dog has experienced or something to do with behavior during its early developmental stages. However, both canines and kittens can co-exist together in your home. But how can you do it? Dog violence is a serious behavioral problem but it can be modified. If the dog is properly trained to respect the feline fellow and treat her as his equal, then you, the pooch, and the cat can be best of friends.

 

Signs of aggression in canines

What body languages tell that the dog is ready for an attack? How do you tell if your dog is aggressive towards the cat? If you can answer these questions, then you are in a position to stop this behavior for a happy family.

The following are the most known signs of aggression in canines:

• Growling
• Stiff body posture
• Baring teeth
• Snarling
• Staring at the cat
• Barking at the cat
• Becoming overprotective of its sleeping space and playing tools
• Chasing the cat away
• Fighting the cat

Types of canine aggression

There are different types of dog antagonism and you need to determine the right type of aggression. This helps you decide on the best treatment to eliminate this aggression.

• Fear aggression

Fear is a common occurrence with all living things. When a dog senses fear, it can either flee or fight. Most canines choose the latter when in a scary situation. This type of fear is the worst since it cannot be seen. You might be relaxing on your porch, and then suddenly you see your dog jumping right on the cat and start to bite it. Before you do anything your neighbor’s cat is lying in your garden dead. Fear aggression is usually caused by a past trauma in the dog’s life. Unbelievably, some cats can wrestle dogs and win.

• Social aggression

Dogs are very social animals. In your house, there is a hierarchy of seniority that exists between your dog and cat. So occasionally, your dog would like to remind the cat who the master of the house is. To do this, your dog will display aggressive body language.

• Possession and territorial aggression

This behavior revolves around the pooch’s space, toys, food bowl, and any other object the canine regards as his. Once you bring in a new cat and she starts approaching the dog’s possessions, the dog will have no other option but to react aggressively. He is trying to protect what is his. A canine has a high sense of smell, so when you feed your new friend on his bowl, he will know about it. Possession aggression ranges from just growling to a full attack towards the cat.

How to make a dog and cat co-exist together

An aggressive dog will not be easy to fix. It is not an overnight issue or something that you will fix within a few days. It takes time and patience for you to make a dog and cat exist together in your home. Preventing this problem in the early developmental stages will let you live peacefully.

Dog trainers have some tips that they have tried and found to be a sure bet to eliminate aggressive behavior in dogs. To avert the growth of dog aggression:

• Discourage dominant behavior
• Socialize the dog and cat
• Use positive reinforcement training
•  Be on the lookout for signs of resource guarding

 

Final word

Knowing how to tell if a dog is aggressive towards cats will help you have a happy union in your house. Socializing cats and dogs will not be an easy task. It will need a lot of effort from your side. This process might even take longer than it should since cats are sometimes finicky and moody.

 

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