Rat Terriers and cats, easy steps to get them along with. Maybe you’re thinking of bringing a cat into a house with a Rat Terrier already present, or vice versa. Especially with pets, first impressions matter.
If you don’t do it effectively, you might find yourself with two housemates who don’t get along, making life harder for everybody else in the home.
Fortunately, in this article, we’re here to present you the easy steps to make Rat Terriers and cats get along with each other and make this potentially difficult process go as smooth as possible.
This means neither animal will feel like they’re threatened, and both will be given the best opportunity to get along with each other.
Rat Terriers And Cats
Here are some easy steps to try out that can help make Rat Terriers and cats get along well:
Step 1: Give them obeying teachings.
Rat Terriers have a stronger prey instinct as a result. If you look closely at the fight between cats and Rat Terriers, you will see that the Rat Terriers are typically to blame.
Nothing will initially cause cats to fear rat terriers unless they naturally start racing after tiny, fluffy creatures like rabbits, rats, and even cats themselves.
If you don’t teach your Rat Terrier that chasing cats is a bad behavior, you must do this. Without obedience training, it will be challenging to cease this undesirable behavior.
Basic commands like “stay,” “sit,” and “down” should be taught to your Rat Terrier in order to stop this unwanted behavior while the two animals are together. This will be useful.
Without obedience training, there is no doubt that your relationship with your Rat Terrier won’t improve in terms of communication and mutual trust.
Step 2. Only permit connections that you can monitor.
Don’t ignore your Rat Terrier and cat for the first few weeks after they first met; instead, only allow interactions that you can see happen between the two.
If you don’t safeguard both your cat and Rat Terrier. If left alone, the two might develop aggressive behavior and injure one other.
Step 3. Make a ‘safe place’ for the cat.
Remember that if you don’t create “self places” for your cat to use as a location to hide from your Rat Terrier, that Rat Terrier will always have access to these “self spots” at any time of the day.
Areas like the top of the refrigerator, a bookshelf, or a window perch are examples of high places where you may establish these “safe zones” for your cat that your Rat Terrier cannot get.
Since both Rat Terriers and cats are territorial creatures, each should have its own distinct territory.
Why so? In the same manner that you create a “safe space” for your cat, you must set up individual feeding and sleeping areas for each of your pets.
Step 4. Switch Their smells.
Humans naturally rely mostly on their eyes to access their surroundings, but our Rat Terrier and cats do the same using both scent and sight.
You must allow your Rat Terrier and cat to identify and accept each other’s smell if you want them to get along with one another and your Rat Terrier and cats.
You may switch their bedding, or you can just rub a towel on your cat and put it next to your Rat Terrier, and vice versa, to keep things working.
This will make it easier for them to rapidly grow familiar to one other’s odors.
Step 5. Use desensitization means.
By desensitizing your Rat Terrier, you may continue to lessen their sensitivity to being exposed to cats. When they first meet a cat, your Rat Terrier may occasionally become overexcited.
You may achieve the goal of desensitizing your Rat Terrier’s overreaction to the cat by utilizing a baby gate. Ratties overreaction could make the cat uneasy and make communication between the two of them challenging.
Your cat and Rat Terrier may observe and sniff one other via this baby gate, so all it needs to do is keep them apart sometimes as they learn to know one another.
The only thing this baby gate needs to do is sometimes separate your cat and Rat Terrier as they get to know one another. Your cat can see and smell your Rat Terrier through it.
With the aid of desensitization, your Rat Terrier’s interest in cats and overreaction to them will ultimately fade since by that point, your Rat Terrier is already accustomed to the presence of cats.
Step 6. Free the cat.
When your cat isn’t ready for interaction with your Rat Terrier, you’ll notice that he prefers to flee during the meeting. Don’t react; simply let it be.
You risk having a bad result if you try to push your cat and Rat Terrier to interact right now. Give your pet more time and practice patience.
Step 7. Maintain favorable attitudes.
Never in any way scold your Rat Terrier when he wants to play with the cat.
I suggest this because your Rat Terrier could assume that the cat is to blame for its punishment. Your cat and Rat Terrier may get more upset as a result.
By rewarding and praising your Rat Terrier anytime he is being nice toward the cat, you may encourage your Rat Terrier to continue displaying a more pleasant behavior.
Step 8. Go easy on them.
The process of your Rat Terrier and cat becoming friends in a few of hours is not going to be simple.
You will soon notice your Rat Terrier and cat getting along with one another; it is only a question of time.
Both your cat and your Rat Terrier may need some time to get used to this, and your Rat Terrier will also need some time to learn how to act around cats.
If you’re lucky, your cat and dog will get along within a few hours. But in most cases, it won’t be possible.
If you’re patient, your dog and cat will eventually get along. It will happen in due time.
Step 9. Set up dinner dates.
Set up a dinner date and serve meals on opposite sides of a door or baby gate if you want your Rat Terrier and cat to learn to get along.
Giving your Rat Terrier and cat food as a distraction can help them ignore the strange new creature on the other side of the door and make it simpler for you to do so.
It may be simpler for your Rat Terrier and cat to get along with each other because of this favorable relationship. Your Rat Terrier and cat could develop a bond over food as well.
Step 10. Request expert assistance.
You don’t need to worry about yourself too much if you tried your best with the above steps to help your Rat Terrier get along with your cat, but didn’t obtain the desired results.
Never give up; there are qualified trainers available who can assist.
You may deal with problems between your cat and your Rat Terrier in your home by having qualified trainers or animal behaviorists around.
A different strategy is to talk to your veterinarian, who may offer advice and possibly prescribe drugs to assist your animals behave better among one another.
After you’ve finished assisting your cat and dog in getting along, if you’re exhausted and unsure of what else to do, try yourself again. Never hesitate to seek assistance.
How To Introduce Rat Terriers And Cats
There’s a misconception that dogs and cats can’t live together happily. You can introduce your Rat Terrier and cat in the finest manner if you use the advice below:
- Before you introduce your Rat Terrier to a cat make sure he understands the basic commands like ‘sit’, ‘stay’ and ‘down’ before meeting.
- Make sure you create a safe area for your Rat Terrier and your feline companion so that they won’t have access to each other place.
- You should ensure that your Rat Terrier and your cat should stay on their own for the very first couple of days before you get them introduced.
- Before you feed your Rat Terrier and your cat make sure you feed them on the opposite sides of a closed door.
- After everything has work out you can go along to introduce them with having meet and greets just in a common location of your house. The first few seasons should be brief and calm on a leash, then reward them for a good behavior.
- Continue with this face to face session every day. Try to reserve enough treats for your Rat Terrier and cat during these sessions. Don’t hold your Rat Terrier or your cat back if they want to leave, and make sure that you end the session without them getting any tension or bitterness.
- This time you can allow them to hang around in the room together, this is when they seem to get along well, otherwise, return to the previous steps if it appears to be any tension and redo them.
Things To Consider Before You Have Your New Pet
It’s important to put some certain things into consideration before you think of getting a new cat to your Rat Terrier as a companion to your household. You should consider the following things below:
1. Consider their age.
Consider a puppy and a kitten: It’s OK to consider buying a puppy and a kitten if your Rat Terrier is still a puppy.
Since they will both grow up together and are more likely to form a deep bond, introductions may not be necessary.
Normally, things don’t work out this way. For example, if you already have a kitten and want to adopt a dog as a new pet, a lot of introduction will be necessary.
In this case, you might want to think about getting a puppy rather than an adult dog.
Consider a puppy and an adult cat: If your adult cat is well-socialized, there will never be an issue between him and your puppy, unlike adult Rat Terriers to a kitten.
When your puppy is energetic and lively, though, it is natural. Rat Terriers are active and could irritate the adult cat.
Consider a kitten and an adult dog: If your Rat Terrier is well socialized, they can get along well with your kitten, however pups are afraid, and kittens are fearless and active.
While they engage, your Rat Terrier can accidentally injure the kitten.
for what reason? This is so that kittens, as opposed to adult cats, are less strong.
Though, it may be best to keep your kitten and Rat Terrier apart until they have finished growing before allowing them to mingle.
Make sure all of their interactions are under your watch if you decide to let them engage.
Consider an adult cat and a dog: Since your Rat Terrier and the cat are both adults, you don’t need to do anything in this case.
If they are socialized appropriately, the two can become buddies quickly. Before you let them engage, just introduce them and take care of the basics.
2. Consider who came first.
Make sure your Rat Terrier is ready before introducing them to any pet, whether it is a new family member who is not of the same species as them or a member of their pack.
Making the proper introductions and ensuring their familiarity with one another are what matter in this situation, though. It doesn’t matter which animal was here first.
3. Consider their Compatibility.
The compatibility test here looks to see if your Rat Terrier is very playful or if your cat is overly frightened overall.
Rat Terriers are active and energetic, therefore if you want to obtain a cat as a pet, pick a cat that shares traits with your Rat Terrier.
Since your Rat Terrier is an energetic and lively dog, you might want to think about obtaining a cat with similar traits.
How to Prevent Rat Terriers From Pursuing Cats
You are aware of the prey drive and extreme energy of rats. It will take some time, training, and persistence to figure out how to get them to quit pursuing cats.
Whenever you stop chasing, attempt to always reward good behavior.
The following are common ways to prevent your Rat Terrier from pursuing cats:
- If you let your cat out while your Rat Terrier is on a leash. Alternately, your Rat Terrier is let go while your cat is restrained.
- Watch out, Simply put an end to what you’re doing when your cat approaches your Rat Terrier, attract his attention, and try to praise him whenever he pays attention.
- Continue to feed the reward to your Rat Terrier until your cat goes if it refuses to. If the cat remains, you can offer your Rat Terrier a chew toy to keep him or her occupied.
- Before you realize it, your Rat Terrier will become used to everything and automatically sit and look up to you when they see the kitty, always give them a reward and keep going through the above steps with them.
- When your Rat Terrier starts to look up to the cat whenever it is in the room, and you start to see changes, it is time to be ready for a longer leash. However, if your Rat Terrier decides to turn around and chase the cat at that precise moment, you may stop and start over.
- At this time, though, your Rat Terrier should know better than to go after the cat. Remove the long leash and let your Rat Terrier and cat interact in the same space.
Conclusion
Regardless of the fact that your Rat Terrier is a dog breed with a high hunt drive, cats and dogs are both creatures and pack animals, so they don’t necessarily have to be enemies.
Follow these simple instructions to train your Rat Terrier to get along with cats.
This will go a long way toward making your Rat Terrier and your new cat companion great buddies.
AKC says; Rest assured, dogs and cats can become the best of friends, or at least learn to peacefully coexist.
