By Alberta Frost

Did you know that 35% of the pet-owning households in the US contain more than one pet? (Forbes Advisor, 2024) Such multi-pet families can contain more than one pet of the same species or a combination of cats, dogs and smaller animals like birds, mice, or bunnies.  For my whole adult life my house has sheltered at least two cats, and certainly at King Street Cats, where I volunteer, many people are seeking more than one cat to adopt. There are many good reasons for choosing to have more than one pet. For example, Mom wants a dog, but son really wants a bunny. A friendly stray cat needs a home and is added to the cats that already live there. Two families, each with pets, join together; or one of the most common reasons: a pet is alone all day and needs a companion.

Over the years, most of my cats have tolerated rather than loved each other. My current two, both males, are great friends. Since my own experience has been mostly easy to manage and my friends who have a cat/dog combination always seemed to make it work, I was surprised to find that some animal behaviorists are a bit skeptical about whether multi-pet, especially cross species or multi-cat households are really in the pets’ best interest.

According to behaviorist Katherine Houpt from Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, “cats prefer a solitary existence with people as their only companions. The ancestral cat was solitary and so are modern cats when food is scarce and dispersed.”  In contrast, dogs are pack animals so they have a different orientation from cats and, of course, smaller pets can be seen as prey by both cats and dogs.

Multi-pet households require more work, space, and are more expensive. Since there are valid reasons to build multi-pet households despite their complications, there are things that can be done to set our animals and their caregivers up for success.  First, try to select your cats/dogs based on temperament. Some breeds of dogs are known to be calmer and more tolerant than others. Adult cats can vary greatly in how laid back and sociable they are. Frequently, introducing a young animal into an established household works well.  Adopting opposite sex and altered animals is also a good idea. If you want smaller pets like bunnies, make sure they are homed in a protected space and closely supervised until you are confident that your dog/cat is not going to try to “hunt” them.

According to the article “Peace and Harmony” Among Pets from Cornell’s Cat Watch (January 2020), slow and careful introductions can make a big difference.  For a new cat with a dog in the house, isolate the cat in a separate room for 3 days with a litter box, comfy bed, food, and water. Do this even if there are no other pets in the house to give your newbie time to become accustomed to the smells and sounds of its new surroundings. Let the cat explore the house while the dog is out doors or confined to a crate. When you first bring the animals together, keep the dog on a leash. Give them both treats if they are behaving calmly.

When introducing a new cat to a resident one, the isolation days should be extended to seven. In addition, exchange odors with a washcloth that has been rubbed on the cheeks or top of the tail of each cat.  After the isolation period, use something like a baby gate to continue the separation and feed them with a view of each other.  This should help them associate the other’s presence with good things.  When all seems to be going well, introduce them but with a collar/leash so they can be separated if needed.  If they are calm, give them treats and they might become buddies.

How do you insure that harmony continues?  It is important that each animal has its own safe space … beds, separate water and food bowls, maybe different feeding stations, litter boxes in different parts of the house, vertical perches, and toys.  Attention and play with the humans in the house should be equally dispensed and regular. If problems do erupt, you should find out why.  Is it over food, jealousy, or feelings of threat?  If problems persist, seek professional help.  In the case of dogs, training is important; for all pets, your veterinarian can be a source of advice or referrals.

We all know that our pets can be a joy to us … if we understand their individual needs they can also make each other happy.

About the Author: Alberta Frost is a caregiver at King Street Cats and happily owns two of her own.  Much of the information in this article came from a variety of articles contained in Cat Watch, a monthly publication from Cornell University.