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Hi, I’m Dr. Maja! Read my introduction to learn more about me and Miki, the kitten who made me a cat person.
Growing up, we always had dogs. Most of them were not familiar with cats, and had to be kept on a lead if one was around. But the dogs I have now, Hela, a rescue from Greece, and Lava, dumped on our farm as a puppy, are a different story. Lava grew up on the farm with other dogs and cats, and has accepted all of them very easily. She didn’t know any different. But Hela was a mystery, as her past must have been troubling, for a dog found tied to a tree and almost starved. This made me very cautious when I rescued Miki, and still sometimes keeps me on my toes.
What Do Cats and Dogs Think of Each Other?
When Miki joined our family last summer, he was in a spacious crate on and off for the first month, to keep him safe and give him a chance to become familiar with my voice and smell, his surroundings, and of course, the two large dogs. For a little kitten that was barely 3 months old, he was quite courageous.
Lava was curious and playful around him, but I didn’t let her interact with him for the first few days, as he was finding his way around. Hela on the other hand, was super interested in Miki, but kept her distance and seemed unsure of the whole situation, but in a positive way. There were no signs of aggression or fear, just uncertainty in terms of, what is this little black creature.
Days passed, and we all got a bit braver, me particularly. Looking after kids must be a walk in the park, in comparison to this. I kept my eye on three of them constantly 24/7, making sure all interactions were calm and supervised. But they did all the hard work really and they were amazing. It was as if they were old friends now reacquainted. Miki stood his ground which made the dogs respectful, of course with me by his side, and both girls were very gentle with him.
Miki Is The Top “Dog”
Looking back now, they probably took a good six months to become fully comfortable with each other, in the sense of reading body language and other cues. Hela has quickly learned to recognize when is not a good time to try and play with Lava, and both dogs have learned that Miki always wins an “argument”. There have been no arguments as such, but now they do play with him as if he is a dog and one of them.
If you ask me, Miki is often testing their patience but also mine. He will jump up and smack them on the face, will kick them on the nose with his paw, and he is imitating the way the two of them play, by fake biting the back of their legs. And of course, Lava’s tail is the top prize. They will chase each other around the house, and Miki will be the one to start the zoomies. This type of play I always gently redirect and stop after several minutes, but it’s nice to see how both Hela, who probably had no previous experience with cats, and Lava, try to be so gentle and tolerant of him. Or, they are scared of him. It’s a tough life, being a dog bossed around by a little cat.
Always on the Lookout
Now, despite almost a year of the three of them living in complete harmony, I am still cautious and mindful that cats and dogs are not always friends. I am one of the lucky ones, where Miki and Lava like to snuggle together for a nap, while Hela is more of a loner, with all three of them playing and going for walks together. But, I always keep my eyes open and observe their behavior, in order to keep all three of them safe and happy.
This article is a part of Dr. Maja and Miki’s series.
