There are times when living under the same roof can test even the most patient among us. When favourite chairs are already taken, and food mysteriously disappears, it is no wonder that tempers start to fray – and that’s just the pets.
In a rare study, researchers set out to explore the relationships between cats and dogs that shared the same homes. They found that while cats might rightly feel the more nervous of the species, they appeared to have little trouble in asserting themselves.
The online survey of 748 homeowners from the UK, the US, Australia, Canada and Europe found that more than 80% felt their pets were comfortable with one another, with only 3% declaring that their cats and dogs could not stand one another.
But despite the general picture of harmony, the survey revealed cats were by far the more antagonistic of the animals. Homeowners reported that cats were three times more likely to threaten their canine housemates than vice versa, and 10 times more likely to injure them in a fight. Not that the dogs seemed unduly concerned: more than a fifth reportedly picked up toys to show them to cats, compared with only 6% of cats doing the same for dogs.
Researchers at the University of Lincoln launched the study to find out what made for happy cat-dog relationships. With more pets of different species living together, they argue, an amicable coexistence is important for welfare and could reduce the risk of pets ending up in rehoming centres.
“We really wanted to know what is it that makes cats and dogs amicable,” said Sophie Hall, a co-author on the study, published in the Journal of Veterinary Behaviour. “They are often portrayed as the worst of enemies, but that isn’t always the case.”
Read more here…
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/jul/24/pets-at-home-do-cats-and-dogs-really-fight-like-cats-and-dogs
