Pitbulls and Cat Coexistance

People often wonder: Can pitbulls live with cats? The answer is "yes!" as many can and do. Certainly, there are some dogs whose prey drive is too strong, but for many dogs, pitbulls included, a multi-species household is possible, given the establishment of solid obedience, clear expectations, and training for both species. The following information offers suggestions for successfully managing a cat/dog household. However, it is important to recognize the differences between the two species, their body language and perception of each other. I have cats and dogs, both equally important to me and worth training to behave around one another. I sometimes hear of people allowing their dogs and cats to do things that are unsafe for both species. Unsafe behavior includes: allowing the dog to pick up, mouth, or paw at the cat, allowing the dog to chase, bark, or lunge at the cat, or allowing the cat to swipe at, nibble, or bite the dog. It is too easy for a dog to injure a cat, even during play. In addition, owners need to remember that cat scratches and bites can cause serious injury or illness to a dog.Here are some ways to safely desensitize cats and dogs to each other and integrate a multi-species household...Consider crating your dog in a high traffic area of the home. Give him/her something to do in the crate like a stuffed Kong or meaty bone to chew on. Make sure the crate door is secure. Allow the cat to enter the room and see the dog in a non-threatening manner (i.e., not moving).Treat your cat for being confident and exploring the room while the dog is in the crate. Don't make the cat come in, let him/her explore and 'find' you in the room with dog crated and treats abounding. You might feed the kitty a dish of yummy canned food in the presence of the dog while the dog is crated.Have the dog on leash with you holding the leash, allow him/her to see kitty from the next room. Click and treat the dog for good behavior. Good behavior means: quiet, calm, and relaxed. The dog can look as long as he is quiet and/or in a relaxed posture. Do not allow or reward whining, screaming, barking, lunging, or stiff posturing. For a more detailed explanation of desensitizing a pitbull to a cat, see Cinimon Clark's recommendation, click here.