"They behave like dogs and cats": Whoever hears this proverb suspects that Dog and Cat aren't exactly best friends. But what is true of the myth that cats and dogs are sworn, enemies? Where can misunderstandings arise? Are there ways to let cats and dogs live in the same household and can the animals be happy?
Are you a cat person or do you prefer dogs as family members? For some animal lovers, this question is not that easy to answer. After all, that's exactly what they are: animal lovers. And as such, they like cats - and dogs. They love the independence of the house tiger and the loyalty of canine companions. So do you have to choose between keeping a cat and keeping a dog? The good news is no. The experiences of many animal lovers show that dogs and cats can become good companions. However, the prerequisite is good socialization of the animals as well as being patiently used to each other.
Is it a question of evolution?
In terms of evolutionary history, cats and dogs are very far apart: Dogs belong to the "Canoidea", the canine species. This family includes not only wolves but also bears and even walruses. So these are more closely related to our dogs than the cat ... This belongs to the family of the "Florida", the feline. Do you expect your dog to get along with a walrus straight away? No? Well, it's not surprising that the friendship between cat and dog also needs a little help at first.
Why are dogs and cats so different?
Have you ever heard the saying “dogs have masters, cats have staff”? There is a great deal of truth in the quote by the writer Kurt Tucholsky. Dogs have been with us humans for around 100,000 years. At that time, our ancestors, then still hunters and gatherers, brought wolves near and tamed them. They specifically looked for relatively tame, less aggressive wolves that they purposely mated with each other. The breeding of modern domestic dogs was born - and that without breeding regulations and exhibitions! The four-legged companions became more and more useful, they served in the hunt, as draft animals and protectors of house and farm. Nowadays the dog is much more, he has worked his way up to a full family member.
Humans did not specifically seek proximity to small wild cats. On the contrary, the cat voluntarily joined humans - after all, the granaries and pantries of humans with their mice and vermin swarming around promised a real culinary delight for the four-legged stealthy hunters! Humans soon realized that cats were more than pests. They began to tame the four-legged hunters around 9,500 years ago. The common history of dogs and human surpasses that of humans and cats by around 90,000 years ... But this does not change the fact that cats are now also human best friends. But they did not drive the dog out of their “can opener” household.
Why did the dog find it easier to join the human? Why did he let himself be tamed in a targeted manner, even if at first he had no direct benefit from living with bipeds? Dogs are pack animals. They live, hunt, and eat-in family groups. In contrast, cats are "solitary" hunters. The lion is the only known species of cat that hunts in a group. Small cats hunt and live alone for most of the year. The reason lies in the size of the cat's prey. Mouse and bird are often just a bite to eat. If hunted together, this snack would have to be shared between different animals - there would not be enough left for everyone. This way of life has had an impact on the cat's social behavior: if individual cats form a loose association for a limited period or if neighboring cats meet in the garden, there is no fixed hierarchy, unlike in a pack of dogs. Who gets the upper hand and who doesn't, depends on time and place in the cat community. So are cats loners? Not necessarily. Wild cats often form loose groups, the European wildcat often even raises it is young together. The life of domestic cats is also different from that of a wild cat. Cats are active animals that want to be challenged. You are extremely adaptable and can quickly adapt to and master new situations. Life with humans, on the other hand, is often monotonous and boring, especially for indoor cats … Here, many domestic cats appreciate an animal roommate!