Cats and Dogs: Is It Raining Or What?by Marjorie Dorfman | More from this Blogger 24 Jun 2006 08:16 AM
Watch out for a few things, remembering all the while to look before you leap and that he who hesitates is lost. I have been told that food could be a problem; that is, feeding time. I have one friend who tells me the cat is only fed when the dog is distracted with its own food. A kitchen counter separates them and the cat eats above; the dog below. This is because a dog will usually eat anything that doesn't resist while a cat is more selective, preferring "grade A mouse and bird" over most standardized pet foods and owners. If you have two very affectionate animals, you may be forced to quit your day job so that you can spend "quality time" with both. (Either that or your pets may have to.) Don't let this bother you. Spend the extra time in learning how to lick back. In the long run, it will save you much time and energy, although your neighbors may begin to wonder about you. Enjoy your two very different creatures and respect their differences. A dog cannot use a litter-box and your cat will probably not opt for a leg even in an emergency. They both have their pros and cons. Whatever you do, don't become another Marie Barone ("Everybody Loves Raymond") by showing preference of one pet over the other. If you do, you might find yourself in constant need of new chairs, newspapers, shoes, drapes and possibly even children and other relatives over the course of a few years. Do YOU own a dog and a cat? Please share. Related Articles: "How Smart Is Your Cat?" http://pets.families.com/blog/how-smart-is-your-cat Learn more about Marjorie Dorfman  Marjorie Dorfman is a freelance writer and former teacher originally from Brooklyn, New York. Relevantpets tags User Comments No comments on this article yet. Be the first to comment! Community Tags animal behavior, animals, cat behavior, dog behavior, pets Discuss this article
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Can cats and dogs get along with each other or is that just a myth that belongs on the books with old wives, leprechauns and Santa Claus? All evidence (non scientific, of course), points to the fact that not only can cats and dogs co-exist happily but that more often than not, they do. Some pet owners claim that if both animals are young when introduced to each other, fewer problems with interaction occur. Others state doggedly (forgive pun) that for optimum results, the dog should be brought into the household before the cat. Still other sources scream vice versa. So who and how is one to know what to do? The answer, my friends, is not blowing in the wind or anywhere else for that matter. It lies within the confines our own backyards, buried somewhere between the green grass, trees and our own sense of common (archaic; Old English?) and good judgement. 
