Beagles are known for being gentle and sweet-natured, but not all dogs can tolerate the presence of a cat. The reality is that some dogs simply don’t like cats. If your dog has never been around a cat before, it’s best to supervise closely during their first meeting to see if there is any aggression or hostility displayed by either animal.
Are beagles good with cats? Yes, beagles are good with cats! Beagles are loyal and can make excellent companions for your cat. They’re also very gentle dogs that don’t mind living in a house with other animals like cats or small rodents. In fact, they’ll usually follow the cat around the house without any problems at all. The best thing about beagle/cat relationships is their ability to get along!
Beagles are great family pets, with a gentle and loving nature that doesn’t generally include aggression toward other animals. Any dog is capable of biting or scratching if provoked, though, so you’ll still have to keep an eye on both animals at all times to make sure nothing happens. That being said dogs are usually more tolerant of cats than the other way around, so your chances of success look good!
Are beagles good with cats?
In general, adult beagles (and most dog breeds) are not interested in cats as prey and will avoid them. If a dog notices a cat, he may give attention to it, but that’s just because they think it’s another dog – there is no inherent interest in harming or killing a cat. However, if an aggressive territorial cat approaches a beagle and attacks it – the beagle will probably respond by defending himself with his teeth. This is something you should always prevent from happening- both from the other side by preventing your pet from bothering others and also protecting your pet from being bothered by someone else’s (undesirable) pet.
If you’re considering keeping a Beagle puppy (or any other breed for that matter) as a pet, consider its behavior and how it reacts to cats before bringing one into your home. While the average Beagle may never be aggressive towards a cat, they will try to play and chase them instead of running away – this is just instinct.
Beagle precious personality – Affectionate Breed
Beagles are one of the many breeds of dogs known as “sporting dogs” because they were originally bred to hunt game including rabbits and other rodents. Their high intelligence, excellent sense of smell, and willingness to please make them mellow characters that can adjust well into a family environment as long as they get lots of exercises.
Common Individual personality traits in beagle include being obedient, observant, adaptable, and good-natured with an interest in accompanying their owners while off-leash or have verbal commands issued by their owners when on leash. They are also called “Velcro” since they follow you around everywhere you go and will never leave your side even if there is apparently no need or want for human company.
Cats and Dogs Initial Introduction
Introducing a cat and a dog can be tricky, but it’s easier if you just think of the dog as an extremely large animal that likes to eat small fluffy animals. In other words, treat them both with equal respect until they get along.
The best way to do it is to place your family cat in one room and let the dog get used to its smell through a closed door. Once he’s calm enough, invite your adult cat into another room, while leaving the dog caged or tethered so he can’t rush after him. Give them time to sniff each other out, and always keep an eye on things because if either animal gets scared they may react aggressively. If all goes well once they’re together you can start letting them play with each other under supervision for several days before you let them free in the same space. Most importantly, remember that even though dogs will chase cats when playing it doesn’t mean they’ll hurt them.
The first thing to do is make sure the new dog and cat can become friends. They should be introduced at a neutral location with short, frequent encounters in which both animals are positively reinforced for their calm behavior of choice. Keep them apart again until the next encounter.
Keep this process going for 10-14 days with about 20-30 total interactions over that time period. If, during this initial introduction period, there was any growling or hissing from one or both animals, separate them again and hire a professional dog trainer who has experience resolving aggression issues in multi-pet households to help you bridge the warring territories via methods such as Feliway pheromone products.
- Introduce the animals in a neutral area, such as a room in your home or outdoors. You can leave them together for a five-minute session–and then put them back where they came from–and repeat two to three times. Start and end with that same neutral area.
- Gradually increase the time you leave them together, and start moving to places that are more “personal” (such as areas near food bowls or sleeping spots). If either animal is uncomfortable at any point, you can remove him without making it into a power struggle.
- It helps if you have your dog on a leash, and it’s best to avoid putting collars on the cat.
- After they get used to each other, you can play with them together for five-minute sessions several times a day, gradually increasing the amount of time they spend playing and grooming one another. Before long, they’ll be good pals.
- From then on, it’s a matter of balance and common sense, so read up on how to train both animals!
- And remember, some breeds are better than others when it comes to mixing with cats.
Cat’s Friends – breeds that might work
German Shepherd
German shepherd dogs (GSDs) are usually very kind toward cats; however, if they have been trained to dislike them, then the result is not so great. Therefore training must be done properly at an early age to ensure that the dog grows up loving his whiskered friend. In addition, you must make sure that your cat takes a liking to the dog as well.
Australian Shepherds
Australian Shepherds are excellent with cats because they typically have a high prey drive which means that they can often honk, or chase, and capture smaller animals. This high prey drive also means that Australian Shepherds tend to be protective of their family members, always ready to defend them against anything from a garden snake to your kitty on the counter.
Labrador Retriever
Labrador Retrievers love to play with other animals and are rarely aggressive. Cats are notorious for being finicky about who they like, but many Labradors have a natural affinity for felines and will let cats groom them or paw at their bellies. Also, Labs allow their feline friends to stalk them without incident, which invariably leads to much laughter from the human bystander! Win-win all around!
Golden Retriever
Many Golden Retrievers have been raised with cats and can be wonderful companions to them. However, it’s a good idea to avoid introductions before the 2-3 month age range because some cats may not appreciate the larger canine jumping up on them. Cats (and dogs) should be introduced when they’re old enough that they are developmentally ready to handle their own interactions. Ideally, this means in the 6+ month age range so there’s ample time for both animals to practice feline/canine behaviors prior to adolescence and maturity arriving and potentially causing dominance struggles.
Springer Spaniels
Spaniels are enthusiastic, but they aren’t always interested in cats. They have a habit of hunting birds so it’s better to keep them leashed or indoors when the kitty is on the scene out of fear that they may chase her and worry her into running away from home (or under a car).
Boston Terrier
Some people report success with neutered male Boston Terriers, but others have reported the opposite situation. Boston terriers can be very territorial and this might lead to aggressive behavior toward another animal if it’s been established as “theirs”. If your BT doesn’t get along well with other pets in the household, keep them separated by a barrier (or give them each their own special time).
Litter – the secret ground
Both cats and dogs will come near a litter box, but your cat’s need for cleanliness may discourage her from going into the box if she feels a dog has recently gone there. So it is in your cat’s best interest to provide them with their own box so your kitty doesn’t have to feel too grossed out by what dogs do just because they use an animal that also eats poop. But if you can’t provide a litter box for each animal, then please only have one animal enter/exit the area (i.e., skip the rotational habit of having one pet pee then another) so as to minimize bacterial and parasite transfer or contamination during elimination behaviors. And don’t forget to clean the litter tray.