If you’re someone who can’t choose between dogs and cats, you might be considering adopting both into your home. If you have a Cane Corso, you might hesitate given that these dogs are so big. But are Cane Corsos good with cats?
Having Cane Corsos and cats in the home can be tricky to navigate, but it’s not impossible. While your Cane Corso might be tempted to look at the cat as prey, they can come around so long as you socialize them properly. If they see that you regard your cat as part of the family, your Cane Corso can learn to as well.
When your Cane Corso sees the cat as family, they will want to protect them and keep them safe. That all said, training and supervision are paramount to keep a happy and peaceful home with multiple animals.
Are Cane Corsos Good With Cats?
It’s not always recommended that Cane Corsos live with cats, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be worked out. You will have to make a solid effort to teach your Cane Corso who is and isn’t a threat, and who is and isn’t prey. You want to help your Cane Corso resist the urge to hunt your cat.
It’s also recommended that you wait to have a Cane Corso” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>Cane Corso and a cat meet each other until you have your Cane Corso trained well, and you know that they trust you and they’ll listen to you. This should help you keep your Cane Corso calm should they have a reaction when they first see the cat.
Do Cats Like Cane Corsos?
It’s important to know the background of the cat you’ve adopted to see if they like dogs. If they’re known not to get along with dogs, it might not be a good match. Cats aren’t often afraid of much, and they aren’t always scared of pestering a big dog if the dog is bothering them.
The last thing you want is these two animals to fight as it won’t be a fair fight. In a perfect scenario, you would be introducing a Cane Corso to a cat when both are still young.
Cane Corsos are much easier to handle when it comes to training as young pups. It wouldn’t be impossible to train an older Cane Corso to be around a cat, but it could take more time and physical ability to keep them tame.
Do Cane Corsos Dislike Cats?
Cane Corsos can actually get along with a lot of animals and people. The issue is that they are born with a strong drive to hunt prey since they were bred to hunt and protect land among other things. They are tough dogs that aren’t afraid of anyone or anything.
Cats are not perceived as threats to most Cane Corsos. Cane Corsos used to take down bears and lions in their day. If your cat antagonizes them, they might want to attack or lash out. That said, it’s unlikely that they will, as Cane Corsos that are trained and socialized will not attack unless true danger is present.
Your Cane Corsos desire to protect its family will include the cat once the two get acclimated to each other. When they observe how you interact with the cat they’ll pick up on those cues and are likely to follow suit. There will still be some training involved just to ensure that each animal knows that the other is family.
Prepare To Introduce Cane Corsos And Cats
Introducing Cane Corsos to cats has to be done very slowly. It would be helpful for you to have someone assist you with training so that one person can be in charge of each animal. At first, it’s best to establish a home base for both animals, so they each have somewhere to go when they need to be separated.
Each animal should have their own separate spaces that they can go to when they’ve had enough or need some rest. A tall cat tree with a covered area towards the top that your cat can hide in is ideal. If it’s open near the top, your Cane Corso may be able to jump high enough to get at your cat.
Each animal should be kept on a leash so that it’s easy to keep them controlled. You want to avoid letting your cat run away so that your Cane Corso doesn’t chase it. If needed, someone can pick the cat up and bring them to another area, while the other person keeps the Cane Corso in their place.
You should also make sure that both animals have had a chance to become accustomed to their new home. They should both have already established a bond with you and your family members as well. Each animal should get an equal amount of affection when they are in separate rooms so neither feels neglected.
How To Introduce Cane Corsos To Cats
Let both animals get a good look at each other when on leashes. Let them decide if they want to sniff each other. When one animal gets overwhelmed, separate them. There’s no predicting how long it’ll take to get them used to each other, so you should be prepared to be extremely patient. Reward each animal with treats and praise when they are nice to the other.
Bring them together for small pockets of time, then separate them, especially when you go to bed. Don’t forget to give them both attention when they are separated. Slowly increase the amount of time you let them be together, keeping them on leashes for as long as needed. You have to work at their paces.
Cats and Cane Corsos should always be supervised until they have established a solid relationship with each other. Once you’ve gone through all the steps of socializing them with each other, you can see how they interact off-leash in the same room with you.
Don’t be surprised if it takes a few weeks or even months for each animal to let their guard down with each other and become accustomed to the other’s company. For some animals, integration is quick, and for others, it takes a lot of time. There’s no way of knowing until you try; just be prepared for anything.
Tips To Successfully Integrate Cane Corsos And Cats
It can be a stressful experience introducing two animals to each other. However, it’s absolutely crucial that you try and remain as calm and patient as possible during the process. If either animal senses your stress, they may become stressed themselves, making it very difficult to train them to get along.
As you build your own relationship with each animal, you’ll get a better indication for each animal’s temperament. You’ll know if they are gentle, independent, curious, or playful, for example. Since you’ll likely have one animal before the other, you’ll get to know whether or not trying to bring the other home is a good idea.
Each animal should have also undergone their own training. They should understand commands that will help in integration. They should know to sit, to stay, and to stop doing certain behaviors. Each animal should also be up to date on vaccinations and in good health before they meet, as an unhealthy animal may not be interested in meeting another animal.
Training is also not always a linear process. Sometimes, you may have to go back a few steps if your Cane Corso and cat have a bad experience with each other. Don’t be discouraged and don’t give up on the process.
Can Cane Corsos And Cats Bond?
Animals always find a way to surprise us when it comes to developing close bonds and relationships with other animals. Even though cats and dogs are said to be enemies, they can often learn to love each other, even if they don’t become best friends.
It’s not unheard of to see a Cane Corso and a cat become affectionate towards each other. Animals who are in an environment filled with love, positivity, and affection are more likely to act the same way with others.
Even though Cane Corsos are known to be superior guard dogs and protectors, they actually pick up socialization training much easier than similar dogs. Cane Corsos are also relatively calm, especially as they come out of puppyhood. This will be much easier for your cat to tolerate than an energetic, hyper dog.
Final Thoughts
Even though Cane Corsos are big dogs who used to be hunters, are Cane Corsos good with cats? They absolutely can be, but it takes time and patience on your part to make sure they are. Cane Corsos shouldn’t be underestimated in terms of how loving and kind they can be towards others when they are socialized well.
Cats and dogs can surprise everyone with just how well they can get along. Some may only tolerate each other, while others become best friends and do everything together. As long as you give your Cane Corso a fair chance, they can become very good with your cats.