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ToggleIf you own a Frenchie and you’re planning to bring a cat into a family, then you certainly want to know do French bulldogs and cats make good friendships. Although French bulldogs are known as dogs with friendly personalities, it’s important to note that all dogs and cats are different. The safest way is to perform the introduction slowly and not to rush your pets into making a friendship.
How to properly introduce French bulldogs and cats?
The introduction of your Frenchie and a cat can go smoothly if the introduction is done properly. The best time to bring a new family member into the family is when the resident pet is young. If this is impossible, then you have to be sure that your dog (or a cat) is properly socialized. French bulldogs enjoy having an interaction with other dogs and cats, but it can also depend on their personalities. In other words, if your pooch got used to spending time with other animals from his/her young age, then it’s to be expected that he/she will easier accept a new feline friend.
Since Frenchies love to be the center of attention, they can behave very jealously if we neglect them. The things can even get pretty serious and lead to depression in your French bulldog.
What are the main steps to keep in mind when introducing French bulldogs and cats?
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Separate them in the first few days
To avoid any unplanned situations and aggressive reactions in both of the pets, we recommend you keep both of them in separate crates. You can even choose separate rooms and allow your Frenchie to sniff the area where the cat was. Don’t forget to keep the dog on the leash and slowly approach the cat’s crate to let him ‘introduce’ to her/his scent.
Reward both of them with treats and praise words if they didn’t show aggression. The first meeting should be brief and shouldn’t last for more than 10 minutes. You can prolong the meeting sessions until your dog and the cat become completely relaxed when they meet face to face.
Like with any other training lesson, this one can’t also go without tasty snacks. Snacks represent the best motivational tools for our pets and help them create a positive association with the activity.
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Supervise their interaction and remove barriers
In case your Frenchie started to ignore the cat and behaves friendly in the cat’s vicinity when you perform the session of introducing, then you can slowly go to the second step. French bulldogs and cats can make wonderful friendships if you interact safely. Note that also cats can behave aggressively and are very territorial. Therefore, if inconvenience occurs, you have to take a step back and start the process from the beginning.
Try reintroducing the animals and monitor both your cat’s and your French bulldog’s behavior. If the cat still seems anxious or aggressive, then talk to your vet about using medication to relieve her/his anxiety during this period. Arm yourself with a lot of understanding and energy, because our pets are social beings whose feelings can be easily hurt.