Since Siberian huskies are very sociable and adorable, some pet owners wonder, do huskies get along with cats? Maybe you already have a husky and are trying to get a cat now, or vice versa.
Will they be getting along nicely? Or will there be chaos? How much do you need to reconcile between them?
This article will try to answer the questions above and a few others. So read on to know more about the desirable friendship between a husky and a cat.
Do Huskies Get Along with Cats?
Huskies are accustomed to run in the wild and merciless snowy tracks in northwest America. If you aren’t familiar with huskies but willing to get one with a kitten already in your house, contact the husky breeders in Florida, Ohio, Alaska, and the places where they’re naturally found.
Huskies may not be as tough and wild as wolves, but they’re resilient enough to fight harsh nature. Unfortunately, this makes it a little harder for them to mingle with soft and tender kittens (except their mischievous traits). So, technically, huskies getting along with cats is questionable.
Raising huskies with other dog breeds when they’re small is absolutely fine. But when it comes to sleeping, eating, and playing with cats, things might be a bit tricky.
Nonetheless, have hopes since you may apply some methods to make your husky and kitten become fast friends. Let’s get your hands on ten tips to get your husky to befriend your cat.
1. Gradually Ease Your Husky
It will be wise if you bring a baby husky home. It will be a lot harder for an adult husky to get along with cats. A small husky will take some time to be comfortable around kittens, but eventually, it will learn to survive with them.
Your little kittens will also likely be scared of a grown-up husky. It’s all instincts, after all. However, from the beginning, you can monitor the bonding or hostility between your kittens and a husky pup. Whether they’re acting weird among themselves or befriending each other, you can control the whole situation. However, don’t let them sleep, eat, and play at close distances all the time since this may make them irritated about each other’s presence.
2. Train Your Husky to Adjust
A husky won’t mind playing around in your house. But remember, their playing habits aren’t the same as those of kittens or small dogs. Huskies are sturdier and more tolerant to harsh atmospheres. They’re naturally built and trained to pull sleds through the rough and icy tracks, fighting against dangerous animals like bears, wolves, etc. So, typically, a husky will genetically show the same instinctive behavior when encountering a very smaller version of a tiger in the house. As a result, they can feel hostile toward your little four-footed fur balls, scaring them away and making a mess out of it. On the other hand, even if your husky is playful, make sure its brute force can’t hurt your tender kittens. Hence, it’s essential to train them to play carefully with their new little friends while having fun and recreation at the same time.
3. Pay Attention to Them Equally
Although cats and dogs differently show their longing to their masters, eventually, they both do. Your cat will long for your attention even if it doesn’t show it. Conversely, your dog will always jump and hop around to get your pats and kisses. However, as a loving owner, you must pay attention to both your cats and huskies, even if they’re not in equal portions. You know your pets better, so balance those cuddling and playing times among them as per your judgment. Don’t let your pets become jealous of each other or feel territorial threats by depriving them of their desired time spent with you.
4. Introduce a Reward System
Rewarding your husky with a treat when it’s being friendly with your cat is a nice way to encourage their friendship. Treating will keep your husky pup motivated to maintain the bonding with the cat. Also, you must reward your husky even when it’s ignoring the cat without any fuss or fight. But remember, your cat deserves some treats too. It should work both ways. If your cat is happy to spend time with your husky pup, let it have some of its favorite treats too.
5. Do Huskies Get Along With Cats Alone?
Never let your cat and husky be alone for a long time. Yes, they need to get along well; however, it’s not always wise to let them be on their own unsupervised.
If you don’t want your whole house to collapse, be there when they interact. Play with them both, so they feel connected and loved to their master. Let them sniff and groom each other until things get out of hand.
6. Feed Them Separately
Feeding your cat and husky together may sound like a good idea, but it’s not. Animals have a possessiveness about their food, whether they’ve foraged it or been given it by their owners. So, even if your cat and husky have different types of food, you can’t guarantee that they won’t be snarling at each other and emanating aggression.
Hence, feed your cat first if it’s the senior pet in your house, and then feed the husky. You may flip the feeding order if the husky is the first one to enter your house. Once one of them is fed and content, it’s doubtful that it would create any trouble for the other.
7. Cats Need Protective Gears
Yes, they do. Your cats may be the kings or queens of the house, but they must save their back once run after by the husky. That’s why making your cats some higher platforms to jump on when they’re on the run is essential. Higher places are also very favorite of the cats as they love to slouch there for the whole day doing nothing. You may use wood and foam to make wall mounts for your kitties. They might even use it as a watchtower to watch over your husky and what it’s lurking around for.
But sometimes, your cat might angrily chase the husky away, making it run through the main gate. To avoid unexpected accidents, protect your husky with the best wireless dog fence for large dogs.
8. Understand Their Nature
As we’ve shared earlier, cats and dogs have different associating nature. Sometimes, you’ll see some common cat sleeping positions like curling, loafing, belly up, etc., along with some weird sitting or slouching in your kitten. It may also stretch and press against your belongings like a laptop, backpack, table, or feet. These are all signs of trust and attachment from your cat. But your husky will mostly jump on its feet, circle around, raise its front legs on your chest, restlessly put its tongue out, and so on to show how happy it is to see you. However, they won’t possibly maintain the same gestures when interacting with each other unless and until they get along nicely. So, be patient in nurturing a friendship between your lovable kitten and the notorious husky.
9. Create Useful Distraction
Distracting your husky or cat from one another is necessary in some instances. It’s essential if they aren’t getting along nicely. You can keep some entertaining toys for your husky to distract it when your cat is around. Otherwise, make it happy with some mouthwatering treats, so it keeps itself busy munching without disturbing or lunging at the kitten. The same can be true with an aggressive cat who’s always combative toward your husky.
10. Shower Them with Love
There’s nothing love can’t do. It mends wounds and builds new bonds. The same should apply to your effort in making your new husky befriend your cat. Always meet your adorable cat and dog duo with broad smiles and cheerfulness. Don’t scold them; even if you do it sometimes, patch up with them as soon as possible. Take them on brisk walks by the lake or into the countryside (of course, on leashes). Bring them toys and feed them regularly. Have fun bathing them. Let them feel secure in your love and affection. Remember, mentally cheerful pet animals live longer and learn to survive with other species faster.
So..Do Huskies Get Along with Cats?
It’s all about how sensibly you can abridge the distance between your dog and cat. If your husky is too curious to know your cat closely, let it go near it with utmost carefulness.
But be very careful of your cat’s response to the approach. If you sense that your cat is bothered and it’s hissing and growling, take your husky away and try the bonding later.
Similarly, you must be smart in every step you take to make your pets act like siblings. Nonetheless, you may also contact a reliable pet consultant if things sometimes go past the limits.
