Are French Bulldogs Good With Cats?

The popular belief is that Cat and Dog don't get along. However, that may not entirely be true with French Bulldog, if you learn the effective way to introduce both pets in your home. In this article, therefore, we are going to teach you the best ways to introduce your French Bulldog to your Cat. Yet, it is important for us to point out from the word go that all dogs and cats are different, so what worked for me may not exactly work for you, but ideally, there are no natural reasons why your Frenchie cannot get along with your Cat.

The misconception that Dogs don't cat along with Cats is the genesis of the phrase, "fighting like cats and dogs", which means that two people frequently have violent arguments or fight each other. Admittedly, such misconception does not lack a basis because in the nature of dogs generally to hunt or chase animals smaller than them. They are said to have inherited this trait from their wolf ancestors, even though dogs have been domesticated for over 12,000 years ago, they still show this natural instinct. Unfortunately, Cats also share similar traits, so you can imagine why it is not as easy to find Cats and Dogs as friends.

So, if I knew this, why do I still say that believing that Dogs are not good with cats is a misconception? Well, I still say so because it is not entirely true. It is not entirely true that because they are not natural friends means that you cannot make them become friends. You can! In fact, it is the same situation with every other animal; chicken, goat, horse, monkey, you name, they naturally won't share a territory amicably.

Why Dog's Don't Naturally Get Along With Cats?

One of the major reasons why Dogs don't naturally get along with Cats is because they seldom understand each other, and this is because of their language differences. As we all know, while humans can talk to express themselves, dogs can't talk, rather, they communicate through body language. Body language is also the Cat's only method of communication, but the way cats and dogs interpret body language is different, hence, they often confuse and misunderstand each other, which lead to quarreling, fights or enmity.

For example, the Raising of the Paw. When a Cat raises its paw, it's usually in preparation for a fight or attack, but a dog may raise its paw, signaling it wants to play. Unfortunately, the cat can catch this as a sign of aggression and attack the dog. Another example is Rubbing Up Against People or other pets. When a Cat rubs up against a person or the dog, it shows a friendly gesture, but a Dog may interpret this as a threat.

Therefore, if you are going to have both Dogs and cats as pets, make sure you always supervise them at the early stages of their lives. If not, one may injure or even kill the other.

Things to Do Before Your Frenchie Meets Your Cat

If you already had a Frenchie before getting a Cat, before they, you may have to remind your Frenchie some of the obedience training you gave him earlier in his life. You need to go over it again, to ensure that the lessons are fresh in his memory so that he will be very responsive to instructions, and behave in a particular way when you want him to avoid the risk of injury. 

Furthermore, picking a proper location for your Frenchie and your Cat to meet for the first time is very important. Find a calm and controlled environment for the meeting where there are no other animals but your Dog and your cat, like your home, or a friend's house, who owns a dog-friendly cat.

The First Meeting

Your Frenchie meeting your Cat for the first time should be brief, say about 10 minutes. Keep your dog on a leash and let the cat approach when it feels comfortable doing so.

Going Forward

As they get along, you can slowly increase the amount of time they spend with each other. But at any time you notice any sign of aggression from either of them, discontinue the meeting. 

More Tips on How to Introduce Your French Bulldog to Your Cat

1. Use a crate or barrier to keep them separate at first
2. Remove the barrier but supervise contact
3. Praise/reward both pets for good behavior
4. Don't make your French Bulldog or Cat feel left out or threatened by the other's presence.
5. Watch out for problems and warning signals
6. Keep their belongings in each other's space so that they can get used to each other's scent.
7. Keep their foods and eating areas separated
8. Get them something to commonly play with.
9. Take them both on a walk, but make sure your Frenchie is always on a leash.
10. Don't be disturbed if they don't get along with each other for the first time, even humans take a while to be friends.

From the above, it is clear that French Bulldogs are good with Cats, you just need to know how to introduce them to each other, and help them get along.