If you’re looking at welcoming a Shih Tzu into your earth but previously have a cat, you are no doubt pondering how the two would get along. Shih Tzus can absolutely get along with or at minimum tolerate cats, especially if they’re released to them from an early age, but each dog and cat is unique, so it’s tough to predict just how well they’ll get along or how long it will get to get them applied to each other.
In this article, we’ll share some suggestions on introducing your new Shih Tzu to your cat to assist issues go as smoothly as probable.
Do Shih Tzus Get Alongside with Cats?
In some cases, of course, and in many others, no. The truth is that there are in no way any guarantees as to how effectively two personalities will “gel”, as each and every animal is distinctive. Shih Tzus are well-recognised for their placid temperaments and for obtaining together extremely perfectly with little ones and other canines in standard, so these traits may possibly assist them relieve into existence with a cat, but each individual pet reacts in a different way to cats and vice versa.
Your ideal prospect at building sure your Shih Tzu and cat get together or are equipped to tolerate 1 a further is to introduce them little by little and in a method that is as relaxed and stress-free as probable.
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Best 3 Strategies to Introduce a Shih Tzu to a Cat
When you convey your Shih Tzu dwelling for the 1st time, the very last factor you are going to want to do is thrust them in entrance of your cat like an unwelcome early Christmas gift—they will not thank you for it. Alternatively, you’ll will need to choose some time to prepare the environment so each animals have as a great deal of a tension-free encounter as achievable. In this article are some fundamental ways as a guideline.
1. Prepare Different Areas
In advance of you bring your Shih Tzu house, set up independent rooms—one for your cat and one particular for your Shih Tzu—containing everything they have to have like foodstuff, h2o bowls, beds, and litter. These areas will act as retreats though each individual receives employed to the other’s scent.
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2. Let Your Shih Tzu Explore
When your Shih Tzu will come household, make sure your cat is in their “happy place” and cannot be bothered by the Shih Tzu. Allow your Shih Tzu to check out your household a minimal, then location them in their individual area. When your cat is all set to occur out, enable them discover and sniff all around so they can get utilised to the new dog’s scent. Go on letting every consider turns exploring with no looking at 1 one more for the next couple times.
3. Steadily Introduce Your Shih Tzu
When it is time to introduce your Shih Tzu and cat experience to experience, it would be ideal if your Shih Tzu could be in their crate for the preliminary introductions. If they’re not crate-qualified, place them on a leash and harness for far better manage and continue to keep them at a distance.
Introduce the two in an open up location in which the cat won’t truly feel trapped. Make guaranteed your cat has an “escape route” like a cat tree, shelf, or stairs if they feel concerned. Give equally animals loads of fuss and/or treats to assist them feel protected when investing time jointly and always reward them when they are relaxed. You may well want to get somebody in to assist you with these introductions—one to look at the pet, and a single to enjoy the cat.
These preliminary introductions ought to be kept short at initial to stay away from frustrating either your Shih Tzu or your cat. You can do this a number of periods each working day and when they seem to be a lot more relaxed with 1 a further, you can try using your Shih Tzu’s leash off or eliminating them from their crate. Normally be about to supervise both of those on-leash and off-leash encounters.
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How Extensive Will It Consider for My Shih Tzu and Cat to Be Pals?
This actually relies upon on the person Shih Tzu and cat. If you pair a tremendous laid-back, pleasant cat with a Shih Tzu of a related personality, they may well begin getting along in just a several days or quick months. In some circumstances, nevertheless, it could acquire months ahead of a canine and a cat will study to dwell with each other.
Some may possibly hardly ever be close friends but could be ready to tolerate each other. If this is the situation, they’ll merely disregard 1 another’s existence. This is correctly fine—as extended as neither is performing aggressively toward a single a different, it is a acquire. You can make matters a lot easier for your cat and your Shih Tzu by producing confident they each and every have their personal own places to retreat to although they get used to each other.
Ultimate Thoughts
So, Shih Tzus are extremely able of obtaining together with cats, but there will normally be an introductory system that new housemates have to go through—a process that can be quite stress filled for some cats and canines, in particular the resident cat or pet.
Choose factors bit by bit and stay away from forcing your Shih Tzu and cat to interact if they never want to. Provide a lot of constructive reinforcement and be consistent and encouraging and, with time, your Shih Tzu and cat will both be acquiring on like a dwelling on hearth or at least grudgingly tolerating each and every other! If you have any issues introducing your Shih Tzu to your cat, a skilled behaviorist can assistance.
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