Why do dogs and cats quarrel?

Answer 1

Cats and dogs don't inherently dislike each other. However they have different communication methods and can misinterpret each other's body language.

Example:

A dog wagging a tail is normally indicating friendship, or enthusiasm of some kind.

A cat wagging a tail indicates annoyance and immediately desist whatever you are doing.

A dog bows and puts its butt up in the air as a signal to play.

A cat raises its back to threaten, and also raises its hindquarters, tail erect, to invite friendly contact.

Breed and temperment come into the equation as well. Dogs that have a high "prey instinct" will chase any smaller animal that runs. A calm self assured cat can get along with a breed that would not get along with a nervous cat prone to flight.

Dogs and Cats that are raised together from a young age, learn to read each other's signals and to bond as one pack/glaring/family. The same dog may chase a cat it does not know.

Cats are normally a more solitary animal. Cats are curious and like to snoop but don't like being snooped on. Cats are particular about who they allow to come close to them.

Cats and dogs have a need to get acquainted which includes smelling the front and rear parts of everyone they meet, to determine where they have been, what they have eaten, and their state of health. Both animals, when they want to get to know another creature, including humans, will first sniff the breath and the scent-glands around the head area and then check out the other end. A cat will offer its rear end, expecting its friend to have a good sniff; a dog generally waits for other animals to take the initiative when it comes to bum-sniffing.

These opposing behaviors can conflict in terms of getting along and may cause humans to believe "They just don't like each other", but myriad examples exist of cats and dogs grooming each other, sleeping together and sharing food and play. These animals do "like" each other, it is very individual.

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It's pretty simple: you might equally ask why cats and mice don't like each other. A dog - like a cat - is a predator. To a dog, a cat it doesn't actually consider family is potential prey, and if it's running away, it's definitely prey.

The dog doesn't chase the cat because he doesn't like it, he chases it because he wants to kill and eat it; this is what dogs are programmed to do with fleeing animals.

Cats run away from dogs rather than attack them because dogs usually have greater strength and always have far more powerful jaws. For the same reasons, mice run away from cats.

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Actually, some cats and dogs do like each other. Both my cat and my dog are good friends.

Some cats and dogs don't like each other because they have either had problems with them in the past or they just don't want to get along.

The fact is, dogs see cats as prey and cats see dogs as predators. It's not that they don't like each other. It's instinct.

While it is true that some dogs will make friends with cats, it's not always the case, or considered the norm. In fact, dogs have been known to make friends will all kids or other animals. Cats have been known to do the same thing.

And just because your dog or cat has a friendly disposition toward other animals, doesn't necessarily mean that the other animal does too.

alot of times you see dogs and cats dont like each other in movies

my opinion it is because of their personalities

my dog had another owner before me and they had a cat and it was her best friend the owner was my moms friend sooo we go over alot we ALWAYS bring my dog and the cat NEVER remembers her she just sits in a corner and growls

while my dog lays heartbrocken
Cats and dogs do not like each other because of their past histories. Long ago wolves and cats fought each other for territories. Wolves then evolved into the dog and these big cats evolved into the average house cat. These animals have had a long rivalry. Their inner instingnts tell them that each other are no good.

Well, it's not that they don't like each other, it's that they'd rather not be with each other. One way to get them to be friends is that they will have to meet when they are younger.

Zombiesdie3: This I would like to counter by saying that my cats and dogs love each other. My cats curl up with them and even lick them. The dogs do the same and lick them back. A cat rubs up against something to say it wants it to be a part of its family. My cats do this to my dogs all the time. They even play with each other alot and I mean ALOT.
There is no reason why cats and dogs wouldn't like each other. There are many examples of households where cats and dogs not only coexist but even love each other. All animals will have an adjustment period when first introduced.
some dogs actually like cats, but some chase them

if cats provoke dogs or run/ yowl near them, that send the dog into chasing mode.

if a dog had a bad experience with a cat, it might remember that and, you know.

hope this helps.

~

cats are normally SHY, or 'scaredy cats'.

they do NOT like abrupt loud noises from 'something' they do not already know.

dogs create 'abrupt loud noises' aka BARK. they are also bigger than cats.

if a larger animal (aka dog) approaches a strange cat, the cat will cower & consider running away (may also make self appear huge, spit growl howl) - ALL things that make larger dog want to get closer or BARK

which causes the spiral of 'cats don't like dogs'
Dogs and cats DON'T actually hate each-other. It is only rumors, or in Cartoons they do.
It's just the cat that hates the dog. The dog just wants to play with the cat, but the cat is feeling like it's getting annoyed by the dog, so the two animals get in a fight.
Dogs are natural predators of cats. Also, today's domesticated dogs, although friendly, can be overwhelming to a cat. Cats don't like sudden movements, loud noises or anything larger than them. A dog's friendly overtures to a cat might seem like an "attack" to the cat. From the dog's point, they like to chase things. A cat runs, the dog is going to chase it. Some dogs still have the instict to "hunt" anything smaller than it. A family dog may not think twice about the family cat, but if the dog is out and about and sees a cat run from it, the dog will chase it down-prey

Answer 2

Cats and dogs do not hate each other. It is just that some dogs want to play with the other smaller cat, and I guess the dog does not know it's real strength. Or you could say the dog was being too playful.

Maggie
They don't hate cats. Some cats and dogs just don't get along, just like people.

In most cases, dogs and cats become friends once they have lived together for a while.

Answer 3

Cats and dogs don't inherently dislike each other. However they have different communication methods and can misinterpret each other's body language.

Example:

A dog wagging a tail is normally indicating friendship, or enthusiasm of some kind.

A cat wagging a tail indicates annoyance and immediately desist whatever you are doing.

A dog bows and puts its butt up in the air as a signal to play.

A cat raises its back to threaten, and also raises its hindquarters, tail erect, to invite friendly contact.

Breed and temperment come into the equation as well. Dogs that have a high "prey instinct" will chase any smaller animal that runs. A calm self assured cat can get along with a breed that would not get along with a nervous cat prone to flight.

Dogs and Cats that are raised together from a young age, learn to read each other's signals and to bond as one pack/glaring/family. The same dog may chase a cat it does not know.

Cats are normally a more solitary animal. Cats are curious and like to snoop but don't like being snooped on. Cats are particular about who they allow to come close to them.

Cats and dogs have a need to get acquainted which includes smelling the front and rear parts of everyone they meet, to determine where they have been, what they have eaten, and their state of health. Both animals, when they want to get to know another creature, including humans, will first sniff the breath and the scent-glands around the head area and then check out the other end. A cat will offer its rear end, expecting its friend to have a good sniff; a dog generally waits for other animals to take the initiative when it comes to bum-sniffing.

These opposing behaviors can conflict in terms of getting along and may cause humans to believe "They just don't like each other", but myriad examples exist of cats and dogs grooming each other, sleeping together and sharing food and play. These animals do "like" each other, it is very individual.

________________________________________________

It's pretty simple: you might equally ask why cats and mice don't like each other. A dog - like a cat - is a predator. To a dog, a cat it doesn't actually consider family is potential prey, and if it's running away, it's definitely prey.

The dog doesn't chase the cat because he doesn't like it, he chases it because he wants to kill and eat it; this is what dogs are programmed to do with fleeing animals.

Cats run away from dogs rather than attack them because dogs usually have greater strength and always have far more powerful jaws. For the same reasons, mice run away from cats.

________________________________________________
Actually, some cats and dogs do like each other. Both my cat and my dog are good friends.

Some cats and dogs don't like each other because they have either had problems with them in the past or they just don't want to get along.

The fact is, dogs see cats as prey and cats see dogs as predators. It's not that they don't like each other. It's instinct.

While it is true that some dogs will make friends with cats, it's not always the case, or considered the norm. In fact, dogs have been known to make friends will all kids or other animals. Cats have been known to do the same thing.

And just because your dog or cat has a friendly disposition toward other animals, doesn't necessarily mean that the other animal does too.

alot of times you see dogs and cats dont like each other in movies

my opinion it is because of their personalities

my dog had another owner before me and they had a cat and it was her best friend the owner was my moms friend sooo we go over alot we ALWAYS bring my dog and the cat NEVER remembers her she just sits in a corner and growls

while my dog lays heartbrocken
Cats and dogs do not like each other because of their past histories. Long ago wolves and cats fought each other for territories. Wolves then evolved into the dog and these big cats evolved into the average house cat. These animals have had a long rivalry. Their inner instingnts tell them that each other are no good.

Well, it's not that they don't like each other, it's that they'd rather not be with each other. One way to get them to be friends is that they will have to meet when they are younger.

Zombiesdie3: This I would like to counter by saying that my cats and dogs love each other. My cats curl up with them and even lick them. The dogs do the same and lick them back. A cat rubs up against something to say it wants it to be a part of its family. My cats do this to my dogs all the time. They even play with each other alot and I mean ALOT.
There is no reason why cats and dogs wouldn't like each other. There are many examples of households where cats and dogs not only coexist but even love each other. All animals will have an adjustment period when first introduced.
some dogs actually like cats, but some chase them

if cats provoke dogs or run/ yowl near them, that send the dog into chasing mode.

if a dog had a bad experience with a cat, it might remember that and, you know.

hope this helps.

~

cats are normally SHY, or 'scaredy cats'.

they do NOT like abrupt loud noises from 'something' they do not already know.

dogs create 'abrupt loud noises' aka BARK. they are also bigger than cats.

if a larger animal (aka dog) approaches a strange cat, the cat will cower & consider running away (may also make self appear huge, spit growl howl) - ALL things that make larger dog want to get closer or BARK

which causes the spiral of 'cats don't like dogs'
Dogs and cats DON'T actually hate each-other. It is only rumors, or in Cartoons they do.
It's just the cat that hates the dog. The dog just wants to play with the cat, but the cat is feeling like it's getting annoyed by the dog, so the two animals get in a fight.
Dogs are natural predators of cats. Also, today's domesticated dogs, although friendly, can be overwhelming to a cat. Cats don't like sudden movements, loud noises or anything larger than them. A dog's friendly overtures to a cat might seem like an "attack" to the cat. From the dog's point, they like to chase things. A cat runs, the dog is going to chase it. Some dogs still have the instict to "hunt" anything smaller than it. A family dog may not think twice about the family cat, but if the dog is out and about and sees a cat run from it, the dog will chase it down-prey

Answer 4

Cats and dogs are NOT natural enemies. Humans trained them not to like each other. Many responsible pet owners have dogs and cats who adore each other.

Answer 5

They quarrel because they are both dominate species. Since they both want to be in charge they fight amongst each other to see who will come out on top.