Pets are very good companions for human beings. They are playful, obedient, intelligent, protective, and loveable. Among brilliant pets are huskies.
A husky is a dog breed that originates from the Polar Regions. It’s among the fastest dog breed on the planet. (that’s why they are sledding dogs in the pool) with amazing stamina and energy.
Apart from that, they are very attractive dogs. It is fluffy, bright-colored, adorable with blue irresistible eyes. However, a husky has a tendency to exhibit aggressive behavior especially on small animals
What if you decide to own both a husky and a cat as pets, will they get along?
Huskies aren’t good with cats due to their aggressive prey drive, but if they’re properly socialized, and supervised they can be ok. There are a lot of Huskies who do really well with cats, but again, you must make sure they have been socialized and trained properly.
How to train a husky to live with a cat as a pet
Huskies are very hard animals to train. However, if trained they can get along with cats just fine. Below are some of the methods used to train them to get along with cats:
1. Get them when they are both young
Young animals sire better to their owners than older ones. This is due to the fact, they aren’t exposed to the environment and thus have a lot of learning capabilities.
Furthermore, young animals view owners as their parents more than owners. Thus, getting huskies and cats while they’re small, will make it easier to train them to live together and get along than getting them when they are adults.
2. Give them equal attention
I know it’s hard to do that with a cat alongside but it’s better you pay less attention to a cat than a huskie. This is because a huskie is an energetic dog full of stamina, thus it needs a lot of playtime.
Also, huskies get jealous especially when you pay attention to other animals than them. This might trigger its predatorily drive on the cat by viewing it as an enemy. Therefore, it’s best you give a huskie equal attention as you give a cat for both of them to get along.
3. Always, make sure you feed your husky
Remember a husky has a very high predatorily drive and hence it can view a cat as prey.
Thus, it’s best you keep the huskie well fed every day to avoid it from eating the cat due to hunger.
4. Separate them at first
It’s difficult for a huskie to view a cat as a friendly pet at the beginning. Thus, it’s best you separate them at the beginning. Things to take account in their separation include:
- Living areas – They should separate living areas and if possible, build your huskie a doghouse.
- Escape routes – This is meant for the cats in case they have dangerous run-ins with the huskies.
In case they live in one living room, you can create barriers such as walls or doors in which a husky can’t get through them. Always monitor them so as you may learn their new development and changes.
5. Always exercise your husky
As we said earlier, huskies are real active dogs full of stamina. Now, exercising them will not only release their bubbled up energy but also reduce their predatorily drive down making them less dangerous.
Therefore, it is important that you exercise your husky frequently for the safety of your cat.
6. Distract your husky
Things like toys, food, games, and playtime can distract a husky. So, it’s best to have them around to shift your husky’s focus on the cat. Thus, this will make them get along.
7. Leash your husky at the beginning
A leashed pet is easily controlled. Thus, it’s best you leash your husky at the beginning in order to tame it from going after your cat.
How long does it take for a cat and a husky to get along?
It’s very hard to determine how long can a cat get along with a husky. It can take days, weeks, or even months. Both are different creatures with different behaviors and temperaments.
In addition to that, each pet has its unique character in which directly affects its relationship with other pets.
What are the benefits of owning both a cat and a husky?
Pest control
Owning a cat and husky will likely relieve you of the cost of hiring an exterminator for your home. To cats and huskies, pests like mice and cockroaches are prey. Thus, having them as pets saves you money for pest control.
Improved characters towards other pets
When a husky gets used to a cat, it develops a temperament that changes its predatory nature. Thus, when it encounters other small similar pets it exhibits a more friendly nature rather than its hostile nature.
Thus, its relationship with the cat changes its predatory instincts towards friendly small pets
Guardians
A husky and a cat are natural guardians. Having them around will not only protect you against dangers such as house break-ins and theft but also dangerous animals.
Both cats and huskies have high senses. Thus, they can detect if an intruder or a danger approaches the vicinity of your household and alert you through hissing, howling, and growling.
In addition to that, they can even use predator capabilities such as biting, crawling to attack intruders.
Conclusion
Having a husky and a cat living in the same environment is risky. So it’s best you observe the above tips to ensure the safety of your cat pet.
