If you live in a household with multiple pets,you may be wondering if your furry friends actually like one another or if they are tolerating each other just because they share a home.
Fortunately, there are some obvious signs and subtle indications that your animals are pals.
INSIDER spoke toKaty Nelson, an associate veterinarian at the BelleHaven Animal Medical Centre in Alexandria, Virginia, and the host and executive producer of "The Pet Show with Dr. Katy" on Washington DC's NewsChannel 8, to figure out how you can tell if your pets are getting along.
Your pets enjoy playing together
Nelson said this is one of the more obvious signs that your pets get along, but it's a very important one.
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"One of the telltale signs your pets get along is that they truly enjoy playing with each other," she told INSIDER. "For dogs, they do the 'play bow' where they have their butt and legs up in the air like, 'Hey, let's do this.'"
They like to snuggle up close to one another and fall asleep
Touching is a sign that animals not only get along well but also that they trust one another, said Nelson.
"If they are sleeping with each other and snuggled up together — really truly making contact with each other— then that's an obvious sign that there's true affection between the animals," Nelson explained. "They aren't going to trust another animal to fall asleep with them if they don't truly get along and have that established bond."
One pet doesn't want to leave the other one behind
Nelson said whenever she and her family leave her house, her dogs get excited but only want to tag along if both of them can make the trek. This, she explained, is a sign her dogs really get along.
"If I don't get both leashes, both of them look at me like, 'What's the deal? Why would you leave my brother behind?'" Nelson said. "That desire of wanting to venture out together and be out and about together, again, is just another sign of their bond and their affection for one another."
Read More: Signs your dog might be depressed, according to an expert
Your cats don't have any issues sharing a litter box
For cats, litter-box issues tend to come up when the cats really aren't bonded to one another, Nelson told INSIDER.
Generally, you should have one litter box per cat in your home, according to the Humane Society of America, and if your cats can share litter boxes comfortably, they may get along better than you think.
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"If there's squabbling in our out of the litter box or you have one that's stalking the other when he's in the littler box, that can definitely lead to some more significant behavioral issues," she told INSIDER. "More severe signs of them not getting along is the avoidance of the litter box or even urinating inappropriately because they don't want to go in the litter box because they are afraid of the other cat coming in or waiting for them outside."
Your pets know how to calm each other down
Sometimes the vet can be a scary place that causes your cat or dog anxiety. Nelson said that, as a veterinarian, she's seen some owners bring in both of their pets even though only one of them has an appointment, as the other helps provide moral support.
"One thing that we see as veterinarians that most people may not see [is the] almost codependence between animals when they come into the veterinarian hospital. They rely on each other as a source of comfort in times of anxiety," she explained. "It's really sweet because they do actually depend on each other. That sort of sign of interdependence and moral support that they give each other in times of anxiety is one we see more of in a vet hospital than you might at home. It certainly is a sign of an intense bond between pets."
A simple sign your cats get along is that they simply exist without fighting
Plain and simple: Cats aren't always as affectionate as dogs, Nelson said.
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"Coexisting for cats where they aren't squabbling and fighting is usually enough to know that your cats are getting along well," Nelson explained. "They may not show as much affection with each other, but the simple fact that they coexist — and maybe lay in the window and chatter at birds together — that's typically enough for them to say, 'We get along.'"
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Touching is a sign that animals not only get along well but also that they trust one another, said Nelson. "If they are sleeping with each other and snuggled up together — really truly making contact with each other — then that's an obvious sign that there's true affection between the animals," Nelson explained.
Dogs often get the zoomies when they're feeling exceptionally happy or excited. This could be after a meal, during playtime, or when they see their favorite human coming home. The sheer joy they're experiencing manifests as a sudden burst of energy. Sometimes, zoomies can be a way for dogs to alleviate nervous energy.
When they paw you after you stop petting them, it's their way of expressing their need for continued affection and companionship. So, next time your dog extends that paw, consider it an invitation to keep the love flowing.
If at any time the dog lunges toward, growls, snaps at or shows any aggression toward a calm, quiet, still cat, this match will probably not work out. The same holds true if a cat attacks a calm, quiet dog.
They appear bonded – show closeness and repeated/continued physical contact; comfort each other, sleep together, etc. They show signs of affection such as cleaning the ears, licking the face, etc. They refuse to leave their kennel without each other.
In addition to actual fights, aggressive behavior can include mounting, blocking, standing over another dog, posturing, staring, and vocalization. Dogs in the same household can become aggressive toward each other for a variety of different reasons.
Many people do not give two dogs time to adequately adjust to one another before deciding that having two dogs will simply not work. It can take up to one month for an old dog and new dog to really settle in and accept each other's position in the pack.
Happy tail syndrome is a condition where dogs cause damage to the tip of their tails from striking surfaces. Many times, this condition occurs when they are wagging their tail, which is why it's coined happy tail syndrome. This condition is anything but happy for dogs and pet parents.
A happy dog will have loose, open body language – an open mouth, a loosely wagging, elevated tail, relaxed eyes and ears. They might also break into a full body wiggle, or what the dog trainer and behaviorist Dominik Feichtner calls “the zoomies”.
Dogs are pack animals and they use physical contact to communicate with other members of their pack. By resting their heads on you, they are showing you that they trust and love you. Another reason why dogs put their head on you is that they are seeking comfort.
Eye contact is like gold for dogs, just like for us humans it's vital in their world. It builds connection and is a way of communicating. Dogs can stare at you to express affection, bonding, indicate that they need something, grab your attention, and sometimes as a way of expressing aggression.
Your dog sitting on you may be his way of saying he loves you, he feels safe around you, or that you are his territory. As long as he isn't acting aggressively towards you, other people, or other animals, and as long as you're okay with it, this kind of behavior doesn't present a problem.
Despite the stereotype, many dogs and cats learn to live together peacefully. Be patient and take the introduction process slowly, but know that whether or not your pets get along will also depend on their individual personalities.
Once your cat and dog initiate play, they will take turns to continue playtime. They may alternate between who chases who. Your dog may make excited noises, and your kitty may bat the dog with a paw (with claws retracted). If they get on, your cat may even allow your doggo to mouth him and seem to enjoy that.
If appropriately socialized, cats and dogs may have relationships that are not antagonistic, and dogs raised with cats may prefer the presence of cats to other dogs.
"Some cats take weeks to adapt to the dogs," Landsberg added, "and similarly it can take weeks for the owners to teach the dog how to behave around the cat. Even if improvement is made and the cat and dog tolerate or enjoy each other, in some circ*mstances, separation when not supervised is the best long-term option."
Introduction: My name is Mr. See Jast, I am a open, jolly, gorgeous, courageous, inexpensive, friendly, homely person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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