The Siamese Cat is social and playful and has even been called dog-like, but how well does this amenable cat get along with dogs? Like most things, the answer depends on personality. Your Siamese can be best friends or mortal enemies depending on their socialization, temperament, previous experience with dogs, and their canine experience as a whole!
The Siamese cat has long been a family-favorite breed due to its affectionate nature, friendliness, playful personality, and intelligence. People often call the Siamese the “dog-lovers cat” as it has many canine personality quirks, but what happens when this kitty meets up with the family dog?
Do Siamese Cats Get Along With Dogs?
The Siamese cat is curious, playful, and affectionate, and with an athletic nature, it comes as no surprise if this feline piques the interest of Rover…but what happens when it does? To find out, we must look at a few personality traits.
Socialization
How well socialized your Siamese cat is has a lot of influence over how well they get along with dogs.
Socialization is a crucial milestone for any domesticated animal – they must experience humans and other animals as early as possible in life to desensitize them. The more varied stimuli a Siamese cat experiences, the less likely they are to display fear or aggression when faced with these stimuli as adults.
Socialization with dogs at an early age is one of the most significant influencing factors on how your Siamese cat will respond to Rover. In many cases, a failure to socialize spells doom for a fido-feline relationship in the future because your cat will turn to their instinct of fight or flight.
Temperament
Every cat has a distinct personality that can impact how your Siamese cat responds to the family dog. For example, if your Siamese is playful and patient, they should not have any problems meeting up with Fido so long as the interest is mutual. If your Siamese is “moody,” however, or prefers human companionship, Fido may have trouble getting close to your feline friend.
Previous Experience with Dogs
In the case of some Siamese cats, how they interact with dogs in the future may be colored by experience. For example, if a stray dog once attacked a cat, that cat is highly likely to exhibit fear and a lack of desire when it comes to canine interaction!
If, however, your Siamese cat has been in the company of friendly dogs for years, they are more likely to tolerate – if not enjoy – the company of dogs in the future.
The Canine Experience as a Whole
Keep in mind that nothing happens in isolation. Many influencing factors determine how an animal reacts to a situation or stimulus. For example, your cat may not feel like co-mingling with the family dog one day, and when your dog pushes for play, your cat swats them on the nose.
It is not just mood that affects how animals react; however, other external influences on mood include-
- Tiredness
- Fear
- Hunger
- Mood
- Pack mentality
- Anxiety
Siamese Characteristics
Not every Siamese cat is the same, but some characteristics are more common throughout the breed. For example, Siamese cats tend to be more appreciative of companionship and be more playful than some other feline breeds.
Siamese Cats Appreciate Company
Siamese cats appreciate companionship and can bond very closely with humans, other cats, and dogs! If left alone for any period, Siamese cats become depressed and exhibit problematic behaviors like yowling and scratching because they are so dependent on companionship.
Siamese Cats Are Playful
The Siamese cat is well-matched with many (but not all) dogs because they are such high-energy, curious, and playful cats. Energy levels and willingness to play are not the only characteristics determining compatibility between dogs and cats.
For the most successful interaction between your Siamese cat and your family dog, you should also take note of the dog’s prey drive, the dog’s previous history with cats, and the age of the cat or dog in question.
- Some dogs like Border Collies are bred specifically to have a high prey drive. This drive makes them ideal herding dogs, but in many instances, it does not make them ideal companions for Siamese cats.
- Never trust dogs with cats in the future if they have a previous history of negative interactions with cats.
- Age compatibility is also important when matching cats and dogs as playmates. Just like us, our senior dogs do not want to babysit a new kitten that swats at them with sharp claws and vice versa.
Conclusion / Summary
Just like us, Siamese cats can be “dog-friendly” or “not dog-friendly,” and that depends on a variety of elements, including socialization, temperament, previous dog experience, and the overall picture of an event.
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