There’s no one clear answer to the question of whether to adopt a puppy or kitten first, or even an adult dog or adult cat.
But there are some thoughts on the matter…
- Puppies can be pretty crazy initially, depending on the breed. Kittens can also be nut-bags but they are more delicate so could be easily hurt in play.
Therefore, if you do get them at around the same time, it’s best to keep them separate in the first few weeks unless under strict supervision and ideally, your kitten close by so you can easily intervene as needed.
- Some dog breeds are naturally more programmed to chase smaller moving objects, aka your kitten (or cat for that matter).
So if you want to raise both together, it’s worth looking into breeds and avoiding high-prey breeds which would certainly be trickier to manage such as Terriers, Beagles and Huskies.
- Adult cats are less adaptable, so introducing a puppy (or even an adult dog) into the home could cause animosity and lead to the puppy getting side-swiped while sniffing out the cat or attempting to encourage them into a bit of playtime.
With this in mind, some professionals suggest adopting an adult dog and a kitten together.
Why not the other way round?
Older cats are set in their ways. You’ve seen them, they walk around like the own the place, don’t they! And they can be vicious.
A puppy just wants to play and will generally approach anything with curiosity and a lack of fear.
Sometimes the older cat will simply walk away.
Other times, when annoyed enough or just in a bad mood, it’ll take a swipe at your little pup who could easily get hurt. Really hurt if that swipe lands in an eye.
Adult dogs, on the other hand, aren’t so unpredictable.
And they’re pretty adaptable.
So they’ll be more inclined to ignore or even tolerate a kitten jumping all over them or nipping at them or attempting to engage in play.
They may even get involved in a little playtime, for fun, but be able to restrain their power better than a puppy would who doesn’t understand his own strength yet.
Also, by getting an adult dog first, you’ll also be able to ensure he is trained in at least the basic commands so he’ll be more easily managed by you if playtime does get a little rougher than you’d like.
But ultimately it comes down to personal choice, time available and an understanding that the first few weeks, and even months, will be tough.
If you want to adopt both a puppy and a kitten, it’s crucial you adopt the right breed of pup and are available to supervise constantly until the kitten is bigger, able to fend for herself better, and they’ve formed a bond, or at a minimum, a respect for each other.
If you want to adopt a puppy and an adult cat, it’s recommended to adopt a cat who has been around puppies or dogs in her life already so there’s less chance of… cattiness!
And if you want to adopt an adult dog with a kitten, as long as you’ve considered dog breeds and he has been taught some basic commands, you’ll mainly just have to watch out for those sharp kitten claws during cuddle time!
Which have you adopted first?
Share your experience below…
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