Are Huskies good with cats? Huskies are very adorable pets with high energy which can keep them warm even on a winter night. They can be your good friend on a hike or walk. However, if you have a cat around the house, that’s where you might have to be dealing with a problem.
Do you remember the old proverbial cat and dog tale? Well, it still stands. Huskies instinctively have a predating mindset. It’s natural for them to act that way around smaller animals, and not necessarily because they hate them.
They like to exercise their predatory tendencies. For them, it is more like reminding other smaller animals around the house that they are the “elephant in the room”. Funny thing is that they only give off that vibe around other smaller animals but are good with other dogs.
So, you may want to ask “are huskies good with cats?”. To state in clear unequivocal terms, huskies are not good with cats.
In this article, you shall be learning how to raise a husky puppy with a cat such that they become friends rather than the bitter enemies they naturally are.
Are Huskies good with cats?
Raising a Husky puppy with Cats? Dogs chase cats. Cats chase mice. And mice love cheese. That explains the reason why at least one of them is always on the run. The same thing applies to huskies and cats. Your husky loves to register his dominance and so, sees a reason to keep the cat off its zone.
But as an owner of both fur buddies, there is a certain training you have to let your husky undergo to live peacefully with his feline friend. This training is required when your husky is a puppy. That way, it grows into seeing the cat as his closest pal. Do not wait until your husky starts to chase your cat around the house to enforce this training, to avoid an unfortunate incident.
That said, let us check out these tips on raising a husky puppy with a cat.
1. Start when they’re young
The predatory tendencies of huskies could be tamed when they are still puppies. This does not mean that once in a while, they’ll not go back to being nasty.
But being around your cat whom you’ve groomed along with him from when they were only a puppy and a kitten, there is a difference. Your husky puppy will get accustomed to your kitten. So rather than be a dominating force around the house, they’ll become friends.
Therefore, if you want to get a husky in the house, consider getting a puppy husky.
2. Ensure close supervision
Merely bringing in a husky puppy does not automatically tame its prey drive; close supervision does. Never leave both animals unsupervised to avoid a fatal situation.
At this stage, the puppy husky should have learned to adhere to and understand little instructions such as “sit, come, get inside, no” etc. Always ensure that the husky is not hostile toward your cat at any point. A subtle “nope, don’t do that, Johnny!” should put him in check.
3. Leash both pets
Leashing both pets is another great idea during the Introduction stage. You can release its leash under close supervision to see how it interacts with the cat. Be sure that the leashes of both animals are always within reach.
This is so that you can pull either of them in the case of a fight, which you should expect once in a while. However, ensure the leash is loosened a bit to relieve tension or stress.
When you notice that your husky doesn’t give off that “I’ll eat you up” vibe anymore, or generally quit being hostile toward your cat, you can unleash it. Although, you still have to pay attention to intermittent aggression that may arise from time to time.
4. Create a distraction
Asides from being predating, your husky just wants to play. But in the absence of anything to play with, he finds delight in making your cat miserable. When you notice that he uses his teeth inappropriately with the cat during play, then you know it’s time to get him something to play with. Get him interactive toys full of yummies, and he’ll forget there ever was a cat in the house.
5. Play with both
As an alternative to getting your husky a toy. Take them out for play. A not-so-aggressive play should suffice given the tender nature of the cat. This creates some sort of bond between them.
The husky begins to see the cat as a playmate rather than a bitter enemy he needs to chase around to remind her who the boss is. Be sure to give them equal attention during play as one of them could become jealous when they perceive the other to be getting more strokes on the head.
6. Reward when they ignore
Shower praises on your husky when he begins to care less about the cat. You can offer yummies as a reward for not being hostile toward the cat. This makes him understand that the cat is his friend and not an enemy to be chased and bossed around. Before long, he will take the cat as a close pal. If not for anything, to continue to get those yummies from you.
Will a husky kill a cat?
So, what happens on a sunny day you are out at the grocery store? And then, boom! It just occurred to you that you left your husky and your cat at home unleashed. Will a husky kill a cat? The question is hugely dependent on how well you have trained your husky. But ordinarily, a husky is sure to kill a cat.
What do you do before it gets to this point? So that next time when you are out having fun without them, you do not get to worry about your cat’s safety.
You can even see here how a husky comes face-to-face with an inflatable cat and loses its mind.
a. Create separate living areas
After you may have applied the tips mentioned above and still didn’t see the desired result, then you should do this. Some huskies cannot live in harmony with cats.
Create separate living areas for both animals. This way, the husky doesn’t get to bother the cat all the time. Cats can move very fast and meander through the tiniest of paths. So having a haven gives her the upper hand against the husky.
Provide escape routes
During a chase, a cat can easily escape the fury of a husky if there is an escape route around. Therefore you should deliberately position things for your cat to climb when your husky is in its bully mode. That way, it saves itself. A husky can certainly not climb things as dexterously as a cat. So, yeah, Mr. Cat has an upper hand here.
Are Female Huskies Good with Cats?
We’ve talked about a male husky being hostile the whole time. It might be understandable due to their male drive. So how about the female ones? Are female huskies good with cats?
All huskies have a hunter instinct. Therefore, the sight of a cat triggers that instinct. This applies to both male and female huskies. The female huskies are not any different. So, ensure your husky undergoes the same training as your male husky to keep the environment devoid of bad blood.
Conclusion
Both husky and cat are good pets to keep you company on a boring day. Isn’t it lovely to create an Instagram video with your husky sticking its tongue out, and your cat wagging its tail in it? It sure is.
So, you shouldn’t let it get to the point where your husky sees your cat as a meal before you begin to instill these little disciplinary measures. However, constant monitoring is best to see that they do not go back to being enemies at any point.
