Belgian Malinois are the breed of dogs that you want to have around your children and pets without worrying too much about accidents or things getting out of hand. They are kind and considerate dogs with a good temperament and a friendly disposition. They do get along fine with the others in the house. But what about cats?
Cats have an aloof temperament and can be downright mean. They might have trouble getting along with other pets but not with Belgian Malinois. As friendly and sociable animals, the Belgian Malinois can live with and accommodate the cats in your house. It is not such a territorial animal that would make the cats nervous around it.
But you would need to go with each case with caution since not all cats are that mean, and some Belgian Malinois might have issues with the cat. In general, however, those two seem to get along just fine. It all hinges on how you introduce the two for the first time and how you can make life less contentious between them.
Belgian Malinois and Their Relationship With Cats
To say that the relationship between Belgian Malinois and cats is complicated is an understatement. While for the most part, they would get along well, with the slight complication, things can get out of hand. To be fair, it’s usually the cat who’s to blame for the way things go. The Belgian Malinois are usually peaceful and like to have things easy. When they play, it’s for fun. They share toys and don’t mind letting others have fun.
But cats are a little different. They’re lazy, sleep a lot, and when they wake up, they have a bad mood or they might be hungry. Either way, they just are itching for a fight. Now the friendly Belgian Malinois doesn’t suspect a thing. He’s going about minding his own business when he crosses the cat’s path. All hell breaks loose.
The tension between the two pets can be toned down a lot if you know how to create the best living situation for those two animals to coexist and even become best friends. So who would you go about doing that? The next section covers this question.
Creating the Best Living Situation for a Belgian Malinois and Cat
First things first. Don’t create any opportunity no matter how small, for a fight to break out. Even a tiny skirmish can have serious consequences down the line. While the Belgian Malinois is a forgiving animal and doesn’t hold a grudge, the car is the exact opposite. It will plot its revenge and things can go downhill from there quickly.
So always keep their food and drinking bowls separate. Don’t give the cat a chance to get antsy and start a fight over the smallest of things. The same goes for their beds. You’ll notice that the cat will go and sleep in the dog’s bed. She does that out of spite. So keep their beds in separate rooms if possible.
As for game time, try to do the opposite. Bring them together when it’s time to play games and share toys. This will create a strong bond between the two pets and clear the air of any animosity. Make sure they play together. This wouldn’t be hard for the Belgian Malinois who welcomes all play partners. But the cat might be reluctant to take part. Encourage the cat with treats.
Don’t forget to reward the Belgian Malinois with treats too. Don’t play favorites as this breeds jealousy. Avoid any situation that would make the cat antagonize the dog or vice versa.
Importance of Socializing your Belgian Malinois
The Belgian Malinois like the majority of dog breeds are sociable animals. If there’s anything they don’t like it’s to be left alone. The more company they have the better. So you should never neglect this part of the dog’s care. A visit to the dog park should be a sacred duty that you perform at least once every week. Why is that important?
It’s a crucial aspect of the dog’s emotional development. It helps them relieve stress and become well adjusted and calmer. If you notice your dog acting strange or stressed out. It might be that they’re feeling lonely or miss the company of other dogs. This can affect their sweet temperament and make the dog jumpy around other pets in the house. In this mood, things can get testy with the cat which could lead to an all out war.
But when the Belgian Malinois spends time with other dogs, this improves its mental health as well as its intelligence. They become smarter and learn how to deal with other pets such as the mean cat much better. For example the Belgian Malinois learns to understand the cat’s mood and leave it alone when it’s going through one of those dark phases.
Can Belgian Malinois and Cats Learn to Get Along?
The question should be can you help the Belgian Malinois and the cat get along? On their own, even the easiest going Belgian Malinois can find it hard to find common grounds with the cat in the house. Cats as we all know act like royalty with everyone around them including the humans are their servants. In a situation like this, you need to interfere and be the referee.
While the cat needs to learn that the Belgian Malinois is a part of the household with all the rights that the cat has, the dog needs to learn to leave the cat alone when it’s not in the mood to play. This might take some adjustment. As a sociable and friendly dog, the Belgian Malinois assumes that everyone is up for play and fun just like him. So that’s a point of contention right there. And you need to work on it.
With practice and after being scolded a few times by the cat, the Belgian Malinois will get to understand that there are times when he should leave the cat be. Of course the sooner the dog comes to this realization the better for everyone involved. So don’t leave the dog alone a lot. It gets lonely and needs company. If the cat is the only company available that could be bad news for both of them.
How to Introduce Your Belgian Malinois to a Cat?
So what do you need to do to make the first meeting between those two pets go easy and without problems? Much like your first date, you need to be prepared. Treat this with all the seriousness you’d treat a first date or even a school prom. Preparation is the key. And you need to be subtle. Don’t just throw the cat in the dog’s face and hope for the best.
Smell is important for the dog and personality is important for the cat. Make the introductions at a time that they both enjoy. For example at play time. When the cat is engaged with its favorite toy, you can bring in the Belgian Malinois. First impressions count. Introduce the two pets to each other using their names. Offer each pet a treat to make that first experience a pleasant one. Then you can start a game where they all play a part. Hopefully this breaks the ice and starts a long and lasting friendship.
How to Help A Cat Get Along With a Belgian Malinois?
Cats are aloof. There’s no denying that. They look down their noses at dogs and consider them idiots. There’s not much you can do about that. However, with time the royal feline will learn to allow the Belgian Malinois to come close and even share a game of catch or hide and seek with the dog.
The first time you introduce them together, make sure they have a good time. Treats and games are a great way to get them to a good start. Expect to have some frictions along the way. That’s not a serious issue. It’s only when the fights become repeated and they two start to go out of their way to avoid the other, that’s when you know you have a big problem on your hands.
Also remember that cats play the passive aggressive game very well. The cat will choose to sleep in the dog’s bed just to enjoy watching it whimper and sleep on the floor. This doesn’t endear the cat to the Belgian Malinois. So always keep an eye on them and solve any arguments before things get out of hand.
Belgian Malinois and Other Small Animals
While the relationship between the Belgian Malinois and cats are often complicated, things don’t go that far with other small animals. It’s safe to say that cats take the cake when it comes to how difficult they are. So the good news is, you won’t have much trouble from any other pets including small dogs. Just make the preliminary introductions and let the two pets hit if off on their own. Mostly like you won’t have any trouble from either of them.
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