Who wouldn’t love to have a cute Great Pyrenees and a cat as pets? It’s a common question to ask whether these two animals can get along. As a fellow animal lover, I’m here to provide you with a helpful article on the topic.
So, can Great Pyrenees get along with cats?
The answer is yes, many Great Pyrenees do live peacefully with cats. However, it largely depends on the personality of the dog. Great Pyrenees are known for their affectionate, gentle, and trainable nature, which makes them capable of living with cats with proper introduction, close supervision, socialization, obedience training, and positive reinforcement.
It’s important to note that leaving a Great Pyrenees alone with a cat without fulfilling the requirements mentioned above can lead to potential problems. With patience, love, and proper training, you can help your furry friends develop a strong bond and enjoy a happy coexistence.
What can we expect if great Pyrenees get along with cats?
The great Pyrenees used as herding dogs since ancients times. They are one of the greatest livestock guardians. They can easily kick out bears, wolves, and other predators from their herding.
Today, people would love to keep them as domestic pets. But people are a little bit afraid to keep the Great Pyrenees with cats.
To be honest, you don’t wanna worry about it. The great Pyrenees are so much friendly, and they would like to add another companion to their pack.
But the problem is that your cat has no experience with dogs or the dog has no experience with cats. In both cases, there might occur a problem.
So it’s crucial to happen the introduction in a proper manner. We can expect both of them to become the perfect companion we have ever seen.
But, there are a few things to do before leaving them alone. Follow the article, it would make your life easier.
So here onward, let’s find out how to train them to stay alone. Actually, this is an easy 6 step process, and I do think it will be worthwhile for you.
Prepare your cat and its surroundings before bringing the great Pyrenees: #1
First, identify a room that your cat most likes. For me, it’s our laundry room. For you, it can be a different room.
However, that room should have a door. Moreover, that room should be easily accessible for your cat within a matter of seconds. It’s better if you can arrange two places that the cat prefers the most.
It’s better if you can fix a baby gate to the door jamb. Why? That room must be accessible only for your cat.
Then provide followings to the cat’s safe place.
- Water
- Food
- Litter box
The value of this safe place is that if your great Pyrenees start to chase after him, the cat knows exactly where he should go. So, it’s safer right?
IMPORTANT: Here, you need to do something important. Train the great Pyrenees to focus and look at you. Simply use the “Focus” command for that. Try to get his attention while using the command. When he is doing well, don’t forget to reward that behavior with puppy treats.
Guys, don’t forget the above task, okay. Because it’s so crucial in order to complete the training session successfully.
Let me explain a little bit more. Sometimes the new great Pyrenees can be a rescued one. He/she never had basic obedience training. So by training to react above command would make the introduction process easier.
Suggested Reading: Can a Great Pyrenees be left alone?
Keep your cat in a safe place and shut the door: #2
After the completion of the first step, keep your cat in that safe place and close the door. Don’t be worry, it just for about a couple of days.
Because the cat is in one of the favorite places, and he has everything needed. Staying inside that room is better than having trouble.
IMPORTANT: Before closing the door, make sure that if the cat has easy access to food and fresh water.
As this whole article describes, the great Pyrenees get along with cats. But it requires endless perseverance and a lot of patience from you.
Can you guess what will happen during this period? Even though they cannot see each other, this is a great introduction session using the fragrance.
By the way, read this to understand whether Great Pyrenees are big shedders.
Spend time alone with the cat: #3
You already have to spend enough time with the new buddy. So it’s time to spend some time with your cat. Then, put the great Pyrenees in a safe place.
Suitable places may be,
- In a dog room
- With your family member
- In a crate
Next, go and spend some time with your cat, and more importantly, don’t forget to shut the door. Then talk with him, cuddle him a little bit..
Can you guess what is happening? Since you already have spent some time with the great Pyrenees, the cat can feel the scent of him from your body. It sends thousands of messages to the cat.
Since the two have not yet met face to face, this is a kind of intelligence introduction method.
Let them smell through the door: #4
After completion of step 3, go back to your great Pyrenees and cuddle him a little bit. Now, the Great Pyrenees can also feel the scent of the cat. So the great Pyrenees can feel tons of things about the cat.
After a few days, your Great Pyrenees will go to the door of the cat room. Then he will start to sniff through the door. Probably he will begin to bark at the door.
Now is the time to use the “focus” command. When he is barking at the door, you need to grab his attention by showing puppy treats or favorite toys.
The primary purpose of this is to be able to look at you instead of barking at the door.
Remember, If you follow the process, your great Pyrenees can get along with cats very soon.
Let the great Pyrenees and cat see each other through the baby gate: #5
Keep your great Pyrenees leashed and go to the same place as in step 4. Now open the cat’s safe room door a little bit. I would recommend opening about 6 inches.
But don’t open the baby gate. Now bring the dog near to the door.
Now you have to read the dog’s body language. This means if he is not super involved with the cat, that’s a good sign. After a while, open the door another 1 inches more.
Now again, read great Pyrenees’ body language. If nothing happens, continue the above process.
If any case the great Pyrenees growls at the cat ( I hope not), get his attention immediately as you did in step 4.
Do the above process for about 2 days and 2 or 3 times per day.
Let the great Pyrenees and cat meet each other: #6
It’s time to open the cat’s room door completely. Open baby gate as well. Now get your great Pyrenees into the living room. It’s better to put the leash on him.
Don’t force the cat to come outside the room. Let it happens naturally. Meanwhile, your focus should be on the dog.
So your cat and the great Pyrenees will get used to each other. They can get used to their smell, sounds, movements over time. If your great Pyrenees stay calmly, reward him by giving puppy treats.
IMPORTANT: keep the baby gate open all the time.
Do this continuously, so with time, the Great Pyrenees will get along with cats.
When you introduce a great Pyrenees puppy to your cat
If you have ever seen baby great Pyrenees, they are very cute and funny. So, in this case, you do not need to worry too much about both of them. You can allow them to stay in their own ways.
Sometimes your cat will attack him once or twice because great Pyrenees babies need to play. If he chooses the cat to play with, it can happen.
But overall, a Great Pyrenees puppy and your cat can get along without getting into any trouble.
When a new cat get along with your great Pyrenees
When you think of bringing a new cat to your Great Pyrenees’ environment, your dog must be ready. If he already has experience with cats, things will be easier.
If your dog is not trained in basic obedience, it’s necessary to train him. Unless he is socialized well, make sure to socialize him. It can be pretty easy to do with dog parks.
When you bring a kitten
In this case, the situation can be serious. So you need to set up a place that your dog will never have access to. Keep the kitten in his room until at least one week.
When the kitten growing bit by bit, follow the whole process I have discussed above. But be a little careful because he’s still a kitten.
When you bring a grown cat
Now, if you bring a new grown cat, you can’t the above process. Because at least you don’t know what a cat’s favorite room is. On the other hand, the cat may have separation anxiety.
So keep your great Pyrenees in a one-room for a few days. But don’t keep the whole day. When the great Pyrenees in the room, let the cat get used to the house. After a few hours, arrange a room for the cat.
Make sure to keep everything he needs. That room should be a place he will prefer to stay in.
Now let your great Pyrenees walk around the house and let him smell the cat. Do this for several days. Then follow the same process I discussed above.
Suggested Reading: Can Great Pyrenees swim?
CONCLUSION
Many people love the Great Pyrenees, as well as cats. So everyone has a common problem. That is, “Do the great Pyrenees get along with cats? “.
This article is all about it. By reading this, you will understand how you can introduce a cat and a Great Pyrenees.
