All pet owners hope to make their pets get along with one another, but managing pet compatibility issues can be difficult.
Compatibility issues are most familiar with pets of different kinds–like cats and mice or birds, dogs and cats— but also experienced with pets of the same types and breeds –like dogs and rabbits around smaller ones.
Photo Credits
There are many benefits for pet owners if they can successfully make an introduction between their pets, and big old pets aren’t intimidating small and younger ones.
Some of such benefits may include having to walk all pets at once or playing with them all, and not keeping one in its shelter to play with the other for issues.
Tips for Making Compatible Pets
Making your pets compatible may be challenging, but it’s achievable with patience and due observations from you.
Follow these tips to gain a level of control over your pet’s possible reactions to new pets.
Make a proper introduction
To make a proper introduction between two pets, firstly, you can try to introduce both of them to each other on a neutral ground.
By doing this, you are more likely to prevent the feeling that the pet invades another’s territory.
Photo Credits
Animals are territorial. And when they are made to feel threatened in any way, they guard it and attack the threat.
Make the pets’ introduction easy by setting a park as the meeting point or taking your pet to a shelter if that’s where you’re picking the new pet.
Create activities that’ll involve both pets and try to make them interact with each other during it.
Photo Credits
If this first step is done correctly, the pets would be more open to accepting each other.
Home visits
When you achieve the first introduction, taking things further with home visitation can also encourage acceptance.
Photo Credits
Ensure to remove triggers for territorial disputes like toys and treats from the area designated for the meeting.
Observe for signs of aggression and quickly interrupt if you notice an attack to minimize it.
Wait it out
Adaptation can differ for different kinds of animals.
Cats may take up to a year to bond with your new pet cat, and others may never get along but will avoid one another.
In extreme cases, the best you can do is relocate one of them because of unending fights between the two.
A dog may take just three weeks before they start to show signs of compatibility.
Photo Credits
You may try your best, and the pets have serious compatibility issues.
In a case like this, you have to help them gradually adapt to the changes they observe in their environment.
It helps to understand the specific needs of your pet before bringing a new pet into your home.
You may help reduce the aggression towards each other by avoiding situations where the pets compete for your attention.
Also, allowing your pet to socialize with other animals and pets beforehand can help to prevent severe compatibility issues.
