The Truth About Cats and Dogs

It was not until 2015 that my family decided to have a dog and a cat coexist as pets at our house. We were advised by many not to do it for reasons ranging from “The cat will be in danger due to his smaller size” to “They will be fighting all the time”. In the end, we decided to go ahead with it just to rescue an at risk animal from a shelter. They are both male, the dog named Chong and the cat Cecil.

Six years later, I can report that they are not fighting all the time but they do fight for our attention. When Chong sees us pet Cecil, he squeezes in so he can get some pets too. Although they have some adversarial moments between them, they mostly ignore each other. But they do have some things in common.

They both like to perform leaking cleaning rituals; Cecil constantly grooming himself while Chong keeps the kitchen floor spotless. They both have a taste for exquisite appetizers; Cecil likes yogurt and lactose free milk while Chong has a strong preference for paper towels and carrots. They also like to keep us up at night; Chong snores loudly and Cecil sings at the top of his lungs “the songs of his people”. But they are both fierce protectors and guardians of our house and they will run to the front door barking and mewing every time the doorbell rings.

I adore them both and it is hard to remember life without them. I would love to hear your experience as pet parents sharing your home with both cats and dogs.