Like many pet owners, I have both cats and a dog. I have never had any problem introducing the two species, although sometimes it took a bit longer than anticipated.

For me it has worked best with multiple cats and a single dog, rather than visa versa. Dogs operate with a pack mindset and gang up, whereas cats have no trouble going solo into a scrape. However, many people I know of have multiples of each species, with no problem.

In my household, cats reign supreme. After all, they have very sharp claws and know how to use them on a tender nose. I also have a dog which is okay with not being the alpha animal.

This alpha role is important to consider when bringing another species, or even another of the same species, into a home. If you already have an obviously dominant pet, you’ll be wise to adopt a meeker animal or maybe even none at all. Too many wannabe alphas in the house would be asking for trouble.

I have found that female cats tend to be more alpha in nature. Perhaps it is because they have to defend their kittens in the wild against marauding toms aiming to kill the offspring. Up until the time I brought a female cat into the house, my four boys were just as mellow as can be. Now the female, which is the youngest, rules the roost.

Bringing in a young animal is usually the easiest on any resident pet, as the older animal will not be as threatened and will train the new one as to hierarchy. Better yet, if you have no pets and want both cats and dogs, get them at the same time at a young age. They will grow up bonded as a family.

In the case of cats, there comes a “tipping point” where either the number of cats is too high, or a second alpha is introduced, causing unwanted behavior problems. These can manifest as aggression and/or urine marking inappropriately around the house. Both can throw a normally calm home into a stressful one for humans and pets alike.

Sometimes the tipping point is reached when a dog is introduced, or even a new baby. These cases are not the norm, although they happen often enough that much has been written about the issues surrounding them. There is an abundance of information to be found on the internet, yours for the searching.

I love a home where different species live together in harmony. There is something very peaceful and right about it.