Personification is a possible explanation, however, communication between the two species is another. So do cats and dogs understand each other? If we are trying to explore whether dogs communicate with cats or not, we need to look at scientific studies and try to remove as much bias as possible.
Dogs and cats have been an argument for years, which is better? However, what about the owners who love both, and those who own both! Many owners have a dog and a cat that appear to be best friends and get on well. Other owners will swear that their dog hates cats and even that their dog argues with cats.
Personification is a possible explanation, however, communication between the two species is another. So do cats and dogs understand each other?
If we are trying to explore whether dogs communicate with cats or not, we need to look at scientific studies and try to remove as much bias as possible.
Can Cats And Dogs Be Friends
Dogs and cats are able to form bonds and even gain friendships. However, due to their completely different behavioral reactions and behaviors, it can be difficult to always understand what interactions are positive or negative between them. What we may consider being negative, such as a cat sitting near a dog but ignoring them, can be positive. Furthermore, what may appear to be your cat cuddling with your dog, may actually be negative. Such as if your dog is panting and whale eyeing upon their presence.
Research has shown that particularly dogs and cats that have been raised together, will share similar behaviors, seek each other out, and even enjoy playing together. For those not raised together, it may take time for them to reach a point of even tolerance. However, this does not mean a friendship or levels of affection may not arise with time. Patience, individual differences, and experience can help to decide whether a cat and dog can interact positively, but it is a complex topic.
Science Behind Dogs and Cats Communicating
What is crucial with any communication is understanding what that behavior means to the species and individual. For example, when we smile it usually means happiness, when a dog smiles it indicates stress and sometimes fear and aggression. This is the same for dogs and cats, their behaviors differ so sometimes communication can be difficult.
In the same way, we do not entirely understand our dogs, cats and dogs do not entirely understand one another. What is possible though is general interpretation. Over time, they can learn what behaviors are positive and what are negative. This takes time to understand and a safe environment for both individuals to want to pursue it. The louder the noise is usually pretty self-explanatory and one may assume it is aggressive. However, it can be quite confusing for cats to see a large dog running around, barking, and throwing their body at them to mean anything but aggression. When in fact, this is usually playing.
Essentially, the calmer the individuals, the easier and quicker it is for them to begin to interpret each other’s behaviors. In a place where they feel safe, they are more likely to explore and interact with one another. Fear brings about aggression and the need to flee a situation, preventing any bonding or learning. Hence why forcing your pets into a room together will likely cause your animals upset and not help them bond.
Cats and dogs can learn to understand each other, despite the fact they each mean different things when they wag their tail.
Signs that Cats and Dogs are Communicating
There are a few ways you can notice if your dog and cat are communicating. Here are some of the signs they may be doing so
Vocalizations
Signs of pain and aggression are relatively similar between these species. So growling can occur in cats and dogs to be used as a warning in space, interaction, or even possessiveness. The same goes for types of whining or howling. Although they sound a little different in each species, behaviorists believe they may be able to recognize these as signs of pain or distress.
However, meowing and barking individual to one another and therefore these vocalizations may be misinterpreted. Happy barking could be seen as aggression due to a cat and angry meowing may be seen as an invitation to interact with a dog.
Eyes
Both species communicate with their eyes and in a similar way. When cats are dogs are upset, distressed, or showing aggression they will not blink and will often show the whites of their eyes. Therefore, they may be able to understand if the other species are feeling negative and understand when to give space from eye communication.
Furthermore, they both also blink slowly to show trust and friendliness and appear not as a threat. Slower blinking or a lack of eye contact can often be a sign that these animals are comfortable around each other and, possibly, that they are comfortable interacting further such as sniffing one another.
Whiskers and Mouth
Tensions, stress, and aggression can be seen in the whiskers and mouths of cats and dogs. When both species are upset, tension can be seen on their face. Their whiskers are pushed forward due to their mouth becoming tense. It is more noticeable in the mouth of dogs. Some owners have commented that their dog looks like they are smiling when they are stressed and or unhappy.
With cats, it is slightly more noticeable in the whiskers. They will point much more to the front of their face and will be very tense and still. However, you can see the muscles tense of both animals in these areas during times of unhappiness.
Grooming
If your dogs and cats are grooming each other then this is a sign they have formed a close bond and are very comfortable with one another. Allogrooming is the term for two individuals grooming or preening one another as a show of care or affection. Although this terminology is usually used for same-species grooming, it can be used for inter-species grooming.
The act itself shows vulnerability on both sides. One individual is allowing the other to get very close and risk themselves being bitten but instead trusts the other to groom their coat and body for cleaning. The other is going out of their way to groom the first and help them as a show of affection.
Resting
There is a huge misconception that trust and comfort in animals have meaningful interaction. However, sometimes some of the biggest signs of trust are an animal resting and being completely vulnerable by another. If your cats and dogs are sleeping near each other or in the same room this can show trust.
Displaying vulnerability can strengthen the bond between two individuals. It shows that they have faith that their counterpart will not attack them and that they feel safe enough to sleep near them. The trust has increased a level if they deliberately attempt to sleep next to or touch each other. This signifies a sense of safety from feeling one another and the ultimate level of trust.
