Are Golden Retrievers Good With Cats? Here’s The Answer You Need To Know

Golden Retrievers are one of the most popular house breed pets. But many people also like to pet other animals like cats along with them. In this article, we are going to answer a popular question – ” Are Golden Retrievers Good With Cats? ” 

It’s important to know before you introduce both of them to each other and after reading this article, you will have no doubt regarding their friendliness. Let’s get to it.


Choosing the right breed for a cat household is probably one of the most crucial decisions for pet owners. Golden retrievers can be a great addition to any house because of its friendly and loving nature.

This breed of dogs is compassionate towards any small animal or humans in the house. With proper training, socialization, and thorough observation Golden Retrievers can be a great companion for felines.

One should be careful during the first few days of their first encounter. Once they are past that, it will be an easy job to keep them maintain a courteous relationship.

In this article, we will discuss all the things that one needs to understand before adopting a new golden retriever in a cat household.

One should know why Golden Retrievers can be good with cats, what triggers dogs to chase cats and give you useful tricks to maintain a loving relationship between the cat and Golden Retriever.

Are Golden Retrievers good with cats?

Golden Retrievers are very comfortable with cats. These loving and friendly dogs are great for any small animals or kids in the house.

They respect a cat’s boundaries while keeping a loving relationship with the cat, and they know when to back off if the cat senses intrusion.

However, one can make this companionship better by following the simple tricks written in the last section of this article.

Golden Retrievers can be good with cats:

We all can agree to the fact that Golden Retrievers are one of the best breeds in the world to be around. Their friendly nature can melt any heart, and one is bound to love the furry canine.

However, it is not so simple for cats. Cats often dislike any predators present in their vicinity, but there are a few qualities of a Golden Retriever that even a cat tends to love. Let us look at the four qualities that make them such good companions for cats.

A good cuddler:

Golden Retrievers are exceptionally good cuddlers and often considered to be the best breed to cuddle.

Despite being an active dog, Golden Retrievers know when they can expect a good exercise and when it needs to be gentle and loving.

Cats do not like to cuddle or affectionate all the time, but they prefer to have a companion when they need. The friendly nature of this breed works like a charm when the cat needs a cuddle buddy.

People-satisfiers:

Golden Retrievers can do anything to please their owners. Attending to every need of a cat can be quite cumbersome for any pet lover, and often one needs a respite from the constant need of affection of the cat.

At this point, the presence of a Golden Retriever can be a lifesaver. If the Golden Retriever realizes that taking care of the cat would please the owner, it will do that in a heartbeat. One can always encourage the dog with a treat whenever it attends to the cat.

Quick to learn:

A lot of websites report that Golden Retrievers are the 4th smartest dog breed in the world. The high intelligence helps them to understand the commands of their owners clearly and follow the given directions.

Above that, Golden Retrievers are obedient to their owners, and they have a loving nature towards other animals. So, one is not asking the dog to behave unnaturally if the owner is asking the dog to be docile with the house cat.

Befriending any animal:

Golden Retrievers can become friends with any animal around them. Their remarkably friendly nature can come handy if one wants the cat and the dog to have a cordial relationship.

Cats do not like to be around other animals all the time. So, this indifferent nature of the cat can be hard to digest for the Golden Retriever.

However, with proper introduction and regular care, they can have a civil relationship with each other.

Will your Golden Retriever chase your new cat?

Golden Retrievers are descendants of wolves, and these genes often trigger a chase between the cat and dog.

Like any dogs, Golden Retrievers have a prey-drive and chasing the cat might be the result of that. So, one should be attentive towards the cat-dog synergy during the first few days of interaction.

If one brings a new cat into a dog household, the Golden Retriever is bound to give it a chase, and one should avoid this at all costs.

However, these chases aren’t because the dog wants to eat the new cat. It has a cute reason behind it. Golden Retrievers are such a sweetheart that they want to befriend the fresh member of the house as soon as possible.

It usually wants to play with the new feline and tries to run after it to show affection. If that happens, the flight nature of cats kicks in, and it starts a chase.

A proper introduction, behavioral training, and regular exercise can make this situation better in no time.

Tips to make a good relationship with both of them:

One needs to keep their behavior in check from the start and assure that they follow the simple rules the owner maintains for them.

We have made a list of all the tricks that one needs to know before introducing a new cat to the dog or vice versa.

  • The first trick is to introduce them when they are young, as one has a better chance at creating a loving companionship between the cat and the Golden Retriever. They will treat each other with a decent amount of naivete when they are both young. If an adult cat had an aggressive experience with a dog, it is harder to make the cat behave naturally around another dog.
  • Experts advise that pet owners should bring a dog before the cat. As we already know, dogs aren’t territorial, and they adjust to a situation quickly. However, cats can be stern regarding the territories. The intrusion of a different species can have harmful effects on the cat, and it can lead to a conflict. So, it is better to introduce a new cat to the dog and not the other way around.
  • One should introduce them gradually and keep a close observation on the minor behavioral changes. One can follow a step-by-step procedure for this purpose. Getting them habituated with time is the best way to create a lovely environment at home.
  • Rewarding good behavior with treats and punishing aggressive behavior is one of the best tricks to teach a new behavior. One should reward both with treats whenever they show an act of friendliness, and it can act as positive reinforcement. Similarly, punishing aggressive behavior can act as negative reinforcement.

Conclusion:

One should have a clear idea about the matter at hand by now. The friendly, loving Golden Retriever can befriend any animal or humans in no time.

This behavior is different from cats, and they can be challenging to deal with in this situation. Golden Retrievers love having cuddles, are easy to train, are people-pleaser.

As a result, one can always try to make the cat comfortable with the Golden Retriever. There are a few breeds that can be comfortable with cats in the household, and Golden Retrievers are probably the best among them.