Do Huskies Get Along With Cats? Here’s The Complete Explanation

This article covers extensively a popular query and that is – if you own a husky, can you get a cat along with it? Do huskies get along with cats? Oftentimes pet owners just could not decide how to deal with a situation like this. By reading this article, we are solving 90% of the confusion. Rest of 10% depends on you and your decision. Let’s get into it.


Both Huskies and cats are great to have around the household. Huskies are majestic dogs with beautiful thick fur, big blue eyes, and lovely nature.

These hunting dogs from the northern tundra will be a great addition to the family. Animal lovers have a lot of questions when one is adopting a new Husky.

Will the Husky be comfortable with a kid in the house? How much exercise does the hunter dog need to have a good life?

These are the popular questions we hear a lot of dog parents ask. However, if a cat lover, who already has a cat in the house, decides to adopt a husky, one needs to think about it very thoroughly.

It is a proven fact that Husky and cats aren’t very compatible with each other.

While it is not entirely hopeless, there are cases when a harmonious relationship turned sour because of the old hunting behavior kicking in.

We are going to explain everything one needs to know before adding a Husky to a cat household in this article.

Do Huskies get along with cats?

No. Huskies don’t get along with cats or other small animals. Huskies aren’t very compatible with other animals like cats because of their hunting and survival nature. It’s possible that some dog breeds can live with a husky, but it requires proper training and monitoring to make a living with a feline.

The simple answer to this question is no. However, pet owners have reported that the Huskies and cats in their households have been harmonious throughout.

Serbian Huskies belong to a species of hunter dogs in the cold tundras. They see another smaller species in the house as prey.

So, having a cat and Husky in the vicinity may not be a good idea always. Huskies can chase the cat around the house and might even kill it if one does not monitor them from the start.

However, a little care and attention from the start can help in making a friendly relationship between Huskies and cats.

In the following sections, we will explain why Huskies don’t like having cats around and how one can train the Husky to be around cats.


Related:

  1. Husky as a service dog: Good or bad? Find out here

Why is it hard for a husky to stay with cats?

Now that you know that it is a risky endeavor to put a Husky and a cat in the same household, you should also know the reasons why experts don’t recommend us to make this mistake.

There are a variety of reasons behind this recommendation, but we are going to look into three main points.

  • Hunting nature of Huskies
  • Fleeing nature of cats
  • Jealousy

1. Hunting nature of Huskies

As we have already mentioned, this species of dog belongs from a freezing climate region, and Siberians used to train these dogs for pulling sledges.

Back in the 1800s when the gold rush populated the cold tundras of Siberia, Husky sledges became the main transportation.

There were days when the Sherpas could not feed the Huskies due to the scarcity of food. Huskies had to hunt their food and find any small animal in the frosty landscapes.

The regular pursuit of food developed a vicious hunting nature in the Huskies. The tamed domestic huskies share the same hunting nature as their ancestors, and that is the reason why huskies tend to chase cats and kill them even.

This inherited trait is very challenging to lose, and it makes them incapable of forming a good relationship with cats.

2. Fleeing nature of cats:

Cats tend to escape the place whenever they feel threatened. The relation between cats and dogs is complicated from the start, and cats generally do not like the presence of a hunter in the same household.

Consider yourself living with a tiger in the same house and think about the anxiety of living in that condition.

The cats feel the same, and they will try to stay clear of the Husky. The act of fleeing does not go well with the hunting nature of Husky. It will assume the cat to be prey and chase it right away.

3. Jealousy:

Another plausible reason for this aggressive behavior can be jealousy. Huskies need a lot of attention from their owners, and the constant need for pampering can be too much for a pet owner who owns a cat as well.

It is needless to say that cats prefer to have all the love from owners to themselves. Huskies can get jealous undoubtedly if it realizes that the owner is not giving the amount of attention it needs.

This uneven attention can easily result in a conflict between the Husky and the cat.

Is it possible to train a husky to get along with cats?

Huskies are not very comfortable around small animals like cats, hamsters, squirrels, etc. The hunting nature kicks in, and Huskies can chase and kill these small animals if one does not keep them under control.

While it is not easy to make the husky leave its inherited traits, one can try the following tips to form a cordial relationship between a Husky and a cat.

1. Start when they are young

Starting the process as soon as possible is the best bet for making a harmonious relationship. Both Huskies and cats are both animals’ habit, and they require a lot of time to adjust to a new situation.

If one owns a cat already and is considering adopting a husky, getting a puppy will be the best choice.

After getting the baby Husky, start letting them spend a small amount of time with each other under supervision. Practicing this habit will help in the long run.

2. Maintain an exercising schedule for the husky

Serbians started to breed Huskies due to their high energy levels and survival instinct in freezing climates.

If one does not train the Husky well and keep it relaxed, it is more likely to chase the cats. So, one should try to play with the husky as much as possible and let it do the needed exercise. A tired Husky is less likely to waste their energy to chase a cat.

3. Having a separate living space

Sometimes pet owners think that keeping two animals together can help in making them more accustomed to each other.

However, this process does not work with cats and Huskies. Both are very territorial animals, and violating the peripheries can result in a conflict.

So, experts suggest that one should separate eating, playing, and elimination space for Husky and cats.

4. Keeping the Husky well-fed:

Feeding the Husky well can be a simple thing one can do, which can save the life of the young feline. See a complete list of foods you can let your husky eat from this article.

There are cases where a husky decided to end the seemingly friendly relationship with the cat for no reason. Keeping the Husky well-fed is a precaution that one should take to avoid any conflict.

5. Play with Husky and Cats equally:

Both cats and Huskies require the attention of their humans. They can be possessive if one realizes that the other animal is getting more attention from the owner.

This irregular attention can easily lead to a fight, and one surely does not want that when there is a compatibility issue already.

Conclusion:

Now one should have a clear about the issue at hand. Cats and Huskies may not be the best companions you can choose for the household because of their opposite personalities.

However, we will not say that one can make them lose their compatibility issues and have a happy home with both of them.

One can use the simple tricks mentioned above to train the Husky to be comfortable with the cat and vice versa.