Do Poodles Get Along with Cats?

Before bringing a poodle and cat together in the same home, it is important to know that they are capable of getting along. For this purpose, I am here to help you discover all there is to know about poodles and cats living together.

Now that you know that poodles and cats get along, you can safely bring a poodle into your home. However, there are a few things you should know to make it an easy transition.

Poodles and Cats

When bringing a dog and cat together, it is important that you know they are well suited for each other.

Most popularly, dogs and cats are seen as enemies. The most common way to see a dog and cat on TV is seeing a dog chase down the cat while the cat screeches. Luckily, this perception of dogs and cats is often not true. In fact, cats and dogs can sometimes be best friends.

A poodle’s temperament is well suited to live with cats. Poodles are generally calm and mellow dogs, especially when compared with other breeds. Although they have very high energy, poodles are able to just chill on the couch as well.

In many situations where cats and poodles have been put together, poodles have fully embraced cats as a part of their family.

This means that their instinctive protection comes for cats too.

As a part of a poodle temperament, poodles are extremely attached to the family. This includes a poodle’s owner and others that live in the home. When a cat is in the home, the poodle will also become attached to the cat.

This is great news for those wanting to bring a poodle into their family with a cat.

While there are dogs out there that do not mesh well with cats, poodles are not one of those. Poodles are very loving and calm. In most situations, a poodle and cat will get along great.

However, every cat and poodle is different. Each dog and cat have individual personalities and experiences.

So, it is important that you introduce them to each other before you officially bring them into the same home. Make sure they like each other first.

Overall, there are few issues that will occur with having a poodle and cat live together.

Which Poodle Type Fits in Best with Cats?

Although poodles, in general, get along great with cats, it may be useful to delve into which type of poodle fits in best with cats.

There are three common types of poodles according to size:

• Standard Poodle
• Miniature Poodle
• Toy Poodle

Each type of poodle is well suited to live with cats. So, if you have a favorite size of the poodle, you can simply go with that poodle. However, because of the slight variations in the temperaments of these poodle types, one poodle outshines the others in regards to living with cats.

The best best is the standard poodle.

Simply based on size, there is a huge difference between a standard poodle and a toy poodle. But, outside of size, there other elements that lend to how well each poodle type does with cats.

Toy Poodles

Often, when you think about bringing a dog into your home, the danger comes from the dog being large enough to hurt your cat.

However, toy poodles are basically the same size as cats.

Although they have different builds and different hair, etc., toy poodles match the height and weight of the typical house cat.

This is a good thing for the safety of your cat(s). Because a toy poodle and cat are often the same size, they can easily play with each other without one or the other having a big advantage. In fact, some cats are even bigger than toy poodles, giving the cat the advantage.

However, the toy poodle’s temperament is not perfect for cats.

Out of all the types of poodles, toy poodles are most likely to snap, which would not be good for your cat.

Miniature Poodle

Miniature poodles are right in the middle of poodle sizes. So, although mini poodles will be larger than your cat, they won’t be too far off in size.

Out of all the poodle types, mini poodles have the most energy.

This quality, however, will not be harmful to your cat as long as you are giving your mini poodle enough exercise. Without the exercise, the mini poodle may try to get some energy out by playing rough with your cat.

Standard Poodle

Surprisingly, standard poodles, the largest of the poodle types, make the best companion to cats in your home.

Although their size may make them seem like the most danger to your cat, this actually isn’t true because of the standard poodle’s temperament.

Out of all the poodle types, standard poodles are known to be the most mellow and chill. So, even though it is the largest dog, the standard poodle will be consistently calm with your cat. And, out of all the qualities for a dog to have to get along with cats, this one is the most important.

So, even though the toy poodles’ size makes them seem like a great candidate for your cat’s new friend, the standard poodles’ personality wins the prize for best cat companion in the end.

Like I mentioned earlier, each of the poodle types will do great with cats. However, standard poodles are your best bet.

Introducing a Poodle into Your Home with Cats

Introducing your cat and poodle to each other is the most crucial out of all the steps in the process of bringing a cat and poodle together.

It is important to note that you will want the exact cat and exact poodle that you would like to live together to meet. Many people think they can simply bring a poodle around cats to see how he/ she does and call it good.

However, each cat and dog is unique.

Just because a poodle gets along with a random group of cats, does not mean that he/ she will get along with your cat.

It is important that the specific cat and poodle are the ones meeting each other. This introduction will be the test to know if they can live together. It should be obvious how well it will work out by an hour of your cat and poodle being together.

So, how do you introduce a cat and poodle together?

1. Trim the cat’s nails

This step is important. If you already own a cat, then you know, cats simply scratch things.

Upon meeting a poodle, your cat may get a little bit nervous because the poodle isn’t familiar to your cat. So, if the poodle gets closer, your cat may swat the poodle.

Without trimmed nails, your cat could hurt the poodle.

This is simply not a good start to a friendship between a poodle and a cat.

2. Put the poodle on a leash

When the cat and poodle meet, you want the poodle to be as tame and controlled as possible.

The best way to do this is to simply put the poodle on a leash and keep the poodle right by your side. This will make the poodle comfortable to be by your side and reduce the chance of the poodle pouncing on the cat.

3. Observe

The most important thing about introducing a cat and poodle to each other is to simply watch.

You do not have to do much.

Simply by putting your cat and poodle in the same room together, they will show how comfortable they are with each other how much they dislike each other.

Either way, by simply introducing your poodle and cat, you should be able to see how well they will be able to live together. Watch body language and be ready to intervene if any fighting ensues.

How to Create the Best Living Situation for a Poodle and Cats

Aside from introducing the poodle and to each other, there are some things that you could do to ensure there is a pleasant transition for each of the pets.

1. Make sure the poodle has plenty of exercise

If you are new to owning a poodle, then you will soon discover that poodles’ have high energy and need to be taken outside for exercise every day. In the best-case scenario, twice a day.

By giving your poodle the exercise he/ she needs, he/ she will be less likely to become wild, which is not good for your cat.

2. Give your cat hiding spaces

You can create hiding spaces by arranging the furniture in a certain way or simply buying closures for your cat.

This will keep your cat feeling safe. Even if your cat is safe, he/ she may feel uncomfortable at some points. This is why the hiding spaces will be of great comfort for your cat.

3. Separate territories

Because both cats and dogs like to claim things as their own, it is important that your poodle and cat have their own territory to claim.

Although there will be middle ground for both, they should each have their own area in the house.

This could simply be different stations for food and water. Also, different bed spaces. By giving the cat and poodle different areas to claim as their own, they will feel right at home.