Maltese and Cats

Keeping in mind that each animal has his or her own personality, you need to see if your Maltese is amicable towards cats or not. If they show intolerance towards a cat, then you might need to rethink about having a cat. Should your Maltese be curious and politely sniff or greet a cat, this will be easier. If you already have a cat, and you are working to adjust your feline to your canine, keep reading. 

It's important to maintain control of your dog with commands, and if you’re really nervous, possibly a harness and leash. If things start to get tense, have your dog run through some basic commands. Sit, Stay, Down, Come and Heel are all important at a time like this. Should the dog be overly excited, then having him or her sit can be a tremendous help. 

Let's say you have a Maltese that you want to work with to get them used to a cat. You might be able to have a friend or neighbor come visit with their dog-friendly cat. That way, you can see what your dog thinks, and practice commands when the cat is distracting them. 

Like dogs, not all cats are the same. If you have a cat that was rescued from a shelter, you'll need to know about the cat's history with dogs. Some love them, some hate them, and some have never seen a dog. One way to acclimate a cat to a dog is to have the dog sleep on a blanket, towel, or t-shirt. Once the dog's scent is on the clothing, you can put it with the cat so the cat can explore the new smells without movement. It lets them become adjusted to the smell without a larger fear factor. 

1. Never force interaction. You don't want to be trapped in an elevator with someone you don't know, and your animals feel the same way about getting to know a new resident in their space. Allow them to come, and go, sniff, hide, or snuggle as they please. Cramming them in the same room to "make" them like each other will not work. It just makes them stressed and panicked, just like you would be if you were forced into a room until you came out best friends with a stranger. That's not realistic and can lead to horrible outcomes. 

2. Maintain separate areas. Sometimes canines and felines are best friends, like Milo and Otis in the movie. That can happen. It's fun to see them snuggled up with each other, happy as can be. However, they need their own safe zones. 

What is that? I'm glad you asked. That's a place they can go if they want some alone time. For your cat, it might be the top of his or her cat tree, where a nap away from the dog is desired. For your Maltese, it might be their favorite bed in their open-air crate. Whatever it is, it's important to have these. Everyone needs a little "me" time, even your pets. Like all good roommates, should one of them get on the other one's nerves when you're not home, this gives them a place to go be until they are feeling more social again. 

There are important differences in dog food and cat food. Cats need taurine more so than dogs, and cat food is higher in protein and fat. It's why dogs go nuts for it. However, it can upset your dog's stomach and long-term, for your cat's health, they would need additional supplements. So how do you handle that? 

Cats are usually happy to by-pass the canine's lesser fat and protein food. By placing your cat’s food up high, and your Maltese’s food at floor level, you can keep their foods separate more easily. 

Some people use the top of the washer or dryer. That isn't always accessible, so another method is to put the litterbox inside of a large plastic storage bin. By cutting a smaller cat-sized hole on top of the box, cats can go in and out, but dogs usually can't. You can double that protection by placing the unit in places that dogs can't go, or can't reach. You'll save yourself lots of stress knowing your litterbox is safe from harming your dog.

The cat tree is a great place for cats to nap. Being cats, they will find places that are out of the way to sleep unless they choose otherwise. Don't be surprised to find your cat sleeping in all kinds of crazy places, with or without your Maltese. 

3. If things seem to be going well, after a week or two, you can try to have both pets dine together at the same time. Over time, it helps animals bond and establishes the idea that they are both members of the same 'pack' (household). It is best to start with the cat's food still up on a place you don't mind them being, but with both pets called in at the same time. Cats are natural climbers, so if you start feeding them on the counter, be prepared to have them on the counter whenever they want food. A chest freezer or small table of their own is often easier than trying to keep the cat off the counter later on. 

4. Give your Maltese praise when getting along nicely with the cat. But aren't they supposed to do that? Yes, but it never hurts to reinforce to your pack that he or she is doing a good job accepting their new pack member. After all, the new member has a funny voice and acts oddly compared to a dog's way of seeing the world, so additional "good job" rewards are welcomed and help them know they are doing the right thing. It's a life-long welcomed benefit from you to them. 

While most Maltese dogs are happy with cats, there are always going to be some cases where it just doesn't work. Of course, it is best if you plan for this rare but possible circumstance. If you find yourself in that sticky situation where one of them is going to get hurt and they just can't adapt, then you have two options. Keep them separate, or rehome one of them.