Poodles and Cats: Can They Get Along?

Do you believe in arch enemies?

Having something so opposite to you that you disagree with, argue, and perhaps fight?

Now, can you think of any animals that could potentially be enemies of one another?

Let us spare your thoughts; the first thing that probably comes to your mind is cats and dogs.

If you’re a dog owner, you may have a dog that barks or chases any time they see a cat. On the contrary, if you’re a cat owner, your cat may not get along and be too fearful of the dog in your house.

This may not even be you at all; you may find that you own both, and they do get along really well!

The truth is, for dogs and cats to get along, it all comes down to their personality and the environment they live in.

Speaking of personality, the Poodle is a perfect breed for cats.

Are poodles cat friendly?

To know if poodles get along with cats, we need to explore their temperament first.

Poodle Temperament 

In case you weren’t aware, the Poodle first came into existence around the 1800s in Germany. The Poodle’s purpose was to be a water retriever dog; it was bred to hunt ducks and other animals. Hence why it has an excellent swimming ability today.

Then, the breed went across to France, it became popular there, and France adopted it as their national dog. Since its early days, the Poodle has become three distinct breeds, the Toy, the Miniature, and Standard. All having different heights, weights, appearances but showing similar behaviors.

When it comes to behavior, a Poodle is very intelligent. They’re so smart because they have a high ability to act upon their instinct, which derives back to their waterfowl days. Alongside this, they’re vigilant, love to play, and are obedient.

We get it; you’re probably thinking due to their innate nature to hunt and their playfulness, they would be a nightmare dog breed to have in your home if cats there.

Well, the truth is it’s entirely the opposite!

Why do Poodles and cats get along?

Before exploring how they get along, let’s rule out one central point of why you’d think they wouldn’t.

Which is their instinct to hunt. Even though this dog was bred to hunt, that was 100s of years ago! Since then, their bloodline has diluted, and they’ve adapted to today’s world, which is why you rarely see aggressive Poodles. Plus, most of their hunting tendencies are usually just only towards ducks.

So unless you have a pet duck in your house, you will be ok!

Cat Breed	Compatibility with Poodles
Siamese	Good, playful and sociable with dogs
Persian	Fair, can be reserved and shy around dogs
Maine Coon	Good, friendly and outgoing with dogs
Sphynx	Good, curious and energetic with dogs
British Shorthair	Fair, can be aloof and independent around dogs
Ragdoll	Good, friendly and relaxed with dogs
Abyssinian	Good, active and playful with dogs
Scottish Fold	Fair, can be cautious and timid around dogs
Bengal	Good, energetic and social with dogs
American Shorthair	Fair, can be wary and independent around dogs

It’s important to note that individual cat and dog personalities can vary, so these are generalizations and each introduction between a Poodle and a cat should be done slowly and carefully to ensure they get along well.

Most of the time, they are mellow and have a protective instinct which makes it suitable for any cat to live in. Due to this personality trait, some Poodles may feel a little anxious or scared of a cat then be comfortable around one.

But, if you’re looking for a Poodle and a cat to become best friends, do note some breeds of Poodle are more open to it than others.

Standard Poodle

Apart from personality traits, when it comes to a Poodle and a cat getting along, you have to consider their height. On average, a Standard Poodle can grow up to 15 inches and can weigh between 40-60Ibs. This is significantly bigger than the standard house cat, and it’s for this reason, a cat won’t feel a need to boss it around.

Alongside this, the Standard has a chill and relaxed personality, one of the most critical factors for living in harmony. 

Toy Poodle

When it comes to toy poodles, they can grow up to 10 inches in height and weigh up to 5-10 Ibs. They’re the same size as most cat breeds and can play well without feeling one has an advantage over the other. However, sometimes the Toy Poodle can be prone to snapping and may become a bit hostile towards your cat.

Miniature Poodle 

The Miniature Poodle can grow up to 10-15 inches in height and weigh between 15-20 Ibs. This makes them the smallest Poodle breed and also significantly smaller than any cat. Out of all the Poodles though, they have the most energy and are extremely playful. 

You shouldn’t worry about this as long as you take the Miniature Poodle out for regular exercise, so it doesn’t wind the cat up.

Points to consider when getting a new Poodle or Cat

Now you have a basic understanding of what Poodle breed suits cats the best; you should also be aware of certain situations which could arise.

For instance, if you have a cat and looking to bring a Poodle into your home, you might want to think about your cat’s personality. Is it old, moody, or stubborn?

Some cats are renowned for having this nature and may not be particularly welcoming towards a Poodle.

On the contrary, if your cat is quite shy, you may choose not to bring a Poodle home that is energetic and loves to play. Even though we discussed which types of Poodles are more active than others; they’re pretty much the same in terms of energy levels when they’re puppies. 

Therefore consider the animal you have in-home, their personality type, what they like and dislike, then go out and pick your cat/Poodle accordingly. If you can’t tell what their personality type is when buying, as kittens and puppy’s personalities tend to start to develop later, speak to the breeder.

The breeder or shelter will tend to have a general idea of what personality types they may display. 

How to introduce them to one another

Of course, when bringing a cat or Poodle into your home, you don’t want to buy them and get them in a same room immediately.

Doing this will disrupt your home environment, and the animal already living there will be disturbed. Most of the time, they can feel a little jealous and unwanted due to the new arrival. 

If you’re looking to buy a Poodle or a cat from a shelter/breeder, you don’t want to bring them into the main area. If they see other dogs or cats, they can become easily startled, and it can become quite an unpleasant experience before they meet the animal you want to bring home.

Instead, it’s best to ask the shelter or breeder to take the new animal into a spare room, and then you bring your cat or Poodle in there. This room will allow them ample space to become familiar with each other and you to judge their interactions with each other. 

Once your cat and poodle have had time in the house together but are separated by a door, consider putting your pup on a leash or using another barrier to continue to introduction process.

How to prepare for your cat or poodle to come home

There’s more than just allowing the animals to become familiar with one another, you have to make sure the environment is safe, and they’re safe too. The last thing you will want is to pay lots of money for vet bills when you’ve just brought them home!

When it comes to the cat, you will want to make sure its nails are trimmed. This is to stop it from scratching or piercing the Poodles skin. Cats are nervous animals, and when around your dog for the first time, they could be at risk of clawing it. If you don’t know how to trim their nails, you can get it professionally done from local groomers.

Similarly, before bringing a new cat home, we suggest walking your Poodle for an extended period. A long walk will give your Poodle the chance to tire it out and allow it to be more calm and mellow when it sees the new animal. This will reduce the chances of it being hyperactive and scarring the cat when it arrives.

You should prepare your home well for your cat. Remember, unlike Poodles, cats can climb and like to be high up, leaving them feeling safe. Therefore create an environment in your home where your cat can flee to hide or relax away from the Poodle.

Make sure you also give a safe space for your Poodle too! Just like cats, your dog deserves their place; they can have ‘me’ time. One of the best ways of doing this is by getting them a comfy bed to relax on or a crate.

Finally, be prepared with treats; these can usually be a good icebreaker. What type of animal doesn’t love a good treat? This will create a safe and positive environment to allow your animals to become acquainted with one another.

Three techniques for introduction

Alongside doing this, there are three top techniques recommended by experts to make the introduction easier, which are:

1. Get them familiar with scents: Before they meet each other, let them become accustomed to their smell. Put your Poodles toys in the cat’s bed or cat’s toys in the Poodles bed and allow them to become familiarised.
2. Slowly introduce them: If your animals are more anxious, gradually introduce them. You may want to keep them in separate rooms and use a baby gate to divide them. That way, they can slowly become introduced, and over time you can open the door so they can share the same room.
3. Use a leash: If you’re unsure how your Poodle will be, you can always put them on a leash. That way, if you see a slight change in their body language, you can pull them away.

Final Thoughts 

Unlike other dog breeds, Poodles are one of the bests to get along with cats. Now not all Poodles or cats will; in fact, it’s completely subjective. The best way to know is by bringing them to a breeder or shelter and watching them interact with one another in a separate room.