Although I’m not a dog fan (I don’t hate them, they just don’t excite me), there’s one good thing to be said for them: when they’re paired with cats as pets in a home, they often treat the cat tenderly, even though they could nom it with one bite. Here’s an example of a tolerant Doberman:
h/t: Steve
Aww, sweet.
My German Shepherd and The Cat were the bestest of buddies, even when Trinket’s playing hurt the dog (cats do not believe in fighting fair) he never retaliated.
It’s pretty obvious that the doberman is directing some maternal love there; she’s even cleaning the kitten. Reproduction trumps predation when well-fed perhaps?!
My dogs and cats get along and play together fine. Although there does seem to be a communication problem between them. To illustrate what I mean picture the dog and cat playing, the cat swatting the dog, and the dog barking at the cat. At this point the cat rolls over on its back in front of the dog. In dog language this posture is a sign of submission and surrender, game over, I quit. The dog quits playing. However to the cat this posture is just freeing up all four sets of claws and the cat attacks the dog. Dog is confused, cat struts away with tail high. The cats body language indicates that it won the game, the dog starts to chase cat again. Game on. Repeat above cycle.
You are exactly right. Cats and dogs play very differently. Cats grab with their front legs and kick with their rear. Dogs don’t do that at all. But I did see how my dogs (long gone) used to let my cats (also long gone) do that to them, but it was usually similar to the doberman–they’d just sort of lay there and gently put their mouths around some part of the cat.
I used to just say that dogs don’t know how to play cat.
Oh, yeah and dogs crouch at the front with tail and haunches up to indicate the desire to play. Cats do nothing like this.
But they all seemed to work it out. I think my cats used to think my smaller dog was a really ugly cat! They tolerated her.
My current dog is afraid of cats. One day I’ll get a cat and see if he gets over it.
That kitteh is tenderizing the poor doggie’s snoozle!
Sharp kitten claws!
Like “Feed the Kitty”!
One realm where accommodationism is appropriate.
Gorgeous dog…cute kitty
I’m reading Francis Fukuyama’s book “The Origins of Political Order” (a fine thinker). I underlined his thought regarding humans and chimps and their “system of intense, male-initiated territorial aggression, including lethal raiding into neighboring communities in search of vulnerable enemies to attack and kill.”
Other animals kill for food. Unfortunately, killing is necessary for survival. But lions and elephants and giraffes don’t maurad and pillage for greater territories and greater access to females, conducting night raids to catch an enemy unaware.
I’m struck by how much nature has generally fostered a live-and-let-live attitude. I hope I’m not looking at other animals through too much of rose-colored glasses.
Well, territoriality exists in the males of many species, and the reason to gain or increase territories is almost always to increase access to females. Younger males have to obtain their territories somehow. Sometimes this involves dispersal into new land, but when all the land around is taken, it usually ends up with violent challenges to other males in the area. Lions do take over prides violently, kill the cubs, and impregnate the females with their own offspring. I think that counts as marauding and pillaging. 🙂
On the other hand, this is certainly developed to an unusually high level in chimpanzees, and since they live in troops it’s not quite so clear (to me) what they gain from it… presumably something, though.
I think that what we are seeing is what we all love about dogs, they are the best of friends. The dog would likely also defend the kitten from threats…as dogs are also likely to do. Dogs are pack animals….is there some “kin selection” going on?
The dog loves it – just like I do when my cat plays with my leg or whatever. Of course I have a girlfriend, but my cat is ALWAYS in the mood,