How to stop my new cat from attacking my dog over food and attention?

Question

Hi! We rescued a cat, possibly a Maine coon mix, from a hoarding situation. He lets us do ANYTHING, loves baths, kids can pet him, doesn't react to my other cat, and hangs out with my dog. Sometimes he runs up to my dog, hisses and bites or smacks him though, usually when food or petting is involved... jealousy? What's the best way to deal with it? My dog is getting intimidated, and I feel bad. He's the calmest, most easy going Pekingese. The cat is taking over all of his favorite spots... Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 12 lbs

Karly Macon, DVM, MS, CVA Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist · Accepted Answer

Arlo sounds like quite a character! Some cats can be quite aggressive with other animals, and I suspect Arlo is one of this kind. It may be wise to keep some parts of the house "off-limits" to Arlo where only your dog is allowed to go, and to receive attention in, so your dog doesn't start to feel left out. You can control when you give both animals treats and affection, so it should be easy to prevent Arlo from attacking your dog if these are events that trigger the aggressive behavior. Easy--feed them in separate rooms, and don't let them have access to one another when either is receiving treats or affection from you. They should work things out on their own eventually, but you don't want your dog to feel like he has to start defending himself against the cat.

How to stop my new cat from attacking my dog over food and attention?

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