Can a cat be an alpha dog?

In nature we think of the alpha wolf as being the largest, strongest animal in the pack. But there is evidence that the alpha is the animal that is “the wisest and most able to lead and take care of each member within its pack.” Source

That is a good description of Misty, the alpha Poodle in our house. Although she isn’t the largest or most powerful, with her superior verbal skills she is the leader who takes care of the rest of the pack. She understands everything humans say (and think) and passes it on to the other dogs and even to the cat.

For a long time, I’ve been fascinated by which dog becomes the alpha dog in multi-pet households. And it often doesn’t seem to be the largest dog. Many of you have confessed that your big dogs are wusses and smaller dogs walk all over them. Some of you even have a cat that dominates…ew.
 
Studies show that cats and dogs get along best if they are introduced into the home as kittens and puppies. In these instances they can learn each other’s language. Older cats and puppies seem to adapt fairly quickly to each other (perhaps after a few clashes).

However many times we get our pets when they are teenagers or adults as I did. Somehow they all learn to get along and work out a pack order. My dogs will never speak cat, and the cat would never condescend to speak dog. And yet there is communication, there is understanding, there is order.

Does it just seem like some animals are born alphas regardless of their size or species? Can a cat be an alpha dog?

Comments

[gus louie and callie]

You right cats and dogs have to be introduced when they are small. Louie and I get along a bit ok with the cats but that Callie thinks they should play. Well Jordie and Shmed will have nothing to do with that. They make all kinds of growling noises but she doesn't hear it. She does understand the ginsu knives though..

Big Sloppy Kisses
Gus, Louie and Callie

[matt]

I think it depends on the animal. In the fish world, the biggest fish in the group will almost always be the most dominant. And the same holds true about them all getting along...with fish, if you introduce all of them as juveniles in the tank at one time, they should all get along. If you add a new, weaker fish, to that same community, it will get picked on and eventually die.

As for dogs (and cats), I think it is more about the personality of the animals in the household.

[Sling]

I'm sure cats can be alpha dogs.
They just naturally assume that they are.

[Tom and Icy]

We just have one cat and one dog (Icy) now. The dog is old, almost 15, and the cat is young, about eight months. They worry about each other and get along fine. But I really can't tell which is the boss. I saw the cat eating out of the same dish as the dog, which Icy would never allow before.

[Jean]

I haven't lived in a multi-pet family since I was a kid. I envy you your pack. Cooper, our last dog, sure was the dominate member of our family. I loved him dearly but I'm glad Levi is a bet of a wuss. It's my turn to be the leader of the pack. LOL

Jean

[Hudson]

Jan, We are fostering a Boston Terrier male who is 4 years old and was rescued from a puppy mill. He is deathly afraid of people but loves other animlals. He has more than likely never been around a cat so it should be interesting to see how he gets along with our Mittens.We get him on Thursday after he is nuetered and he isn't housebroken so it should be interesting. Considering we have two of us dogs and a cat already here he better be on his good behavior.Actually "mom" will treat him like royalty and get him on the right course before he knows it. We are hoping to find him a loving home soon. Thanks for following my blog too.By the way "mom" is still trying to figure out how to add a button to my site. The poor dear is not the smartest. Your friend, Hudson

[gordy and georgie]

Our cat Pesto is the alpha dog. She may weigh 11 lbs compared to Gordy's 65 and Georgie's 45 lbs. but when she wants things done her way-they are done her way. Or, the dogs get a swat upside the muzzle. She even commandered the new dog bed first and refused to share.

[jackie]

Nate was the alpha with me but when it came to the cats..chuck was the alpha leader.he and al and rocky were full grown when he was brought into the house as a pup, and they raised him up to be respectful and not hurt any of them..or else..they kicked the crap out of him..

[Tony]

I would say a definite NO because they aren't dogs, seems a logical answer. But they can be an Alpha Cat.....

[Steve Bartlett]

I have two dogs; Lisa (an 8-lb Eskipoo) and Buddy (an 80-lb Black Lab mix). Between the two dogs, Lisa is definitely the boss. I also have a varying number of cats and kittens (I belong to a cat rescue group). Some of the cats are my own, and some are fostered (I keep them until they're adopted). Buddy defers to all of the cats and kittens all of the time, regardless of whether they were here before him or not. Lisa "tests" all the cats; of the ones she grew up with, some of them dominate her while others run away from her; new foster cats follow the same pattern. Lisa instantly defers to any cat or kitten that stands up to her (Lisa definitely knows what cat hisses mean: claws to the nose frequently follow). When it comes to introducing new cats or dogs to each other, I don't think there are any "rules of thumb". For dogs it seems to go by breed more than age. For cats it's generally age-related; the older the cat, the less likely it is to want a new animal (cat or dog) in the house. I find that when I bring new foster cats or kittens in, it's the older cats that take the longest to adapt.

[cube]

We have 3 cats and 1 dog. The female tortie gets along with the large male cat whom she dominates, but hates the younger female. We like to joke that it's because she hates her beautiful symmetry. The tortie is also quite fond of the dog. I would say she is the alpha cat of the house.

[Dianna]

My mom used have a female cat named Juliette who was the Alpha of the household - cat or dog, it didn't matter. All obeyed the iron claw. I came home one day to find our german shepard out in the snow, shivering. Juliette had taken over his doghouse and wouldn't let him inside. We tried to keep her inside after that when we left the house as we didn't think a frozen Nicky would make a good guard dog.

[gus callie and louie]

Yes definitely not play toys for dogs They are nice and soft though.. They even make barking noises like puppies sometimes..

Big Sloppy Kisses
Gus, Louie and Callie

[Harrison]

When I was a pup AHM's roommate had a big ole' 25 pound Persian cat who fancied himself the Alpha. Luckily AHM was in the room when I finally got big enough to disabuse him of that notion and he lived to hiss another day.

[rosemary]

2 dogs, 4 cats....used to be 6 cats. The dogs mourned the loss of Drakie and Sophia as did the cats left behind. Sophia never got along with anyone....she was the alpha dog/cat....but each of the pets took turns laying in her bed whether they fit or not....or maybe they were just trying to add to their bedroom furniture.

[Wendy]

All of mine are co-conspirators and they act more like human siblings than wild pack mates. Greta used to let the cats boss her around, but now she tends to treat them like her personal pets. Every once in a while they pay homage to her by delivering a dazed mouse or by knocking food off of the shelves to share with her.

The other dogs are mostly interested in the contents of the litter box and not so much in the cats themselves.

[Laura]

We used to have a cat that was not only the alpha in our house but on our street. He ruled and even the meanest dog I've ever owned would not mess with Mr. Cat.

There have been only a couple of times that we've had two dogs instead of one. We've also always had cats and dogs and with the exception of Mr. Cat, the animals would co-exist and no true alpha ever emerged for the group. When we've had two dogs there has always been an alpha dog. Sometimes we've had an alpha cat and sometimes not. It all depends on their personalities.

[Almo Nature]

Cats have a natural belief that they are the master race. I've yet to see a dog prepared to challenge that. My dogs Charlie and Becky get along fine with Poppy the cat, but there is a definate respect from them. Poppy will put up with them, if it suits hers. Becky at 13 is the eldest and very much in charge. She does let poppy walk all over her but I think she considers her to be her puppy. Cute but very odd.

[Fliming]

I have natural believe that dogs and humans have always shared very strong social attachments, a dependency bond not commonly found in other human-animal relationship.