How to stop my pets from attacking each other
Sudden aggression between pets, such as a dog resource guarding food or a cat attacking a smaller animal, leaves owners scrambling to separate them. This makes homes unsafe for existing pets and often forces owners to face difficult decisions like rehoming.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Keeping bird cages behind closed doorsDid this help you?
- 2Keeping bird enclosures away from cats using glass or plexiglass wallsDid this help you?
- 3Never keeping predators and prey in the same roomDid this help you?
- 4using a crate during high-value food times and when cookingDid this help you?
- 5separating pets when not presentDid this help you?
- 6working with a professional trainerDid this help you?
- 7considering rehoming to a pet-free homeDid this help you?
- 8keeping dogs separatedDid this help you?
- 9using baby gatesDid this help you?
- 10hiring a trainerDid this help you?
- 11rehoming the puppyDid this help you?
- 12Using strict separation with separate crates and separate free timeDid this help you?
- 13Never allowing the dogs together unsupervisedDid this help you?
- 14Considering temporary placement with a trusted family member where the dog would be the only petDid this help you?
- 15Avoiding plush toys shaped like animalsDid this help you?
- 16Actively training the puppyDid this help you?
- 17Teaching boundaries and being consistent with trainingDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Tiggy is the best cat. She is fiercely protective of her territory and her family. She has taught my toddler how to be gentle and has so much patience that it shocks me. I love you Tiggy, please stop fighting.”source ↗
“Apparently, Dust somehow managed to get his hands on the parrot and INHALED HIM.”source ↗
“My mother is coming home at around 5 PM, and I am currently sitting here wondering how exactly I’m supposed to explain that the cat she loves has turned her beloved parrot into a limited edition missing-parts situation.”source ↗
“ALSO HOW TO SURVIVE MY HURRICANE MOM'S WRATH”source ↗
“Unfortunately, she started becoming aggressive toward one of our other dogs around September 2025.”source ↗
“I'm struggling with whether keeping all three dogs here, with significant crate/separation time, is actually a good quality of life for them.”source ↗
“I rescued a large dog three months ago and made the mistake of human food scraps that the dog was eating when the cat ran up to him. He resource guards and pinned and snapped at the cat a few times until I separated them.”source ↗
“Still. I am looking at options for rehoming as the other sub suggested that it will never be safe for my cats. And my cats were here first.”source ↗
“I have fears that giving her the animals may translate to the cats.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 8How to keep a small pet safe from an energetic dog
- 5How to stop a puppy from chasing the cat
- 17How to get strangers to stop petting your dog without asking
- 2How to stop pets from freaking out over wildlife outside the window
- 11How to stop a cat from attacking after bringing home a puppy
- 11How to stop a dog from destroying and eating bedding