Cats and horses are some of the most loving and loyal animals. They have extraordinarily strong personalities and can be extremely stubborn. Both animals are also smarter than most people assume. With so many characteristics in common, you may wonder, do cats and horses like each other?
Do cats and horses get along? Cats and horses will get along well. They may be a little timid of a new animal at first but as long as neither animal has had bad encounters with each other it should not take long for them to become friends.
You have probably seen one of the many adorable videos of a cat riding on a horse’s back. Cats that grow up around horses will not have a fear of horses unless they have an unfortunate encounter with one; then, they could be a little cautious. Horses are a brilliant and gentle animal. They are good about watching their step and don’t mind if a cat wants to rub on their legs, hitch a ride or even snuggle when a horse lays down.
Are Horses and Cats Related?
No, even though they make quite a cute pair, cats and horses are not closely related. Although, each of their very distant relatives are very distant relatives to each other, horses and cats are still not classified in the same group, or even close to the same group.
- Horses are related to animals ranging from donkeys to zebra, all falling under the Equidae family.
- Another somewhat odd relative to a horse is a rhino, yes you read that right. Rhinos are a distant relative to the horse family.
- Horses are typically considered prey, even though their large stature can help ward off their predators.
- Cats, however, are in the feline family. They are related to all large cat species, everything from tigers and lions to bobcats and cheetahs.
- Cats also have a few distant relatives that you may have heard of: Meerkats, Linsang, Mongoose, African Civet, and quite a few more animals can call themselves cousins to the little house cats.
- Cats are known for their excellent hunting skills and being extremely stealthy, taunting and playing with their prey.
What Do Cats and Horses Have in Common?
Even though cats are predators and horses are prey, they still have a fair number of things in common. Horses are closer to dogs in quite a few ways, but they still share traits with their fellow feline friends. They are both extremely sensitive to things that most humans will miss.
They pick up when something is not right about a person. When a person is wicked or cruel, they can usually sense it. Even though both don’t always act like it, they both need love and companionship. They love their humans. They are both highly intelligent animals.
What Animals Do Horses Get Along With?
Horses can get along with about any animal out there that does not see the horse as prey or might cause the horse harm. You will see horses walking alongside sheep, cows, llamas, other horses, dogs, cats, and the list goes on.
When a horse sees a new animal for the first time, though, it could take a little bit to warm up to it. Understanding it does not mean the horse any harm. Horses are incredibly affectionate animals and will spread that love from humans to animals.
They are very curious and intelligent; they may sniff a new animal and nudge it with its nose before taking off playing with their new friend.
What Animals Do Cats Get Along With?
Cats are usually known as stubborn, smart, and not so loving house pets. While there are many that curl right up into their owner’s lap, cats are usually more of a “you will pet me when I say you can pet me” kind of animal.
Cats are an extremely predatorial animal. They love to hunt and play, which sometimes makes having small prey like animals in the same house difficult. Cats have been known to snuggle up with other furry animals from rabbits to ferrets, even a bird or two.
Even though they can get along, their natural hunting instinct sometimes is too strong, and they will see their housemate as prey. They sometimes fight with other cats to prove dominance. There is still a little hope if you raise your cat with other animals, just be cautious.
How Horses Are Just Like Your Cat and Dog
Horses love to give kisses and greet their humans. They learn tricks just like house pets enjoy a tasty treat and will follow you around and watch you. Horses love unconditionally. Just like your feline and canine friends horses love to do zoomies and prance around even playing fetch and chasing around balls in their fields.
At the end of the day, they may not be able to fit in your house, climb on your bed, lay on the couch with you, and snuggle, but horses are always up for a belly or back scratch. Just like dogs and cats, horses make lifelong companions and need human affection and love.
Horses and cats can become friends with any animal if the circumstances are right. Don’t be surprised to see them playing and snuggle up to their friends. Horses and cats also love very deeply, even if it does not always seem like they do. Horses can learn tricks and know their names.
Did You Know Horses…?
Horses are extremely quick studies, not only do they walk quickly after birth but are usually running around by the end of the day. Their vision is also interesting, having almost 360 peripheral vision making them extremely hard to sneak up on and very aware of their surroundings. Most people tend to find this strange but horses do not need to sleep lying down, in fact they very rarely lay down if at all during the day.
Horses roamed this earth for thousands of years taking knights into battle, helping farmers harvest crops to being the only means of transportation for many. Even though horses have been around for so long unfortunately their life span is only on average around 20 to 25 short years.
Another interesting fact, horses’ hooves are made up of the same things as your hair and fingernails, they also need filed, trimmed and cleaned up. Domestic horses need to
Horseshoes in most cases to help prevent their hooves from wearing down, abnormal growth or injuries. Having horseshoes put on is completely pain there is not nerve ending in hooves. It’s no different than a human getting a pedicure.
Wild horses do not need horseshoes though with their constant movement on softer land the hooves are able to slowly wear down making a smooth surface.
Did You Know Cats…?
Cats are very vocal animals making several different sounds, some even sounding like a baby crying. At about 100 different noises that can come out of your feline friend compared to the roughly 10 sounds man’s best friend can make.
Cats have also been around for thousands of years. Egyptians believed cats would bring good luck to whoever they lived with, after death cats would be buried tombs.
Most people known cats have extremely good night vison, but their hearing is better than a dog. They have been known to almost five times their own height in one leap. If you have ever seen a cat startled, they can launch straight into the air without a running start.
Their whiskers are extremely important to them and should never be removed. They use them as makeshift measuring tape when squeezing through small spaces, which is unfortunate for an overweight cat. Their whiskers are also used to help them move around their surroundings.