FAQ: Do Pot Belly Pigs Get Along With Children and Other Pets?

Pot belly pigs tend to get along great with cats. Photo courtesy of: DogBreedInfo.com

If you are thinking about buying a pot belly pig, but have other pets and/or children, it would be wise to read the following information before you make your final decision to add a new member to your family.

Pot belly pigs and children: Pot belly pigs and children do not always mesh well together. Since pot belly pigs are herd animals they have the natural need to establish dominance over who or what they see as weak, which may translate into your small child. If your pig attempts to become the “dominant” pig of the house, he or she may be more stubborn when it comes time for training. Also, small children have a tendency to hit or mistreat pets because they think it’s playing and they don’t know any better. Some pets can handle this, but pot belly pigs cannot. Pigs are highly intelligent and they will remember that your child hit them, which could definitely ruin a chance of a future relationship, not to mention that they will likely not listen or obey that person.

Pot belly pigs and dogs: Since dogs are natural predators and pigs are their natural prey, this relationship does work well. It is not recommended to have both a pot belly pig and a dog in the same household, but if you must, never leave the two alone together. There are many stories of pot belly pigs getting killed by dogs, whether it was a neighbor’s dog or a situation where the pot belly pig and the dog lived together for years. If you have both a pot belly pig and a dog, never feed them together in the same room. Most disputes between a pot belly pig and dog are over food, and although the pot belly pig may initiate the fight, the dog will always be the winner.

Pot belly pigs and cats: Most of the time pot belly pigs and cats get along great. If they were raised together, you won’t have any problems, cats usually love pot belly pigs and pot belly pigs could either care less about the cat or they could become great companions. If the cat and the pot belly pig were not raised together, the cat may be frightened by the pot belly pig at first, but he or she will be curious and eventually warm up to the pig. If you must have any other pet and a pot belly pig, a cat would be the best choice.

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