The saying "fighting like cats and dogs" had to come from somewhere. But in Janis Cook's experience, the phrase was far from reality. When she brought a service dog into the household that her cat had ruled for years, the Annandale, Virginia, pet owner was pleasantly surprised to see that the dog and cat actually got along well.

"The cat was very cautious for a while," says Cook. "I made sure that the cat could jump away and escape. And the dog was very well trained. There was no problem at all. It just wasn't an issue."

Success, indeed, can happen. How well they get along together will depend on your pet's personality, socialization, and how you prepare it for the addition of a Snoopy or Snowball, say animal behavior experts. Here are some tips on what to consider about your feline before adding a mutt to your hut, as well as advice on how to maintain household harmony if you're set on living with both cats and dogs.

Cats are like potato chips. Stopping at just one isn't easy. On average, cat owners have 2.4 cats, according to the American Pet Product Manufacturer's Association.

"Living with other cats is stimulating and overall a very good thing," says veterinary behaviorist Sharon Crowell-Davis, DVM, professor at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, Athens. "Preconceived ideas about cats being solitary are simply not true. Cats are social and enjoy the company of their own kind. We've shown in our research of feral and stray outdoor cats that they often form complex social groups. They groom one another, pay attention to one another and play together; they wouldn't do that if they were solitary."