I'm just sick! It's ultimately also a matter of personal comfort, some owners let small dogs play with large dogs, others prefer keeping them separated for fear of injury. It could be he also thought this was an animal that was invading his property and failed to recognize it was your cat. My 1.5 year old female golden retriever/Yellow lab mix killed our beloved male indoor cat "Oscar" who was 4 years old. My Dog Attacked My Cat! We also texted the owners about it as they didn’t answer the calls to talk about how they killed our cat and the owner just said ‘it’s in their nature to kill cats’ and I don’t agree with that at all fin it was an ancident then the dogs would feel remorse but the fact is that they did it again and again so now animal control is being called on them and I can only hope that the dogs are put down completely and not just given up for adoption. Now the cat is buried in the back yard and the dog is at the pound waiting to get adopted. Again, we must consider instinct. This time she seems really lethargic and out of it. If the dogs were wild, they can carry diseases and can easily injure a cat. Answer: It's unfortunate, but things can get quite challenging when we put together dogs and cats that are not perceived as part of the "family." My brother came over and we rushed Leroy to the vet he was laterally recumbent with superficial scrapes on the head with superficial pain. 2-3 months later, we were preparing to go on vacation and ran out of the house to get a few things. My dog is quick and nimble, thus when playing the Shepard is no match. There had been a few territorial skirmishes throughout with different animals vs another and my dog, bless his heart, tried to not get involved with any of it, sticking by my side all the time. My brother shot at the dog with an air soft gun and it hasn't come back since, but if it does, I don't care. Dogs and cats as animals can be unpredictable at times. My other cat “disappeared” when people were using cats for bait for dog fighting in the area. Regardless, we don't put cats to sleep for killing mice (even if the mice were cherished pets) and the dynamics are similar. We thought wrong. Question: My dog killed a cat that was in my garden, it was barking at the cat and the cat was defending itself but hissing and going to scratch my dog. Sending my condolences. my friend’s kitten got mauled by her dogs, it’s ribs were broken and then they peed all over her. I don't know how to heal. She was asleep. And when the kitten got running around the house, he probably resembled one. I now don't know what to do cause I also have 4 kids which 2 are under 5. A momma cat (a stray) had made her nest under the corner of my neighbors house. As much as one was attached to the cat, blaming a dog for acting out of instinct is not helpful. Many thoughts may go through the dog owner's mind, such as, "Why did my dog do this? My two current dogs are secure in my garden, but any cat that comes into my garden they would give chase & I am sure the pack element would kick in if they caught it. Now I'm afraid that he may do it again and given that there are still many cats outside unsupervised I don't know what to do. Humans tend to have. I am sorry but unfortunately I cannot predict how your dog may react to cats or kids and the cat chasing behavior may or may not be related to the recent dog bite. Of course, it gets harder when losses happen in such traumatic ways as dogs killing a cat. I have to also heal with my daughter. We rescued each one of these cats and raised them from when they were a few weeks old. I'd probably do the same thing if a cat attacked my dog, especially since my dog has the size and really hates cats so the cat would probably be bitten in half if I didn't break it up quickly. She also did this once last year and we put it down to the fact that she may have been frightened by something and was on the lead. The dog crushed her leg so badly we had to do the best decision and put her down.. it was a devestating day.miss her terribly. My poor cat dusti got attacked by a labradoodle that escaped from there front door. If this is the only issue, it's always possible to re-home in a home with no cats and responsible dog owners. They've turned into a "pack" and now, with this indoor kill, I'm afraid for the remaining kitty, the small dog, and of course my 11 y/old granddaughter... All four dogs wrestle, but in any one instance, if the small dog makes a certain sound, isn't it possible for the large dogs to experience this predatory drift, attack & kill the small dog? she constantly targeted my rabbit and i kept them separated until one day the inevitable happened and she slipped out of her collar and bolted to the rabbit who was playing in his new playpen and crushed him to death. By the time we arrived at the shelter it was dark, and all the animals had been fed and bedded down. Because of this article, I did not punish or ignore the dog when I got home. I’ve been telling her no and it has been working. The friend who was caring for Luka brought him to us and he immediately looked at Susan and me as if to say “it’s dark and lonely here, won’t you please take me home?” We walked him to the cat area and even got a couple of cats out to see how he’d respond; Luka was more interested in me than the cat. ,,my wee dog 2months ago stared eating his way out of his house Evey day I would fix his house next day he would eat throw it again 2 times i have come home an he got out an was hunging off my sheep's leg an there was blood, one sheep died ,a week later he did it again ,an then one night I didn't mean to locked him out side an he eat throw my back door ,so Iam thinking it was him my other dog has never killed. It could be that now she didn't have the hormone shift and therefore her attitude towards them changed. Not Helpful 1 Helpful 5. Behaviorists call predatory killing "the quiet bite" because it's not done out of rage. Would this happen to MY cat hypothetically i would revenge it the same moment. It could be that she allowed the kittens to nurse when she was undergoing a false pregnancy. It's a pleasurable feeling a cat that kills a mouse must feel or a primate peeling a ripe banana must feel. Most of all, people who defend a dog (which is aware of what it does - crossing the territories etc) that killed a cat/human, are the lowest on the human scale! my friend and her family are devastated as they’ve only had the kitten for 2/3 weeks. I don't want to give him up but my heart is shattered into pieces and this keeps happening. I have three dogs and one just killed a neighbours cat. Let's take a brief look at how predatory behavior works. I assume that they killed my cat. And he can handle the dog. I'll wait. She already had several house cats & a small breed Chihuahua mix. Over time my dog would shy away from interacting with the cat, even passing by in a hallway my dog would stop until the cat himself moved. Anyway, I keep him completely separated from my precious kitten and always will. We have left our 3 fur babies in the past without any issues, vacations - all day ... they slept together and respected their place in the household. It is truly insane. We thought maybe she was sick and that this incident was a fluke. Thank God the cat was ok but now I can't get near the dog. I can't quite look at my dog the same now. She is a Past-President of the American Association of Feline Practitioners and the Maryland Veterinary Medical Association. My dog killed a kitten. I recently had an incident where my dog had injured my older very frail cat to the point where I had to put the cat down. A cat doesn't fall from a height like that often so in this context your dog may have acted too impulsively. Out of no where really. He also bit my sisters baby son when he was 2-3 and I wanted to kill him over that. We have a very large fenced yard. To fully understand predatory behavior in dogs all we need to do is to go back in ancient times when the dog's ancestors didn't depend on humans for food as dogs do today. If your dog is chasing and killing animals and you are concerned about potential future harm, please seek the aid of a behavior professional for proper assessment and management options. It must feel devastating. She was caught almost able to climb out of the back yard before she was snatched just before i could body shield her while she got up. For example, if a cat spots a bird sitting in a tree, it is stimulated but unable to catch the bird, thereby redirects its aggression on an owner or pet in the home. Adrienne Farricelli (author) on September 25, 2017: Raquel, I wouldn't call him a disturbed dog just as we don't call a cat a disturbed cat for killing mice. All that we can do is be proactive and take these episodes as learning lessons to prevent future accidents from happening. We have tired to clean it, but nothing is seeming to work. I also despise over-population of people and dogs (of course cats should be neutered as well by general basis). She has been doing super well. The cat she got was the social butterfly who’s always out and about. Yesterday, after someone in the house left the kitchen door open (to the living room & the large dogs), her beloved Isis cat was killed by the "pack" of dogs. They have lived together harmoniously for 10 years so I'm baffled and so upset. The cat began attacking my dog multiple times. Many dogs will chase unknown cats if they are in their yards. I really ran. Also,, don't wear yellow or orange in the ocean. I tried to get the dogs off and could only manage one off but to no use it just went back. Nowadays people have dogs inside their house with their two year old babies. I can't keep the kittens away from the dog forever. It's unjust to consider a dog killing a cat as a type of murder. She is not aggressive and only wants to play. There may be many different causes for this behavior. In a household with dogs who have gotten well along with cats before, one must consider if there were any recent changes that could have caused stress. By the same logic as this article gives, dogs who kill small children who run should be forgiven also. My puppy is 11 weeks old. I want the dog euthanized. Death can result from the crushing of various internal organs caused by the bite or from dislocation and fracture of vertebrae caused by the shaking.This can happen rapidly, and even the presence of humans who try to quickly interfere can be inadequate. What helped is hearing other people went through the same grief and I dont feel so alone. It sucks, but it's a part of life. Does the dog sence that there is something wrong with the cat? My brother has a large aggressive german Shepard and he thinks its cool when he kills a cat. My cat just got attacked and his mouth … Luka wanted that resource-the treat- I’d just offered to the cat, and in a split second he jumped up, charged over my leg and had his mouth on Paddy who had sprung into retreat mode with wails seemingly of anger, fear and possibly pain. In general, bites can easily become infected especially if there is a puncture, and if large, may require stitches. Question: My puppy is almost two months old. Reminds me of my dog who has never attacked our chickens or baby chicks, but one day a bird had entered our home and in a panic flew right down the chandelier and my dog lunged up to catch it with his mouth instantenously killing the bird. What do I do. When a neighbor's dog attacked 4 year old Jeremy, the family cat, Tara, took action. Dogs remain instinctive beings who don't abide to our moral values as we humans may do sometimes. Community Answer. Please help me, Scuffy my small dog has been attacked by a cat and can’t move her legs…shaking and crying. Horrific day I will never forget on April 01, 2017: My male dog killed my cat this morning while I tried to pull him off of her. If dogs aren't exercised enough, their pent-up energy may lead to pestering the cat which could lead to predatory drift. I've watched my dogs engage in pack behavior when a neighbor's cat comes into the yard. I can't be in 24 hours of the day to keep a eye on them due to school runs and shopping. Mom cqt is miserable and idk what to do with my dog or dogs. You and your mom need to take some steps to stop your cat from cornering and terrorizing the dog. Why is that response to a dog killing my cat drastic? Punishing your dog for attacking your cat serves only to heighten his aggressive behavior and prompts him to associate your cat, not his attack, with something bad. You might find it surprising that many Feline Docs like and have dogs! Predatory drive follows a precise sequence that scientists call a "fixed action pattern." The two use to lay next to each other. The cat is ok, a little freaked out, and now sequestered in the study while we arrange to send the dog back to the rescue. The article mentioned dissecting the animal. Like the cats may be so aroused that they startle when the dog intervenes and scratch the dog or jump on him. Either one of the two would earn them a bullet from my gun. heeling on leash, versus chasing). Like i said i have 6 cats. Why why. I want to help her get that dopamine rush. Will my cats be at risk now too? And the one person writing about low IQ? One cat ate two of my fish. He's been really good except on maybe three occasions when he attacked first out of nowhere and that's only been since we've added the two new cats. I was mostly angry because of the pants, and that i had to run to the hospital for testing. Did the cat come too close to a resource? he died shortly after in my arms. Animal control or a local humane society may lend you one. In a similar fashion, just because us humans kill animals and eat their meat, doesn't mean we would hurt our pets or other humans. Gillian Guthrie. It’s not yours? A dog may also be chasing a cat out of his perceived territory and then predatory instinct may take over. There is nothing positive about dogs; The barking, (ESPECIALLY annoying with mental retarded owners who do not raise/teach the dog well, there are many of those here in Hellas), the smell, that angry attitude facial of the dog, that facial drooling look when hunting a cat, for example, maniacally. I would suggest always supervising al interactions between cats and dogs, and with your poodle's recent history, separated her from any kittens. They would just be sitting there and the dog would try attacking. For safety, no cats or kids should ever be around your dog unsupervised, and they should never be allowed to do things a dog might not like, regardless of whether there was a recent attack or not, regardless of breed, regardless of how long the dog has been owned, regardless of size. How naive can you people be? I personally would put the dog responsible down (they believe it was their jug dog as it’s part jack russell whom are aggressive in nature). The water dish that was in the way exploded into dozens of shards and projectiles as I scrambled and screamed to break up the interaction. If you don’t want your dogs to kill your cats, perhaps you should own one or the other or be responsible pet owners and separate your animals that could potentially be dangerous to your other ones, don’t play god and decide they should die because they have acted on a natural instinct! The fact your dog is eager to chase a ball or shake a toy is because of this drive. You spot them really. do u think they premeditated to murder a kitten, its instinct. Great article defending dogs. I then heard a kitten's frantic voice (like they do when they are shaken). Got to love the stupid pit hate comments when the article has nothing whatsoever to do with breeds -- You people are IDIOTS. I read this because my dog chases my brothers cat all the time but never manages to catch it. Sometimes, cats and dogs may be playing, when predatory drift, a phenomenon where a dog's predatory instinct is suddenly turned on, may take effect. WHY do dogs go INTO the houses and search and kill a kitten!? My granddaughter's cat had kittens and my poodle killed them. I know its not his fault. I love my dog and I was upset, I really did love the kitten a lot. A dog might be upset for whatever reason, their chew toy being lost, a rainy day, too much noise, etc. He has also attacked another dog before and is known to be very aggressive with strangers and even my family... I’m too scared to take my dog to a trainer with the fear of my dog attacking them and my parents want him to be put down... What should I do? According to the American Veterinary Medical Association in 2011, 36.4% of dog owners in the US also own a cat, while 46.7% of cat owners also own a dog! Note that a lot of dog owners have about 30 IQ sadly. The best way to prevent dogs from attacking cats is undoubtedly an early education. Our rescue dog that we have had for 3 years now has taken to aggressively running at, barking at and has now attacked a smaller dog. Sometimes dog owners are so distraught by the whole experience, they feel like they own a monster and even consider giving up their dog or, in some severe cases, even putting him down. Thank you so much. Adrienne Farricelli (author) on February 19, 2020: John, the idea of putting a dog down for killing a cat is simply absurd. They follow his lead and he liked cats as a pup but something changed when he reached full maturity. Edwardekirk@btinternet.com on March 13, 2017: My jack russell is wanting to harm my new puppy. // Just last week, one of the dogs attacked my granddaughter who just happened to be sitting on the couch spot where one of (most outwardly aggressive) the dogs liked to sleep. Always be around when cats and dogs are together. We decided to get a place together after a year and a half of dating. Below are all the interpretations and all the meanings of what you have dreamed about. Luka and Paddy are learning, and there’s a lesson in that for us, too. Two dogs belonging to one family, attacked and killed a cat, belonging to a neighbor, Linda Gallant. or leave? I don't know if she killed this kitten, or if it died another way, but she was eating it! I tried holding them down while the cat ran for it but they broke loose anyways. The only ones i remember was a mom and her kittens. It was my off day from sitting the Shepard and I was sitting having my coffee, and noticed the shepard was outside of her house, with another dog Trying to get under the house. my cat was attacked by one of our neighbors dogs. Shaking is typical predatory behavior meant to quickly finish up their prey. Sharon, I am so sorry for your lost. I actually felt the same way when my friend told me that a kitten I gave her was killed by a neighbor's pack of Cirneco dell' Etna hunting dogs. It still haunts me that in that moment i could do nothing. They have multiple cats who are always outside without any supervision, often coming to our yard and eating their food. Dog attacks toward people were almost unheard of when dogs were kept in their place decades ago, in a dog house, outside. I’m convinced Adaptil® pheromone collars and plug in diffusers have done a little more, and with time, patience and avoidance of trigger situations (a calming cap to cover his eyes while riding in the car was quite helpful) plus anti-anxiety medication, I was starting to feel pretty good about the progress in the dog and cats’ relationship. She received her DVM from Kansas State University (go, Cats! Building on her clinical cat commitments and organizational passions, she serves as the Executive Director of CATalyst Council, a not-for-profit coalition of organizations and individuals committed to changing the way society cares for cats, “Promoting the Power of Purr…” across veterinary, sheltering, and public/civic communities. But I had to keep reminding myself that they are not people. We will take a closer look at some potential causes and tips on how to deal with the situation to prevent this from happening again. Well tonight my kitten instigated playtime and my dog got down in the floor and played with him gently. The best thing to do would be to take him to a vet to have X-rays done. This is the second time I two months he has attacked her. We recently adopted a senior dog. They've developed a strong pack mentality the Alpha being my German Shepherd. My daughter loves her big dogs but I'm totally freaked out by this behavior. You are not alone. Anthropomorphizing and placing human values on animals. Dogs bit my cat on her abdomen. My miniature German Shepard was attacked by my cat. Chances are, he knows your cats well enough and has accepted them for a long time, that it would never come into his mind to harm them. I put a lot of effort though to protect them and train my dogs to accept them. No matter how well they seem to "get on" they aren't the same species and don't have the same instincts in regard to interacting with each other like 2 dogs raised together would. The dogs and the sharks are not (flagrantly) criminal minded or deliberately sadistic. It's pure instinct and what's wrong in our eyes isn't wrong for them. Any other time in the house she is fine with the cats and ignore them or anything even lay on couch or bed with them, but the cats can’t be around me or she gets mean. And while the chapter of needing a hypoallergenic pet was closed and I’d had only cats for several years, my memories of Charley at that age made me ask more. Is it a normal part of her instinct to take care of her herd, or could it potentially lead to more aggressive behavior towards the cats? Instead, it's important to prevent rehearsal of these behaviors (keep dog in fenced area, prevent access to animals) and train alternate behaviors (eg. I was so angry I wanted to kill both dogs. I'm very worried. ", "Predatory aggression by a dog does not reflect a psychological problem and neither is the perpetrator vicious, malicious or vindictive.". Its dead. My dogs killed her. What should I do. To play it safe, when we are out, kitties are closed in our large room and dogs in another. Adrienne Farricelli (author) on April 17, 2017: Theresa, it is very difficult to predict how animals may behave at times, and I really cannot tell you whether the Shepherd's relationship with your terrier will ever deteriorate to such a point as to becoming concerning. It's effin nature. I don't know what to do. I agree with Carolyn. As more time passed, my dog would become more aggressive toward the cat if he attacked or swatted at him. I did find her behind the tv resting and i gave her some water. Only time can heal. I found her a new home with a family who did not have cats or small children and re-homed her. My (mixed breed) dog grew up with my 3 cats, I’d never have trusted her alone with them otherwise (she’s very prey driven and very hyperactive). All cats were mixed, and the dogs were a golden retriever, cavalier king charles spaniel, hound/rottweiler, and now a shiba inu. Ed. This cat I raised and was a very good and well trained cat. However, other than rage, there may be other feelings going on. It would have been interesting to know if your dog shook the cat with his head side-to-side which is more in compliance with instinctual prey drive. Go ahead and roll your eyes and get that huffing and puffing over with. It could have been a lot worse. As a cat lover, I would have felt devastated if my dogs ever hurt my precious kitties. This was an interesting article, and I will warn my neighbor again about her cat crossing into a yard where a pack lives. Best thing we can do to avoid such unnecessary attacks (and deaths) is to (number one) do NOT let your cat wander astray,, outdoors,, and (number two) do NOT you yourself (or allow your loved ones to) swim ALONE in the ocean,, especially if it's early in the morning or right around dusk (and especially if you have an open cut on your skin). There has never been a fuss. What was also the horrible part is that they were scared id find out and report it so they disposed of cat themselves without letting me take him to the vet for cremation. My dog just killed my kitten that was only a few months old. The dog somehow entered our yard and attacked our cat. As humans we may feel the same way when we catch many fish or go on a grocery shopping spree. and he will do it again ? It took a week for her to get used to him and finally she turned for the better and started playing with him slept with him cuddled him and groomed him. My wife stopped me but I can’t look at these dogs and not want to hurt them for the suffering my cat went through what can I do so I don’t kill or injure these dogs ? You have no idea how torn i feel now between the love and anger for these two. We do have another cat but he generally doesn't run very frequently. Did the cat come in your dog's property? Funny thing, no coyote has come within a mile of my property since I put up my new scarecoyote. When i reached the gate and opened it, all i saw was one of the dog carrying the dead kitten out of the gate. Animals are unpredictable, all of them. It took us 30mins to coax him out of hiding, now he seems sore near one of his hind legs/ pelvis, there is no visible marks on him except tiny puncture shaped scratch which we have cleaned and put antiseptic cream on. Ask many dog owners, and most likely all will have a story of their dogs finding a dead squirrel or some other animal carcass and eating it.