One of my clients has two cats and she just got an Italian Greyhound puppy. She's been busily teaching the puppy not to chase the cats and rewarding the cats for not swatting out one of the puppy's eyes when they correct him. What she didn't plan on was the cats teaching the puppy to kill lizards in her yard. You see, her cats are the consummate predators. Both of them have numerous kills on record, having brought down everything from birds and mice to lizards and snakes. Her cats often eat at least part of what they catch before bringing the rest indoors. Occasionally, however, they bring their entire prize inside, causing my client an inordinate amount of anxiety. Yesterday, she saw one cat catch a bird and stun it, taking it back to the other cat and the puppy. Her precious puppy got in on the action, catching the bird as it tried to flap away. She was horrified. I was actually pleased to hear this. It means the cats are accepting that puppy as their own. My client indicated I had some explaining to do and that I should do so while she found a cold compress for her head and a cocktail for her hand. So, if you, too, live with predators in your own home, here's what's happening.
Cats are hunters. While we may like to think of cats as being domesticated, they really aren't that far removed from wild cat species. It is instinctual to hunt, capture, and kill prey for nourishment and enjoyment. Cats hunt for themselves and they hunt for their kittens, or sometimes for other close family members, including you, their beloved human. Whether your cat is bringing you these prey items to share, to thank you for your love (and the easily gotten food you provide), or simply to get your attention since you freak out when they do, is all within the realm of possibility. I'm a firm believer that cats put the half-eaten goodies they find on your bed as a reminder of their prowess and because they want to finish what they killed in a comfy spot. One client even told me that she trades her cat a treat or a toy if he'll give up whatever he's caught before he kills it. That cat has it made! He can hunt to his heart's content and his owner will reward him for doing so!
If you really don't want your cat killing prey in your yard or their neighborhood, then don't let them out unattended. Watch your cat in your yard and/or walk them on a leash. If your cat loves being outdoors, provide them with a safe enclosure in your yard to hang out in. Outfit the enclosure with perches and things to do, but keeping your cat enclosed, even when outside, means they won't be able to hunt anything other that unsuspecting insects that fly into that enclosure. Personally, I feel like those bugs are on their own. Keep indoor cats busy with puzzle feeder toys, fishing pole lure/wand toys to chase, and remote control bugs to chase and "kill." And, yes, they do need an outlet for their natural, hunting behavior.
Dogs can be predatory too, with some breeds being much more into the hunt than others. It's why you shouldn't keep bunnies or guinea pigs if you also own whippets or greyhounds! Siberian Huskies can be quite predatory as well. But even Ozzie loves to chase squirrels, birds, and the occasional rat that runs through our yard. It's in his nature, as it is with every dog, to chase after things that move. I honestly don't know what Ozzie would do if he caught something he was chasing, but I do know what Cinderella, our Labrador did. She caught everything from quail to snakes, and grabbed the tail feathers right off of a pheasant as it tried to take off quickly to get away from her. Cinderella loved the hunt and the kill, but whatever she killed she left for me to clean up. Sometimes with a shovel and often with a hose.
So what about my client's Italian Greyhound puppy? Well puppies (and dogs) are observational learners. Her puppy, who by the way is already breed predisposed to wanting to chase after moving prey, will definitely be taking notes on hunting strategies from her cats, particularly since her cats are clearly including him in these lessons. Rather than making herself anxious and her pets neurotic, better to embrace the little hunters she shares her home with. While I did suggest she get rid of the bird feeder in her back yard as that seemed unfair, I think that anything else that wanders into her yard is fair game. She can add an outdoor enclosure for her cats, but her dog will still be out there using the yard and chasing birds, bugs, lizards etc. She certainly will not be able to curb or suppress her dog's natural instincts anyway, so why bother? It may just be me, but I feel like in this case, we just need to let cats (and dogs) be themselves. Unless it's a skunk in the yard and then that's off limits. And a story for another time.
As always, if you have questions about your pet's behavior, you know where to find me.
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