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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

My dog killed a cat this afternoon. What now?

278 replies

HarrietSchulenberg · 18/05/2014 21:25

Out with dog this afternoon. Dog off lead in seemingly empty field. Cat jumped up from long grass in front of him and he pounced. Cat didn't really have a chance. It was still alive when I managed to get dog off so wrapped it up and took it to vet who lives locally. Vet just rang to say cat died. Owners on holiday till Tuesday but have been told.

First step is dog is staying on lead at all times. Next step is training classes, will ring when I get home tomorrow eve. What else?

Dog is insured so should be covered for vet costs for cat. Will have bill for him too as he was injured, but still waiting to know how much. Will offer to meet with cat owners, if they want to. Do I need to muzzle him if he's on a lead?

Really shocked at the mo and prob not thinking straight. I've always had cats until recently so I really feel for the owners.

Will be bwck in a while, need to get kids to bed.

OP posts:
Lilcamper · 19/05/2014 16:50

I get very sad when neighbours cats kill the wild birds I try and attract to my garden, I'd never ask the to have them PTS for doing something that they do out of instinct. Confused

fessmess · 19/05/2014 16:52

I'm with painsnail. I love my cats and if a dog did that to one of mine I'd want it put to sleep. It's a dangerous animal if it can't be controlled.

Bellezeboobian · 19/05/2014 16:52

Pain what about if your cat killed my rabbit? I'd be very upset but wouldn't insist on you having your cat put to sleep as I understand this is what animals sometimes do to smaller animals when they happen upon them

fessmess · 19/05/2014 16:53

The difference between cats and wild birds and this incident is the cat was a pet. It makes a huge difference.

fessmess · 19/05/2014 16:54

A rabbit would be in a run or on a lead I assume?

BravePotato · 19/05/2014 16:54

too much hysteria on the thread, IMO.

OP, I think you did the right thing, and IMO it is just an accident.

The idea that a lurcher who goes for small furries would then automatically be a risk to ALL creatures including children is hysteria, and please do not pay attention.

Lurchers in general are not at all aggressive, not a dangerous bread at all (unless you are a small furry creature!).

Cats are killers as much as (or even more so) than dogs, IME. Every year we find dead birds in our garden. And I love my garden birds, and finding an entire nest of house martins killed upsets me.

Still, I accept that that is nature, and realise the cat owners can't do much.

But by the same token, if my lurcher went for that cat in our garden. I'd also accept that as nature (though my lurcher has no prey drive so it is unlikely to happen).

After an incident like this I might use one of this soft cloth muzzles.

Bellezeboobian · 19/05/2014 16:54

My rabbit is a pet

crazyspaniel · 19/05/2014 16:55

Why does it make a huge difference? Because it would involve a human being upset?

Bellezeboobian · 19/05/2014 16:55

fessmess The cat wasn't on a lead or in a run but you're in uproar because it was killed.

Bowlersarm · 19/05/2014 16:56

Thankfully, painsnail and fessmess I can't find anything via google, or having spoken to a dog rescue, where the OP is obliged to have her dog put to sleep for killing a cat on neutral territory. It would be totally unnecessary, and a matter of revenge, pure and simple.

Lilcamper · 19/05/2014 16:58

Maybe if the cat was under control it wouldn't have happened.

OnlyLovers · 19/05/2014 16:58

It's a dangerous animal if it can't be controlled.

fessmess, please read some of the comments that explain why 'it can't be controlled' is not a robust or a very true statement in this scenario.

fessmess · 19/05/2014 16:59

The point I was making was that rabbits are vulnerable so owners make reasonable steps to protect them. A dog that kills IMO is not one to have round pets/children. If a dog killed another dog it'd be PTS?

LtEveDallas · 19/05/2014 16:59

Add message | Report | Message poster fessmess Mon 19-May-14 16:54:22
A rabbit would be in a run or on a lead I assume?

My rabbits are free range, only shut up at night. They are ridiculously easy to train. We have a dog that doesn't chase them at all, and they go in the pen if I have unknown/known chaser dogs round.

Thankfully there is only one cat on our street and it's too scared of MuttDog to try to come in our garden.

Bellezeboobian · 19/05/2014 17:00

Rabbits are vulnerable because they're the prey of dogs, cats and large birds.

Cats are vulnerable because they are the prey of dogs.

Dog v dog would be violence not prey

onedogatoddlerandababy · 19/05/2014 17:01

matilda do you live in a city? I'm always a bit thrown by these dog designated walking spaces, I have never seen one in my life. So, in answer to your question, yes, as soon as we get to the towpath/field/wood we let our spaniel off. (I do check for cyclists/small children/other dogs on lead) She does not have a strong prey drive (has a bloody strong scavenging drive though) and I can call her away/off any dog/cat/bird/duck we see. However, if something feathered or furry springs up in her face (like my cockatiel once did) she instinctively caught it. Luckily for the cockatiel, years of breeding gave her a soft mouth and the bird was spat out, on command, completely unharmed.

And surely public land is there for use by the public for any law abiding purpose, anyone is entitled to use it.

Ps I don't understand the bit about cats killing stuff as a red herring, could you explain more.

Oh, and as child our very cute kitten disappeared on day. We strongly suspected the dogs next door had it. No drama, certainly no baying for dogs to be put to sleep.

LtEveDallas · 19/05/2014 17:01

If a dog killed another dog it'd be PTS?

No, not always. The law has changed recently but there is still enough of a grey area that unless the owner of the dead dog pushes for it, it won't happen.

TheScience · 19/05/2014 17:02

Can't believe some people would want to kill a dog for instinctively going for a small furry animal. Would you kill every dog that ever caught a rat or rabbit too?

I'm afraid its expecting a bit much of an animal to want it to distinguish in a split second between pet/not pet when it comes across a small animal in a field.

SelectAUserName · 19/05/2014 17:04

A dog that kills IMO is not one to have round pets/children.

RTFT. That point has been covered in great detail already.

matildasquared · 19/05/2014 17:09

I certainly don't think the dog should be put to sleep. Haven't said so.

I live in the country so have seen a lot of dog owners in serious denial about their dogs who are "under voice control" in woods and fields. I've been bitten twice whilst out running.

No, I don't see enough spaces designated for dogs. Well, our park has a little penned-in area for kids to play whilst dogs run off-leash over all the fields. So there's that.

And I adore dogs. I hope one day I can have a house with a garden so I can get a collie to run around in.

But there's not much use arguing with entitlement/denial. If existing laws were enforced better, these "unpreventable" tragedies would decrease.

Lilcamper · 19/05/2014 17:11

If you think letting a collie run around a garden is adequate physical and mental stimulation you should never ever get one.

matildasquared · 19/05/2014 17:12

Well, I've already said that dogs should run about in fields so long as they are on leads or under voice control, so there's that.

crazyspaniel · 19/05/2014 17:13

Please don't get collie if you think that it doesn't need off-lead exercise and that running around in a garden will be sufficient. It would be really cruel.

Itsfab · 19/05/2014 17:15

Methe - have you ever had a cat? Cats tend to do their own thing and are often out unsupervised Hmm.

My cat visits a meadow where people walk dogs and I worry about him being near dogs but I can't keep him in and hope for the best.

If this was me I would be devastated and I think a card with an apology would go a way to helping me believe you were sorry and would try your hardest to make sure it did not happen again. Do not bring your dog should you meet with the cat owners.

It cost us around £100 last year for my cat to be cremated and I think offering to pay for it is the minimum you should do tbh.

Lilcamper · 19/05/2014 17:17

We have been trying to explain to you that even in the best trained dog once instinct kicks in voice control goes out the window. They are dogs not robots. ALL dogs need off lead exercise, voice control can never be 100% because they are animals not automatons. So what would you suggest?

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