Dogs and cats - Why is it ok for cats to kill things for fun?

[Princess Poppycock]

Once most dogs taste blood it's all over.

Myth, myth, myth. Many dogs are raw fed, some even on a pray model. In fact until about the mid 50's, ALL dogs were fed some version of this as the dog food industry hadn't become the multi million dollar industry it is now. This doesn't tun them into bloodthirsty killers.​

 

[PamB]

I have indoor cats because I cannot expect my cats to stay on our property. I also have a dog. My yard is not fenced because it is over five acres. My dog goes outside on a leash only! I have neighbor dogs that are let outside and expected to not leave the yard. Well, of course, I find them in my yard often. They are nice dogs, but I still am very bothered by the fact that people think it is ok to let their dogs and cats roam around like that. My pets are my responsibility to keep on MY property....I wish everyone felt that way.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

If you want to let your dogs out on a leesh you need to train them to stay in YOUR yard. Someone one works for my dad lets his dog roam, the dig is not fixed or anything. He harrasses the female dogs, and pretty does whatever he wants. Thankfully he hasnt bothered the birds yet (at least I havent seen him) but I still dont like the idea he roams.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

@PamB, if you have a large yard it seems almost unfair to keep a dog tied up all the time. My dogs were very easy to train to stay in the yard, and having them fixed helps too.

 

[kla37]

Dogs are trainable, cats pretty much aren't.

 

[ZuulLanceMaster]

Well, I have a cat. he's a great hunter. he takes down about 1 rodent per week, average. Now, I HATE it when he gets birds, anything w/scales or rabbits!

but cats are cats. ya can't usually train 'em. when he was a kitten he showed an interest in my chickens, but a few pecks taught him to stay away.

i could understand if if a cat killed one of my chickens, but I must say, i would be MAD if someone's DOG killed one of my chickens!

you can train dogs and keep them away from other people's houses!

 

[ZuulLanceMaster]

Quote:

Myth, myth, myth. Many dogs are raw fed, some even on a pray model. In fact until about the mid 50's, ALL dogs were fed some version of this as the dog food industry hadn't become the multi million dollar industry it is now. This doesn't tun them into bloodthirsty killers.

I think it depends on the breed.

 

[Beekissed]

I've actually trained my cats to chase chickens.

Every chicken that gets out of the perimeter fencing and into my front yard is considered fair game for games. They wouldn't and have not ever actually tried to seriously catch one...but they do have great fun rounding them up and back into the safety of the back yard. When a bird jumps the fence, I call the cats and tell them to "put er back in" and watch with great amusement when they actually DO it!

I've trained my cats to recognize that the chickens are mine and they are only allowed to interact with them on a very harmless level. When I tell them to "leave it" they will respond immediately. I often wonder just what I could train them to do if I really worked at it.

I trained the younger one on the new chicks with one correction....he never attempted to catch them again.

 

[ChickenCat]

My yard is fenced to keep my dogs in..... The chickens free range in the pasture. When the chickens fly into the yard at treat time, my dogs don't bother them, IF we are home. If we're gone at that time, dead chicken. I would love to have a cat but my dogs are destroyers of feral cats that come into the yard. We live in the country and know for a fact they are not domestic cats.
There was a HUGE black cat and several other smaller cats roaming back in the winter.. til the coyotes moved back in. We have a cycle here, we will have a few feral cats, rabbits, skunks, possum staart showing up. Next the coyotes move in, no more small game. Wait a year, small game comes back, coyotes come back, wipe out again, coyotes move out. This is a cycle we've monitored for 10 years. I'm extremely lucky in that I've never had a free range chicken taken by coyote. (Hope I didn't jinx myself).

 

[ZuulLanceMaster]

Quote:
Haha! GREAT! I once had a cat w/oposable thumbs! she was very sweet and SOOO intelligent! she found out that if she pushed the button on the answering machine in my parent's room (the one that goes: at the sound of the tone.... bla bla bla) mom & dad would put her outside! BIIGG mistake!