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#1
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Do Cats Hunt Squirrels?
Okay, this is what I'm hoping someone more knowledgable on
cat nature can help me with. Do cats normally hunt squirrels? Interestingly, I wondered this out loud to my boyfriend just a few weeks before moving into our new place. Our new house is in an area populated by a TON of squirrels. I wondered what my indoor cat's first reaction would be to this since I expected he would use a doggie door put in for our three dogs to have access to the yard. Would he try to chase the squirrels? So, this afternoon, after doing some yard work, I walk inside to my bedroom cleaning up and preparing to go on a run. I'm standing at my bureau pulling socks out of my drawer and reaching for my sneakers when I see grey fur against the dark green hue of our carpeting. Not really thinking, I thought to myself "I must've dropped some faux fur fabric" and went to pick it up. But before grabbing it I realized it was really a tree squirrel sprawled out lying there dead! Imagine my surprise. It's kinda odd because it was in a location cornered off in our bedroom, not near any doors or windows (no chimmney in our house), the only entrance point being the doggie door on the complete opposite end of the house. I'm thinking one of the animals had to have dragged it in through there, into the bedroom. I determined it had to have been the cat since he was the only animal who seemed to have known it was there and went into the bedroom to look for it, almost checking to make sure it was still there. It just seems so unlikely that this little pudgy indoor cat of mine could be such the quick little hunter to catch a squirrel. If not, it's definitely going to make me rethink this doggie door business or risk making these not-so-cute discoveries on a regular basis. So, I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with their cats hunting squirrels? A. |
#2
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"Alley" wrote in message om... Okay, this is what I'm hoping someone more knowledgable on cat nature can help me with. Do cats normally hunt squirrels? I've never know a cat to catch a squirrel, but I imagine there are those who do. There are a lot of squirrels in my neighborhood and they are feisty little beggars and can be quite nasty. The cats in the area (including my own) do show great interest in them and chase them and on occasions when I've seen mine get to close, the squirrels have actually made moves in her direction, which sent her running. Personally, I think that if a cat and a squirrel ever got into it, there's be a bloody mess and I don't have any idea which of the two would come out on top. As for the "doggie flap", my brother had one installed but took it out not long after. He often came home to a house full of strange cats, and live offerings that his cat had brought in, mice, moles and a few birds flying around. Anyway, I'll be interested in reading peoples experiences when it comes to cats and squirrels. Judy & Matilda. |
#3
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"Alley" wrote in message om... Okay, this is what I'm hoping someone more knowledgable on cat nature can help me with. Do cats normally hunt squirrels? I've never know a cat to catch a squirrel, but I imagine there are those who do. There are a lot of squirrels in my neighborhood and they are feisty little beggars and can be quite nasty. The cats in the area (including my own) do show great interest in them and chase them and on occasions when I've seen mine get to close, the squirrels have actually made moves in her direction, which sent her running. Personally, I think that if a cat and a squirrel ever got into it, there's be a bloody mess and I don't have any idea which of the two would come out on top. As for the "doggie flap", my brother had one installed but took it out not long after. He often came home to a house full of strange cats, and live offerings that his cat had brought in, mice, moles and a few birds flying around. Anyway, I'll be interested in reading peoples experiences when it comes to cats and squirrels. Judy & Matilda. |
#4
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Ally wrote:
So, I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with their cats hunting squirrels? I can't speak for every cat out there, but all of mine have been accomplished hunters. I have received everything from insects to squirrels, and even a few snakes over the years. I would think the squirrels were either young, old or sick for them to have gotten caught, but they did get caught. Once a cat gets hold of one they don't normally make it. :-( |
#5
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Ally wrote:
So, I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with their cats hunting squirrels? I can't speak for every cat out there, but all of mine have been accomplished hunters. I have received everything from insects to squirrels, and even a few snakes over the years. I would think the squirrels were either young, old or sick for them to have gotten caught, but they did get caught. Once a cat gets hold of one they don't normally make it. :-( |
#6
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"Judy" wrote in message ... There are a lot of squirrels in my neighborhood and they are feisty little beggars and can be quite nasty. The cats in the area (including my own) do show great interest in them and chase them and on occasions when I've seen mine get to close, the squirrels have actually made moves in her direction, which sent her running. I still haven't had an opportunity to observe my cat interact with a squirrel (or any other neighborhood cats, for that matter). I've never even seen my cat climb a tree yet. In fact, the b/f and myself joked about the cat probably never even venturing outside our yard because he'd be too disgusted with trying to make it over the fence. Personally, I think that if a cat and a squirrel ever got into it, there's be a bloody mess and I don't have any idea which of the two would come out on top. I also noticed that there were no puncture wounds or blood on the squirrel. I guess it's also possible that perhaps the squirrel died and the cat just dragged in his discovery. As for the "doggie flap", my brother had one installed but took it out not long after. He often came home to a house full of strange cats, and live offerings that his cat had brought in, mice, moles and a few birds flying around. And after today, this has entered my mind, too . Anyway, I'll be interested in reading peoples experiences when it comes to cats and squirrels. Judy & Matilda. Alley |
#7
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"Judy" wrote in message ... There are a lot of squirrels in my neighborhood and they are feisty little beggars and can be quite nasty. The cats in the area (including my own) do show great interest in them and chase them and on occasions when I've seen mine get to close, the squirrels have actually made moves in her direction, which sent her running. I still haven't had an opportunity to observe my cat interact with a squirrel (or any other neighborhood cats, for that matter). I've never even seen my cat climb a tree yet. In fact, the b/f and myself joked about the cat probably never even venturing outside our yard because he'd be too disgusted with trying to make it over the fence. Personally, I think that if a cat and a squirrel ever got into it, there's be a bloody mess and I don't have any idea which of the two would come out on top. I also noticed that there were no puncture wounds or blood on the squirrel. I guess it's also possible that perhaps the squirrel died and the cat just dragged in his discovery. As for the "doggie flap", my brother had one installed but took it out not long after. He often came home to a house full of strange cats, and live offerings that his cat had brought in, mice, moles and a few birds flying around. And after today, this has entered my mind, too . Anyway, I'll be interested in reading peoples experiences when it comes to cats and squirrels. Judy & Matilda. Alley |
#9
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In article ,
led enlightened us with... So, I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with their cats hunting squirrels? Rowan would if I'd let her off her leash. She sure tries. If she had a yard I felt safe to let her wander in, birds, bunnies, and squirrels would be in mortal danger. ------------------------------------------------- ~kaeli~ Jesus saves, Allah protects, and Cthulhu thinks you'd make a nice sandwich. http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace ------------------------------------------------- |
#10
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So, I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with their
cats hunting squirrels? The squirrels love to sit on the back fence and taunt the cats and make them chase them. The squirrels have much better footing on the top of the fence and sometiimes the cats fall off into the blackberry bushes. Even though the cats never win, both they and the squirrels seem to enjoy the game. When the cats get too close the squirrels jump off onto a tree and yell at the cats from there. However, in the front yard, where there is an oak tree, the squirells have free reign to the yard to gather and bury the acorns and the cats just watch them and never chase them. |
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