Why Do Dogs Chase Cats?

The vast majority of dogs seem to go wild when they see a cat on the street — they run after it to chase it down, and often end up in a fight where the dog usually comes out worse off (depending on size, of course).

This isn't strange behavior — it's simply a primal instinct dogs have, their hunting instinct. If they see a rabbit running through a field, they'll probably chase after it too.

That said, dogs that have lived with cats since puppyhood don't develop this instinct as abruptly or fiercely. Can we do anything to stop our dog from chasing cats? Let's find out.

How to Stop a Dog From Chasing Cats

A dog's hunting instinct is so strong that when it sees a cat in front of it, it can't help but run off to chase it down. No matter how many times we call it, it'll stop hearing us entirely, focused only on the cat.

We can't remove a dog's hunting instinct, but we can strengthen its training so it listens to us and stops. Another option is using distraction techniques, which are also very effective.

To strengthen our dog's obedience, we need to practice obedience exercises daily. We'll ask our dog to sit, and if it does, we'll give it a reward (a dog treat, snack, etc.).

As the days go by, we'll do the same but move further away, so it stays seated waiting for us to come back or call it. Obviously, we'll start by just stepping away a little and then coming back or calling it to give its reward.

Over time and with practice, we'll gradually move further away. This way our dog will learn to obey and trust us. This will really help when it runs off after a cat, since we'll have much better odds of it listening to us and stopping.

The distraction technique involves holding food in your hand while letting the dog sniff it a bit, trying to eat it but not quite managing to. The dog will be so focused on the food in our hand that it won't pay attention to any cat crossing its path.

How to Get a Dog to Live With Cats and Other Animals?

There are training techniques for these cases, but they're somewhat complex, and the best advice we can offer is to see a professional trainer. That said, if our dog is a puppy, we can get it used to living with cats.

It'll be enough to get it used to living with them from puppyhood, letting both sniff each other and play. If the cat doesn't want friends, it'll be enough to teach our puppy to respect the cat.

It's been scientifically proven that dogs that live with other animals since puppyhood are more respectful and tolerant, developing their primal hunting instinct much less.

Is It Dangerous for My Dog to Chase Cats?

Yes, it's actually very dangerous for your dog to chase a cat, and not just for the dog or the cat, but for anyone who crosses their path. When a dog chases a cat, it loses all common sense...

It can run across roads full of cars or jump over other people, potentially causing accidents. Also, if the dog catches the cat, it could obviously bite it to death, or come out badly hurt itself.

And that's not all — the cat will try to defend itself with its claws, causing serious scratches to the dog that could end up causing loss of vision if they hit the eyes, or creating serious infections.

There's nothing more dangerous than a dog out of control, and when it comes to cats, most dogs lose control completely. Don't make the mistake of thinking your dog just wants to play.