On A Serious Note, Why Do Dogs Chase Cats?

Most of us are familiar with many cartoons or books depicting the chase between cat and dog. Usually, the fast feline manages to speedily escape before the doting dog manages to get his paws on it.

Some real-life videos of this occurrence have even made social media, providing many giggles and good entertainment. But what is the actual reason behind this perceived chase? Why do dogs seem to want to chase cats or even other smaller animals?

Research has shown that the reason behind this has to do with two main factors: size and instinct. The fact that cats are smaller makes them a seemingly obtainable target. The other factor is the instinct of our canine companions. The wolf-like instincts in our dogs may come out when faced with a fast-small animal, instigating a zooming chase.

If you observe your dog and cat constantly out for each other, veterinarians advise you to keep a close eye on the two for potential conflict. If you have one of the two and find yourself considering getting the other, then there are various lists available of breeds that are said to get along well. The last thing we would want is for any of our favorite four-legged family members to get hurt, and we should do what we can to stop this from happening.

Although we cannot always completely prevent the chase between different furry faces, with proper research and an observant eye, we can minimize the chance of a fight and keep them both happy!

Feature Image Source: Pixabay