Dog just killed a kitten

Sulla Felix

I feel awful.
We live in the country and there's always a few cats around, semi-feral. Dog is a westie and she was reared with a housecat we had that since died of old age, so while she'll chase the cats, it's always seemed more playful than anything else. For example, chase them, they jump on a picnic table that she's able to get onto as well, but she just wanders off after that, kind of thing.
Anyway, just heard a scream and it was my mam that the dog had a kitten. I came running out and when the dog saw me, dropped it and scarpered. Had hoped to save it, but the little tyke is gone.
She's never done this before, that we know of. We don't even get mice and rats brought in by her. She's getting on in years, nine this year. Should I be worried she's getting more agressive in her old age?

DBB

Jayney op, having known many a westie, I'd be very surprised if a westie didn't kill a small, hairy creature that's running away from them, it's absolutely hard-wired into them.
Dogs don't return with their kill that often, so just because you haven't seen her with dead rodents does not mean she hasn't dispatched quite a few!
It's really unpleasant, I know, but it's unlikely that this signifies an increase in aggression... It is absolutely innate to terriers to do what she did, no matter what age they are.
That said, at her age you could do worse than get her a vet check-up aimed at the ageing dog. 9 is still young enough for a Westie, but they are very prone to developing various health conditions when they get to the 10-ish mark. Annual checks are really important from now on, particularly checking for diabetes, kidney and liver problems, and Westie Lung.

boomerang

I wouldn't blame her, she's just doing what many a terrier will do instinctually, and it's likely the kitten didn't suffer. And I say that as a cat lover. It happened to my auntie before, with her old Jack Russell. I know it's very traumatic but it does happen. Please don't let it colour how you feel about your dog. xxx

NUTZZ

Sulla Felix wrote: »

Should I be worried she's getting more agressive in her old age?

Not at all, a dog will always do this when presented with an opportunity, it's their basic instinct.

Our Labrador is raised on a farm also, most of the time he's terrified of cats, he'll chase them but if they stop and face him down he's a coward! He still had no problem dispatching 3 stray kittens that were born in our hay shed in a matter of seconds.

mitosis

Interesting. When a dog attacks a human it's the owner at fault. When it attacks another animal it's the dog's natural behaviour. This really is a confusing board.

OP, it was the natural behaviour of an animal. That's all. I wouldn't worry about it. At all.

DBB

mitosis wrote: »

Interesting. When a dog attacks a human it's the owner at fault. When it attacks another animal it's the dog's natural behaviour. This really is a confusing board.

What a ridiculous, untrue statement. Trying to compare apples to oranges tends to come across that way though!

SillyMangoX

I know how you feel OP, my neighbors old dog killed one of the farm cats up the road from us, she was just after having kittens and jumped on the dog as he was running past, trying to defend her babies. One bite and she was gone but this is a dog who had been raised with cats and was known to have cats cuddled up and grooming him. Just an unfortunate event! As others have said many dogs just have that prey drive hard wired into them, I wouldn't say it meant that any aggression is developing!

aonb

My 15 year old JRT has a 'red haze' when it comes to cats/anything furry. He killed a feral kitten as it tried to run up a tree recently (sigh) - instinct in a terrier OP, as someone else said, not nice to see but dont let it affect how you feel about your westie

Sulla Felix

Thanks for all the kind words and advice. Guess it just shook me.

kylith

mitosis wrote: »

Interesting. When a dog attacks a human it's the owner at fault. When it attacks another animal it's the dog's natural behaviour. This really is a confusing board.

Because very, very few breeds have been bred to be aggressive to people whereas many breeds have been bred to instinctively kill other animals such as rabbits or vermin.

Sulla Felix wrote: »

Thanks for all the kind words and advice. Guess it just shook me.

That's understandable. All you can do is try limit his access to cats he doesn't know. Some dogs will attack strange cats, but are ok with cats they know are part of the family.

IvySlayer

My westie has killed hedgehogs, they do have high prey drives. They will run after and kill things, it's just what they instinctively do