Pit Bulls Killed My Cat

[DougGuy]

I HATE to even write this, but I am rather unexpectedly mourning the loss of the cat. She had only recently came to live here, a stray, she "picked" me as her hoomin, everytime I would step outside she would come running, happy to see me. She was intelligent, I let her in the house once and she systematically went through every nook and crevice of the room, I didn't immediately bring her inside because I think she would be meowing at night wanting outside.

She was VERY protective of her newly claimed turf. She would chase off all the other cats (we have a feral colony here that have been spayed/neutered) and I think she would have been a fearsome hunter if she had grown up into adulthood. She was about 9mo old, and skin and bone when she came here so I fed her up good, and made an appointment to get her spayed.

Yesterday I had real bad insomnia over going to look at a new jobsite and couldn't sleep. Brain would not quit coming up with useless stuff to wonder about. Damn the luck. I finally got to sleep about 5am and the neighbor calls at 6:15 saying the dogs are chasing the cat. I WISH she would have called a few minutes earlier, unknown to her, they caught the cat and killed it, left it laying there. They did not eat the cat, they killed it for sport. Two all black pit bulls, one with docked tail one without. Once they chased the cat up a tree, they went and hid in my yard until the cat thinking they were gone, came down and they pounced on her. I wish to hell I had slept, maybe I would have heard something and woke up in time to rescue the kitty with a 45. They went trotting off up the street matter of factly like "I guess we took care of THAT didn't we?"

It is perfectly legal here to shoot a dog that is worrying, chasing, or otherwise attacking livestock, another animal, or a person. The rounds MUST be confined to your property, and the dog(s) MUST be acting in a malicious manner. Under these circumstances, the property owner or whoever shot the dogs would not be charged. After this, I would not hesitate to destroy a dog that comes on my property all he has to do is growl at me even a tiny bit.

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[square butte]

I am sorry - Nothin worse then having a pet killed by someone else's unattended animals. Find the owner . . .

[richhodg66]

Time for some hamburger balls laced with antifreeze in their yard. Those dogs would be dead if it were me. Next time it could be a toddler. No use for vicious dogs, especially ones with irresponsible owners.

[Handloader109]

I would find the dogs and yes, kill them. I have ZERO use for any dog running loose. If it isn't in a fenced yard, or leaves their owner's yard, they do not belong. Sorry, I lost numerous goats before I finally caught a pit that I took proper care of. Same thing, it just killed for sport.

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[Outpost75]

Sorry for your loss, Doug. Our fur kids are both indoor girls as the threat assessment allowing them outdoors isn't worth it between the wild predators and the domestic ones. They have adjusted well to that and are happy to watch the wildlife out the kitchen window. Shown here in their elevated observation post.

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[1006]

A PitBull killed my brother’s little dog. The little dog was in his own yard, the Pit came and killed it, then tried to kill my brother’s cat.

There were witnesses, it went to court and the dog was put down by animal control. The owner was put on probation for some period of time and was given the choice of being responsible for the dog’s future actions or surrendering it to be put down. He was lucky my brother did not want to pursue it in Civil Court.

[sghart3578]

I feel for you. I was terribly saddened when my daughter's cat passed away. I didn't think I would miss him but I do. But it won't be long before someone comes along to harangue you for wanting to kill the dogs.

I have lived in this house for 35+ years. At one point this area was infested with meth and it's associated problems. I have killed several dogs that menaced me, my kids and my dogs and cats. All with the blessing of the local Sheriff's Dept. Most loose dogs do get ran off with no violence though. We have a problem with cats also but I live trap them and take them to the shelter. Some cat owners are worse than the dog owners but I believe most of the cats are feral.

In the past when I offered this up on this forum I was blasted for wanting to kill the blameless dog. I don't want to kill anything. But I spend a lot of money and time keeping my fences repaired to keep my dogs in. If you can't keep your pets in your yard then don't be surprised when they get ziplocked and disappeared.


Steve in N CA

[Ural Driver]

Sorry for the loss of what sounds like an excellent pet. My critters were never allowed free rein......and I expect the same from neighbors animals. I bought my first acreage to raise horses. One day while working on fencing and gates, in preparation for the arrival of my livestock, I saw the neighboring dogs running his cattle and horses. I had yet to meet that neighbor so took my next opportunity to introduce myself. While there I brought up what I had witnessed. He made some offhand comment about "dogs are gonna do what they do". I politely told him that any animal, wild or domestic, that ever chased my livestock would be killed on sight. Wisely he took me seriously, locking his dogs in the barn or livestock trailer whenever he was absent from his property. He proved to be a wonderful neighbor.
If you have not done so yet, call your local animal control and make a report. Hopefully you can get the Courts to declare them "dangerous animals". The usual result includes requiring them to be kept leashed or fenced and holding the owner liable for any violations. Good luck.

[Three44s]

If you want to know how much danger a Pit Bull that’s gone rouge presents, just consider this story:

A pack of pit bulls attacked our cattle herd out on the range one fall.

Several mother cows got ears chewed in trying to protect their calves but one cow’s injuries really stood out! Apparently while she was using her head to fend off one of the dogs it retaliated by clamping onto the bridge of the cows nose.

The pit bull had so much leverage and clamping force that it broke and removed the bridge of her nose. Her sinuses were fully exposed. To her dying day she was known as “No Nose”. From to just below her eye balls to within a couple inches from the back side of her nostrils, just open space and exposed sinus tissues.

Three44s

[uscra112]

What IS it with people who keep pit bulls? No, don't let me get started. Pets, children, seniors, all the same to them.

Sorry for your loss, DougGuy. I have five cats (don't ask), and I'd be mighty sad if I lost one. I live very rural, so they are allowed free passage in and out. They all love to be out in good weather, but when danger threatens (coyotes, bobcats) they come tearing in through the cat door and come to wherever I am in the house. They know I can handle it, because I once drilled a coyote in the yard, and they saw it happen.

[uscra112]

BTW around here people keeping goats or cattle often have a donkey. Donkeys are pure murder on coyotes, and I expect on pit bulls too.

Then there's the guy a few miles down the road who has a Great Pyrenees.

[shdwlkr]

My outside cat was poisoned mothers day weekend she had been just fine for 7 years running around the neighborhood. But we have had a few new move ins and I have to wonder if one of them did it because they didn't like cats. No it was not antifreeze vet checked for that. Pitbull's I don't like had two of them come after me once when I had my pistol with me, owner came out was yelling at me for walking on a public road. I told him to call his dogs back or they would be dead, he took me for my word and that ended the issue. If you can't take care and control your dogs you should not have them.

[Gtrubicon]

We just buried our Great Pyrenees about 3 months ago. What a fantastic protector he was. He was a bad actor when he needed to be. Bear, cougar or pit bulls. He was fearless, also a wonderful family dog.

[gwpercle]

I am so sorry for you loss .
I wish I had something to say that could ease the pain ... I will send prayers .
The Good Lord will see you through this and take care of your kitty .
Gary

[MrWolf]

BTW around here people keeping goats or cattle often have a donkey. Donkeys are pure murder on coyotes, and I expect on pit bulls too.

Then there's the guy a few miles down the road who has a Great Pyrenees.

Sorry for your loss. Losing a pet is horrible, especially one that was just saved.
As far as a Great Pyrenees, I was in a ghillie suit on the other side of our 6' chain link fence when I came around the corner. My pup didn't know it was me. Thank God the fence was between us as I never saw 150+lbs move that fast while I was yelling its me buddy. I heard others comment on how fast but man, I would never want to be on the receiving end of one protecting.

[Mr_Sheesh]

Dang, I am really sorry, DougGuy. They can never be replaced.

[badguybuster]

I love dogs, all dogs but I have killed more than a few that have come after my horses and chickens
Now that I have a couple mini donkeys they handle it, never seen an animal that hates dogs as much as they do

[Electrod47]

You need to at least report this incident to the authorities. That cat even as as homeless take in was your property. Someones unattended property has no right to destroy yours. Left unchecked this is only going to get worse I am afraid. Whats next on this list for marauding pitbulls?

[bakerjw]

The difference between a pitbull and a lawyer? I'll swerve to miss the lawyer.
Your cat looks like Mittens. The dogs would be dead within hours if it were my friend. If the owners had a problem with that then they'd have to make a decision as to how they would leave this world.

[DougGuy]

You need to at least report this incident to the authorities. That cat even as as homeless take in was your property. Someones unattended property has no right to destroy yours. Left unchecked this is only going to get worse I am afraid. Whats next on this list for marauding pitbulls?

Animal Control officers made an official report, but since the cat was killed on the neighbor's property, and it was technically a stray cat, there isn't a lot they can do. The neighbor and myself fed it, so it was a mutually housed and fed animal.

I'm pretty sure dogs killed another cat in my yard about 2mos ago, but I didn't see it happen. It was far enough away from the street that it didn't get hit by a car, and something had eaten a considerable bit of the torso. When I saw it the buzzards were finishing up what was left so who knows.