Pete and I walked the dogs yesterday and decided to go to his brothers and see their kittens and check up on them, the family is out of town. We walked onto the yard and a little black and white kitten came running to say hi. She stopped when she saw the dogs and hissed at them. I took her to the deck and sat with her while Pete had the dogs. They have six kittens so I was calling for the rest. We could hear one kitten calling, but didn't know from where. I was concerned that it might be hurt, they are outdoor cats.
Pete said that he would look for it and went to tie up the dogs. I left the kitten on the deck and started to walk toward the sound. In the mean time Pete had tied up the dogs and started off in a different direction. We hadn't gone very far when we heard a commotion. Nikki had the black and white kitten in her mouth and was shaking it viciously back and forth. We ran and got the kitten from her. I can't get the sight of her shaking the kitten and then of the kitten laying on the ground struggling to breathe. Nik had broken it's back and must have punctured a lung. Pete had no choice but to put the baby down.
That little one lost it's life because we weren't careful enough. I always watch the dogs around strange cats. Nik gets this focused look in her eye when she sees strange cats and I never wanted to test that look. I really didn't think she would hurt one, I just thought she wanted to check them out. I didn't think the kitten would go to the dogs as she was hissing at them just minutes before, but that is no excuse.
I feel sick about this. Not only did an innocent cat loose it's life, but my dog killed it. She is around cats all the time, although only when I am there too. She even gets that look when the cats are fighting, they don't always like each other, and takes to stalking them. I always make her come and sit at my feet when she does that, but again I never believed she would hurt the cats. I don't understand how she could do that, and now I don't know what to think. I just want to turn back time and do it all differently.
My dog did an awful thing.
Re: My dog did an awful thing.
{{{Judy and Pete}}}
it is so hard when something like that happens...our doxie did the same thing with a newborn kitten a little over a month ago...he came running back to the house with it in his mouth...he did not know any better, and I am sure that Nikki did not either....
Do not blame her and do not keep blaming yourself...at least you did not let it suffer and the kitten is now playing forever over the Rainbow Bridge...
Safe journey little black and white kitten {{{hugggggs}}}
it is so hard when something like that happens...our doxie did the same thing with a newborn kitten a little over a month ago...he came running back to the house with it in his mouth...he did not know any better, and I am sure that Nikki did not either....
Do not blame her and do not keep blaming yourself...at least you did not let it suffer and the kitten is now playing forever over the Rainbow Bridge...
Safe journey little black and white kitten {{{hugggggs}}}
Re: My dog did an awful thing.
Judy, I'm sorry. I know how hard it is to accept that some dogs have such a high prey drive and do things we don't expect. Java did the same thing several years ago when 4 kittens found their way onto our back patio at night.