Dogs Chases Cats

Basically, dogs chase cats because they are natural predators. That is, before their domestication took place about ten thousand years ago, canines were acting upon survival instincts to chase and catch smaller creatures to eat. The survival instincts are also known as the “prey drive.” While prey drive can be modified by training, the natural instinct that makes dogs chase cats is still triggered by movement.

When you throw a chew toy for your pet puppy, the puppy is essentially sent into cruise control mode when it rushes to chase, catch, and thrash the toy about in its mouth in order to “kill” its toy. This is because dogs are naturally programmed to chase moving animals. Similarly, dogs chase cats because the cat is moving around the household and in doing so, triggers the dog’s prey drive. This is dangerous for pet owners though, because some medium to large-sized dogs can potentially kill cats if they can catch them. Most of the time however, well-fed dogs chase cats for the fun of it, although rough play can cause injuries to both animals.