My Girls Just Killed A Kitten.

[Guest lynne893]

About 30 minutes ago, my two greys (adopted in August last summer) killed a kitten in our backyard.

 

We live in the city, and unfortunately, there are people who let their cats roam outdoors and feral cats in the neighborhood. Before we moved into our home, it was empty for ~3 years and I know some of the cats mated and probably birthed in the overgrown bushes in the backyard (we've been diligently clearing and tidying since we bought the house a year ago, I was even gardening this morning).

 

In the back corner of the yard, the girls always seemed to take particular interest because it's the corner where our fence and the neighbors' fences meet, and it's clearly a place where animals have nests (on the other side of the fence). We always scold the girls to keep them out of that corner, but today everything happened too quickly. I was emptying some kitchen scraps into our compost bin, when I heard a commotion behind me. Before I could even see what happened, I saw our Swiftie racing past me with something black and fuzzy in her mouth. Even though it doesn't make any sense, my first reaction was that it looked like one of their stuffed toys. Greta was in fast pursuit, and I raced over to the driveway where Swiftie was then shaking the little animal back and forth violently. I WISH that she'd broken the poor thing's neck, but it wasn't dead yet, and Greta grabbed the other side of it and pulled.

 

I of course was yelling "NO! NO! and DROP IT!" over and over, and I thew the kitchen bucket and my car keys at them to get them to stop, which they did. All things considered, they stopped fairly soon after I yelled at them, and dropped the little black kitten.

 

I restrained them, me frozen in horror as the poor kitten bled all over the driveway. It was split open and dying. It lost so much blood I thought it would go pretty quickly, but it wretched on the driveway for a while, just so horrible.

 

I can't get that image out of my head and know that I won't for a long, long time.

 

The girls seem unhurt, no cuts that I can see on them at all. If I saw anything I would rush them to the e-vet, but I don't see anything at all.

 

I cleaned up the driveway with bleach and water and put the poor kitten in plastic bags and thew it in the garbage bin (I feel horrible about this and hope that its body doesn't start to decompose before trash pick up in 5 days).

 

My first action was to call our greyhound adoption coordinator to find out what to do. She said to bathe the girls, but since I see no blood or cuts, I haven't done that. Frankly, since DH is working until this evening, I'm a little too freaked out to even touch them right now. I know it's just instinct, so I'm certainly not mad at them, I'm just grossed out and upset.

 

Do I need to do anything? Should I bathe them anyway today? Do I need to take them to the vet? They're current on their shots.

 

Thank you for listening. I feel SO horrible for that poor kitten and ANGRY as hell for people letting cats roam free. But I suppose it could have been anything- a squirrel, a gopher, a bird, anything.

 

[Guest meggera]

Oh I am so sorry that this happened today. I would go ahead and bathe them both to be safe. They may have small scrapes and you don't know what type of illnesses or fleas or anything the kitten may have had.

 

I don't know if you want to dispose of the kitten in your garbage. I worry about calling animal control to ask them to pick up the kitten because I fear they would want to quarantine your girls but I also worry that someone may report the decomposing body in your bin.

 

Whatever you decide to do you and your girls are in my thoughts and prayers!

[Guest zoolaine]

this type of thing always is hard. My dogs killed a cat in the backyard about 2 years ago. It was horrific and I felt the same way in not wanting to be around them or have them sleep on the bed. But within a few days they were known as "Kitty Killer" and "Cat breath" I couldn't stay upset with them for long. I did have to take Sunny to the e-vet for bite wounds but everyone else was ok.

[OwnedBySummer]

I'm so sorry but I'm so pleased that you see that it's instinct. My two suggestions for the kitten... is to triple-bag it and put it in your freezer until garbage day. Or bag it and take it to a dumpster somewhere, preferably out of your own neighborhood.

[Laurenbiz]

I am so sorry! I gasped when I read your story! Bernie has zero prey drive (I don't know if he's really a Greyhound!...) so I've never experienced this.

 

I LOVE Greyhounds, but I have to say that I feel so terrible for that kitten.

[Guest sheila]

That was a horrible thing to see, I can't even imagine. If this was me the first thing I would do NOW is to go over my dogs really really well and make sure there aren't any tiny scratches or anything. They might have injuries that didn't draw blood but still need disinfected. I probably wouldn't bathe them. After that I would go to the area where the kitten was discovered and make sure there aren't any more of them back there. If there are I would gather them up and try and find a rescue or shelter to take them to. Then I would get the kitten carcass out of the garbage because it WILL be rank long before 5 days. If you have a spot that is outside the fenced area that you could bury it I would do that. If not, then freezing it until trash day or taking it to another location, like an industrial dumpster would be better.

[GeorgeofNE]

I'm sorry for the kitten, but what the dogs did, dogs have been doing since dogs came to be--killed a prey animal. Bathing them wouldn't occur to me. I wonder why she suggested that? Obviously if they have blood them, you want to wipe it off. The vet? Totally not necessary.

 

I'd check that corner and make sure there isn't an entire family back there.

[Guest KennelMom]

Definitely unpleasant But, I'm glad you aren't angry at your girls for being what they are - dogs. It's always our first instinct to stop a "hunt" or kill in progress, but letting the dogs finish is often the kindest thing for the prey. Of course, many of our pet dogs don't hunt often enough to be efficient at killing so...yeah...it can be quite distressing to all but the dogs. We have a very, very sharp shovel and an axe that have been used to dispatch/decapitate a few small animals that the dogs haven't finished off

 

I would probably bathe the girls, if you can bring yourself to do it. If your girls are UTD on shots, there's nothing you need to probably worry about there.

 

Edited May 22, 2011 by KennelMom

[Guest BlackandBrindle]

That was a horrible thing to see, I can't even imagine. If this was me the first thing I would do NOW is to go over my dogs really really well and make sure there aren't any tiny scratches or anything. They might have injuries that didn't draw blood but still need disinfected. I probably wouldn't bathe them. After that I would go to the area where the kitten was discovered and make sure there aren't any more of them back there. If there are I would gather them up and try and find a rescue or shelter to take them to. Then I would get the kitten carcass out of the garbage because it WILL be rank long before 5 days. If you have a spot that is outside the fenced area that you could bury it I would do that. If not, then freezing it until trash day or taking it to another location, like an industrial dumpster would be better.

 

 

Sheila is right on the button on this.

 

It's disturbing and I know it's something that you'll always be horrified at, but it's just something that happens when you have dogs (not just greyhounds).

 

I'm sorry you had to deal with that.

[Guest lynne893]

Thank you all for your advice and condolences. I will take the bag with the kitten in it to an industrial dumpster tonight when DH gets home (I moved the garbage bin into the garage for now so that it's not in the sun).

 

I did go back to the corner and tried to block it off with random stuff to keep them from nosing around back there any more and they've definitely tried to go back to the corner, but I've been scolding them pretty harshly when they do, and they seem to know that momma's unhappy about what happened. (Though I haven't been ignoring them or mean to them of course.)

 

For now, I'm drinking a glass of wine to calm down. DH won't be home until around 10pm tonight and I was supposed to go to a friend's birthday dinner at 6:30. Ughh! I don't want to be social today.

 

I double checked the girls again for cuts or blood and there is nothing, miraculously enough.

 

DH just got my text and called and we spoke for about 60 seconds, he feels awful too.

 

THANK YOU for being there.

 

Also, I don't plan on telling my friends because most of them are either not "dog people" (at least not big dogs) or they just wouldn't understand. Our greyhound group coordinator told me NOT to tell the neighbors. I assume she's right-- it would probably only cause fear, misunderstanding, etc., right?

[MerlinsMum]

I'm sorry you experienced that I watched Merlin grab a squirrel and shake it as s/he was dying, it was horrible, and left me shaken up for two days, and that was nothing compared to what you had to deal with

 

Is there any way you can report it? Someone may be worried about their kitten and wondering where she is For better or for worse, whether you agree with people letting their domestic cats roam free or not, some people feel that their cats are different from their dogs in that respect and should be allowed to prowl around the neighborhood. It doesn't necessarily follow that they don't care about the cat. Just a thought.

 

:grouphug

 

ETA - I just saw your last post. I must say that I couldn't disagree more with your adoption group's advice - especially if you have a reasonable idea whose cat that was. They have a right to know what happened to their cat, and you are not liable since it happened on your property. I realize that it may cause some bad feeling, but quite honestly if they are happy to let their cat roam free they need to expect that this tragic outcome could be a very real possibility. I still think that telling them is the right thing to do.

Edited May 22, 2011 by MerlinsMum

[Guest crazy4greys]

I am sorry this happened. Unfortunately, it is what dogs do.

 

Did you find any other kittens back there? Maybe you could muzzle your girls until you can make sure there are no more back there for their safety too in case the next time they may get scratched or bit, especially if they are feral cats with no vaccinations.

 

Hope you calm down soon, I am sure it was very shocking!

[Guest june]

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I don't know if you want to dispose of the kitten in your garbage. I worry about calling animal control to ask them to pick up the kitten because I fear they would want to quarantine your girls but I also worry that someone may report the decomposing body in your bin.

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Yes, this. I would triple bag it and freeze it. I know it seems nasty to put in your freezer, but much better than letting it decompose in your trash. Also, your trash men will not appreciate it.

[Guest lynne893]

Did you find any other kittens back there? Maybe you could muzzle your girls until you can make sure there are no more back there for their safety too in case the next time they may get scratched or bit, especially if they are feral cats with no vaccinations.

 

I did look back there to see if I could see a nest or anything like that, but the way the fences come together, I couldn't. There's a large gap that runs between the fences where a utility pole is. We suspected that there were animals breeding in that gap. I'll probably talk to my next door neighbor and ask her to check and make sure there's not a nest of kittens on her side of the fence.

 

Unfortunately, I don't think it's a cat that belonged to anyone. We live quite literally in the city, and most cats you see roaming around here are just permanent strays. There is one male cat that always frequents our area, and I'm not even sure who he belongs to (he's a friendly cat, and it wouldn't surprise me in the least if he weren't neutered-- there is a population of other cultures in our neighborhood that believe that neutering an animal isn't the thing to do so it's probably likely that the male cat is the dad of the kitten.

 

If I had any sense that the kitten belonged to someone, I would for sure say something to the family, gently (probably a white lie that it was hit by a car), but I'm 99.999% confident, especially given where it came from, that it was a stray.

 

VERY sad, nonetheless. Being an animal lover, it hurts to think of any animal dying a difficult death, and this was just horrifying.

 

My girls will be muzzled for the time being. One of them has a poop eating problem anyway, so I need to get her a poop-guard muzzle.

 

Thank you all, again. I'm still really tense.

[winnie]

Sadly, I've been through this too... not with a kitten, but rabbits and birds. I did let my dogs "finish the job" since I knew the critters were going to die a slow death if I didn't. My greys live peacefully with three indoor cats, but anything in the yard is fair game. I put the critters in plastic bags and dumped in my trash. We have bi-weekly pick-up though. Don't be upset with your dogs - they are just being dogs after all. I just hope that you'll soon be able to shake the image from your mind. I will admit though that I still cringe at anything remotely sounding like a bunny scream.

[MerlinsMum]

Try to take deep breaths and focus on your breathing. I know it can seem silly, but it will help you, I promise. Also, even though I totally understand why you helped yourself to some wine (I would have too!!), make sure you don't drink too much as it's a depressant.

 

It makes me awfully sad to read about the stray cat problem in hour area How irresponsible But at least it means you can be fairly sure that no one is missing their companion.

 

Maybe some music or a funny stand-up comedy show would take your mind off things a bit? Take care.

[mychip1]

So sorry for you to go through that. I'm sure it was heartbreaking - particularly given that the kitty didn't pass quickly....sometimes nature is harsh....I have one with a high prey drive and it's always a concern - but it's part of who they are....

[IndyandHollyluv]

Oh gosh, I know that feeling. I am sorry about the little kitteh. My angel hound Indy was a ferocious beast. He killed a squirrel that unfortunately made a poor decision; however, the squirrel put up a fierce, valiant battle before conceding defeat. The squirrel ultimately lost but not before clocking Indy in the face with its nails just barely missing his eye. Quite a nasty gash. That was another visit to the ER ... resulting in facial staples, a lampshade, the works.

 

Indy also snagged a skunk in the back yard and bit off its tail (the skunk survived). Another horrible smelly, miserable experience. BTW, the skunk incident occurred in hot July. The skunk tail smelled every bit as bad as you can imagine so I also triple bagged it but placed the bag off to the side of the house. No way was I placing that in the freezer!

 

I did not intervene in either incident. I recall holding my breath and hoping the death blow would be swift. It broke my heart to watch the little animals suffer but my primary concern was for my dog.

 

What can you say? They are animals. I am sorry you had to witness this. I hope your girls are okay.

Edited May 22, 2011 by IndyandHollyluv

[MaryJane]

Since the kitten did not have any shots, you might need to get a rabies booster for your dogs. Check with the vet and see what they recommend.

[Guest krystolla]

What an awful thing to go through. I'm glad my boy has no prey drive, but I've had to handle the fun presents from our local stray cats and it's not much fun. (Bunny ear and foot in the empty kibble bowl. Peachy.)

 

I don't know what resources are available in your area, but it might be worth looking for a feral cat organization in your area. If you are lucky, you can find an organization that will trap and relocate the strays in your neighborhood -- your dogs aren't the only predators facing that litter of kittens.

 

And give yourself some time to recover! Hang in there.

[Guest lynne893]

I don't know what resources are available in your area, but it might be worth looking for a feral cat organization in your area. If you are lucky, you can find an organization that will trap and relocate the strays in your neighborhood -- your dogs aren't the only predators facing that litter of kittens.

 

Thank you-- that is REALLY good advice. I will call around tomorrow and see what can be done.

 

And following up on another's recommendation re. the rabies booster, yes, I will call the vet tomorrow to check. Another good idea.

 

[seeh2o]

I'm sorry about what happened. I know what it's like to look at your dog differently, too. I had a non-grey who was quite a hunter of rodents (fortunately no domestic animals) and a couple of weeks ago I found Claire happily eating a squirrel - I looked down into her beautiful brown eyes, she was so happy and chewing...it's head was gone (she didn't kill it, I think it fell out of a tree a little while before she found it).

 

What part of LA are you in? We have a lot of cats in my neighborhood, too, but most of these are roamers who are pets. You might want to contact FixNation. They are based in LA and have a TNR (trap-neuter-return) program for feral cats.

Edited May 23, 2011 by seeh2o

[Guest RichardUK]

My sympathy for the cat, you and the dogs. Here cats are classed as 'wild' animals - there are no permanently indoor cats - so accidentally killed cats do not require reporting whereas dogs and sheep do. I would check very carefully as some claw jabs do not bleed but can be infected (rather like injecting with a dirty needle).

 

I have a similar problem in that two of my dogs will chase and try to kill invading cats. What I have done to arrange an obstacle course so that it takes time for them to reach the cats - so far they haven't done so. I'm hoping the cats will stop using my back yard as a cat foot path before one gets caught. If it did I would have little sympathy for the owner.

[Scooby172]

Here's one of my stories regarding cats in the yard, it is disturbing on many levels. When I first moved into my house, I lived next to a very run down, section 8 home that was over run with people, pit bulls, unruly children and many cats. The house was not well kept and the children were never supervised. The home attracted a very "sketchy" contingent. One morning I let the dogs out, always checked the yard before and no cats around. After a short time I went out to check on the dogs and found they had killed a grey and white kitten. I heard some boys behind the fence but thought nothing of it. My yard is totally fenced with a privacy fence on the side of the section 8 house. Well, I recognized the kitten and knew he belonged to a very mentally ill man who lived in the home. I boxed the kitten up and brought it over to the man who was upset but understood. The kitten was just a baby, barely 5 weeks old. Well, later found out the boys had seen my dogs out and had thrown the kitten in the yard to see if it could get away from my dogs, just sick. Later found out they had been doing that with cats in the neighborhood. To make things worse, the mentally ill man, for weeks, would stand on his front porch at the crack of dawn and rant about my kitten killing dogs, at the top of his lungs. He also accosted me on the street while I was walking my dogs to berate and threaten us. That was about ten years ago, the house was demolished and the mentally ill man moved out. Luckily he is on meds now and when I see him around town he ignores me. It was just a horrible experience, I know how you feel.

Linda, Bella and Keeva

[Guest BrianRke]

Also, I don't plan on telling my friends because most of them are either not "dog people" (at least not big dogs) or they just wouldn't understand. Our greyhound group coordinator told me NOT to tell the neighbors. I assume she's right-- it would probably only cause fear, misunderstanding, etc., right?

 

This is a good idea. I would definitely keep it quiet. This could upset some people to the point they might want to poison your dogs. They dont understand this is just what dogs do.