# Cat saves small boy from dog **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 14, 2014, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-saves-small-boy-from-dog/688469 "2014-05-14T21:28:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-saves-small-boy-from-dog/688469/41 "2014-05-15T11:10:15Z")
> [@saje](#): > > I am the usually the first one to defend a dog from death just because some human was stupid, and I think breed bans are a mistake. > > But not this time. The kid wasn’t moving fast, wasn’t running or screaming I’m sorry. I’m sure I must have misunderstood you. Because the way I’m reading your post it sounds as if you are saying that if the kid had been moving fast, running or screaming in his own driveway you’d be saying the human did something “stupid” and be defending the dog. I’m quite sure you didn’t mean to post anything so utterly, mind-bogglingly Og damned moronic, so perhaps you might care to clarify. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-saves-small-boy-from-dog/688469/42 "2014-05-15T11:20:59Z")
> [@starwarsfreek42](#): > > Watch the first part of the video where it switches to the view from behind the van where the dog is just noticing the boy and his ears perk up. The dog was reacting to a small quickly moving creature–the boy on the bike–and his prey instinct took over. He was doing what dogs do and he doesn’t deserve to die for it. His owners, on the other hand, should perhaps be put to sleep because they clearly don’t know how to contain their dog. > > Also that cat is so awesome. It was like the honey badger, it just didn’t give a shit. My kids grew up running, biking, shouting, playing in a neighborhood with many dogs. Never once did any of those dogs stalk, bite and try to drag off one of the children. It’s not what dogs do instinctively. ---
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-saves-small-boy-from-dog/688469/43 "2014-05-15T12:07:41Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > I’m sorry. I’m sure I must have misunderstood you. Because the way I’m reading your post it sounds as if you are saying that if the kid had been moving fast, running or screaming in his own driveway you’d be saying the human did something “stupid” and be defending the dog. > > I’m quite sure you didn’t mean to post anything so utterly, mind-bogglingly Og damned moronic, so perhaps you might care to clarify. Judgey pants a little tight this morning, eh? Of course I’m not saying that would justify an attack. Someone up-thread said (or implied at any rate) that the dog was provoked because the kid was on a bike and it triggered the dog’s natural chase instinct. I pointed out that actually, no, the kid wasn’t moving fast or doing anything to trigger a chase. Many dogs will chase fast moving things. Very few dogs will grab a kid off a bike and do the death shake, and those dogs need to be euthanized. Forgive me for not posting a Supreme Court ready statement, it was 5 am and I was working on 4 hrs sleep and 1/2 a cup of tea [old rolley-eye guy] ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-saves-small-boy-from-dog/688469/44 "2014-05-15T12:52:26Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > But that dog is a danger…and like other _dangers_ we try to eliminate them. With dogs it’s simple…they are killed. And on the flip side, for once I’d personally like to encourage that particular cat TO BREED WITH EVERY OTHER DEDGUM CAT IT CAN! What a fantastic little badass he/she is. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-saves-small-boy-from-dog/688469/45 "2014-05-15T13:11:56Z")
Do you think that this cat was actually trying to defend the child or that the cat really just hates dogs? Or is there any difference between the two. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-saves-small-boy-from-dog/688469/46 "2014-05-15T13:21:22Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > Do you think that this cat was actually trying to defend the child or that the cat really just hates dogs? Or is there any difference between the two. I think it was obvious the cat recognised the urgency of the situation by how fast he responded. My 14 year old cat did something almost identical when a pit bull jumped on my neighbors golden retriever. She liked the retriever. She has also taken the side of my chihuahua when he has gotten into it with neighborhood cats my cat is normaly friendly with. My cat and chihuahua can’t stand each other but do recognise one another as family members. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-saves-small-boy-from-dog/688469/47 "2014-05-15T13:30:43Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > Do you think that this cat was actually trying to defend the child or that the cat really just hates dogs? Or is there any difference between the two. After the cat chases off the dog, she returned to the child’s side. Watch the point when mom heads out of the picture to check for the dog(and was also bitten), you can see the cat next to the child when he runs in the house. The cat was said to be very bonded with the boy(slept in his crib when he was a baby) and the boy is mildly autistic. Plenty of stories of family pets who are extra protective of a disabled child. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-saves-small-boy-from-dog/688469/48 "2014-05-15T13:33:00Z")
> [@starwarsfreek42](#): > > Watch the first part of the video where it switches to the view from behind the van where the dog is just noticing the boy and his ears perk up. The dog was reacting to a small quickly moving creature–the boy on the bike–and his prey instinct took over. Nope. **dropzone** is spot on: > [@dropzone](#): > > And its execution is part of the process of the domestication of dogs since forever. Got a mean one? You kill it. This point was made by Neil deGrasse Tyson in the rebooted Cosmos series earlier this year. “Domestication,” is in large part a genetic concept. Dogs are different from wolves, and the difference is the result of evolution: specifically, selective breeding. Dogs that attacked humans were killed, and didn’t pass on their genes. Wolf cubs can be socialized with humans if taken at an early age, but they are never as reliably safe as dogs. it’s not clear whether the earliest wolf-dogs self-selected for their willingness to get close to humans and reap the obvious advantages of more regular food supply, or whether our 30,000 year old ancestors sought them out, but the end result is the same. ---
**Author:** ![starwarsfreek42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@starwarsfreek42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/starwarsfreek42)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-saves-small-boy-from-dog/688469/49 "2014-05-15T14:07:21Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > My kids grew up running, biking, shouting, playing in a neighborhood with many dogs. Never once did any of those dogs stalk, bite and try to drag off one of the children. It’s not what dogs do instinctively. Uh, yeah, it is. They are hunters. Ever seen a dog chase a cat or a squirrel? They are hunters. That we should expect them to somehow magically understand that small humans are off-limits is ridiculous, we wouldn’t expect that from any other kind of animal. I’m not saying that makes it okay for dogs with high prey drives to go wandering around neighborhoods accosting little boys, but I am saying that it was the owner’s fault, not the dog’s. > [@Bricker](#): > > Nope. **dropzone** is spot on: > > This point was made by Neil deGrasse Tyson in the rebooted Cosmos series earlier this year. “Domestication,” is in large part a genetic concept. Dogs are different from wolves, and the difference is the result of evolution: specifically, selective breeding. Dogs that attacked humans were killed, and didn’t pass on their genes. Wolf cubs can be socialized with humans if taken at an early age, but they are never as reliably safe as dogs. > > it’s not clear whether the earliest wolf-dogs self-selected for their willingness to get close to humans and reap the obvious advantages of more regular food supply, or whether our 30,000 year old ancestors sought them out, but the end result is the same. And I can agree with that point of view too, but in the hands of a responsible owner this incident would never have occurred. Again, the owners are 100% to blame here for not keeping their dog contained, especially when they knew that it had a problem. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-saves-small-boy-from-dog/688469/50 "2014-05-15T14:33:18Z")
> [@starwarsfreek42](#): > > And I can agree with that point of view too, but in the hands of a responsible owner this incident would never have occurred. Again, the owners are 100% to blame here for not keeping their dog contained, especially when they knew that it had a problem. While the owners are responsible, the dog has to pay the price. Life’s a bitch. ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-saves-small-boy-from-dog/688469/51 "2014-05-15T14:42:30Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > So…what? Take the dog to a counsellor so it can get to the bottom of its emotional issues? Gimme a fucken break. :dubious: > > There’s no such thing as a guaranteed certainty that this (or any other dog) will never get loose again. Just not possible. > > Dog goes to heaven…cat gets to do the Punch of Victory! 😃 Sure it is. I’ve had dogs for 15 years. Not once has one ever gotten out/loose. Because, you know, I’m responsible and pay attention to where the damn dog is before I open the door. And I regularly walk my fence line to make sure I don’t have a digger on my hands. And yes, because this dog is a puppy, it very well could be rehabilitated by a competent trainer who knows what the fuck he or she is doing. Chows are notoriously aggressive and this dog was clearly in stalking prey mode – the owners were obviously incompetent trainers. That said, I wouldn’t have anything to do with this dog and I agree it should be put down. I also think there should be some sort of black list for proven irresponsible owners of pets – those people should never be allowed to own a dog, ever. They clearly cannot handle it. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-saves-small-boy-from-dog/688469/52 "2014-05-15T14:47:30Z")
> [@starwarsfreek42](#): > > Uh, yeah, it is. They are hunters. Ever seen a dog chase a cat or a squirrel? They are hunters. That we should expect them to somehow magically understand that small humans are off-limits is ridiculous, we wouldn’t expect that from any other kind of animal. How many other animals have been the subject of a twenty thousand year long breeding program to remove hostility to humans? I don’t know about you, but I’ve owned a few dogs in my life, and I never had to specifically train any of them not to attack humans. This does, in fact, seem to be something most domesticated canines “magically” understand. Also, ever seen a dog _catch_ a cat? They generally do not tear into it and try and drag it away, like that dog did to that kid. > [@](#): > > I’m not saying that makes it okay for dogs with high prey drives to go wandering around neighborhoods accosting little boys, but I am saying that it was the owner’s fault, not the dog’s. So what? It’s still a vicious animal, and the safety of the neighborhood should not be predicated on this family’s ability to keep it restrained. > [@](#): > > And I can agree with that point of view too, but in the hands of a responsible owner this incident would never have occurred. Again, the owners are 100% to blame here for not keeping their dog contained, especially when they knew that it had a problem. I’d need to know a lot more about the situation before i attached any significant blame to the owners. How long had they owned the dog before this happened? What sort of aggressive behavior had he displayed before this? From what I’ve read, the owners weren’t just letting him roam free - he’d escaped from his home. While I’ve never owned a vicious dog, I have owned some escape artists. Even a responsible owner can miss a potential escape route, or get distracted trying to get into the house with an armload of groceries. It’s possible that the owners were taking every reasonable precaution for controlling their dog, and this still happened. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-saves-small-boy-from-dog/688469/53 "2014-05-15T14:57:37Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > My kids grew up running, biking, shouting, playing in a neighborhood with many dogs. Never once did any of those dogs stalk, bite and try to drag off one of the children. It’s not what dogs do instinctively. Yup. And when (good) dogs do tend to bite, they tend to bite and retreat. They certainly don’t clamp down and shake like this crazy mutt did. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-saves-small-boy-from-dog/688469/54 "2014-05-15T14:59:31Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > Yup. And when (good) dogs do tend to bite, they tend to bite and retreat. They certainly don’t clamp down and shake like this crazy mutt did. That’s right. These are not wolves were talking about, but domesticated dogs. My dog (a sheltie) never stalks and hunts- her instinct is to herd. Other dogs have digging instincts, pointing, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-saves-small-boy-from-dog/688469/55 "2014-05-15T14:59:39Z")
> [@starwarsfreek42](#): > > Uh, yeah, it is. They are hunters. Ever seen a dog chase a cat or a squirrel? They are hunters. That we should expect them to somehow magically understand that small humans are off-limits is ridiculous, we wouldn’t expect that from any other kind of animal. I’m not saying that makes it okay for dogs with high prey drives to go wandering around neighborhoods accosting little boys, but I am saying that it was the owner’s fault, not the dog’s. He didn’t accost the child, he gave him a nasty bite, if the cat hadn’t stepped in it could have been a pretty horrific mauling. Any responsible dog owner would have that dog put down immediately. ---
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-saves-small-boy-from-dog/688469/56 "2014-05-15T15:02:06Z")
There is a BIG difference between chasing a squirrel or a cat because it runs and actively stalking a Not Running large (in comparison to the dog) child, grabbing it, and shaking it like it was prey to be killed. My Lab and the terrier mix will chase the squirrels and outside critters, but I’m not entirely sure they’d know what to do if they actually caught something. What I do know is that they live in with a houseful of cats who run and play right under their noses, and they don’t bat an eye. They’ll chase me if I run, but I’m not remotely worried that they’ll drag me down and savage me. My neighbors have small children who run and shriek and ride bikes, but my dogs ignore them. A dog who “doesn’t like children” is almost always one who is actually afraid of them, and has threatened to bite or actually bitten when confronted by a child with no means of retreat. That situation is trainable and it is indeed up to the owner to make it 100% safe for both kid and dog. Again, watch the video - this dog wasn’t scared of the kid, he was HUNTING a quiet child. That’s absolutely NOT OK no matter what. Maybe it was something in the poor dog’s past, and yes it probably is a result of poor socialization. It’s still not ok and the dog has to go. I think in the end it’s kinder for the dog. If he were to live he’d have to be kept essentially under lockdown and muzzled, and that’s not fair to him either. Quality of life over quantity, every time. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-saves-small-boy-from-dog/688469/57 "2014-05-15T15:07:26Z")
> [@starwarsfreek42](#): > > Uh, yeah, it is. They are hunters. Ever seen a dog chase a cat or a squirrel? They are hunters. That we should expect them to somehow magically understand that small humans are off-limits is ridiculous, we wouldn’t expect that from any other kind of animal. I’m not saying that makes it okay for dogs with high prey drives to go wandering around neighborhoods accosting little boys, but I am saying that it was the owner’s fault, not the dog’s. > > And I can agree with that point of view too, but in the hands of a responsible owner this incident would never have occurred. Again, the owners are 100% to blame here for not keeping their dog contained, especially when they knew that it had a problem. You underestimate a dogs intelligence. They understand very well that a human is not a prey animal. I raised bird dogs for years yet I had no concern over them attacking my chickens or even my pen raised quail. When the quail were brought to the field for training they understould it was ok to stalk and point them. Animals have useful brains. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-saves-small-boy-from-dog/688469/58 "2014-05-15T15:35:50Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > After the cat chases off the dog, she returned to the child’s side. Watch the point when mom heads out of the picture to check for the dog(and was also bitten), you can see the cat next to the child when he runs in the house. > > The cat was said to be very bonded with the boy(slept in his crib when he was a baby) and the boy is mildly autistic. > Plenty of stories of family pets who are extra protective of a disabled child. It is interesting that cats can recognize - and make allowances for - kids in the household, despite lacking a “pack instinct” like dogs. When we had our baby, I was concerned about the cat. Our cat is lovely, but she doesn’t put up with people taking liberties with her. I was worried that the baby would grab the cat, and the cat would scratch or bite. Nope. Didn’t happen. The cat put up with stuff from the baby it would never have taken from an adult - it obviously recognized the baby as a baby. Once, I caught the kid actually chewing on the cat’s tail - the cat (a big powerful beast, the terror of other cats and indeed some dogs) was just sitting there stoically enduring this abuse until I rescued her. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-saves-small-boy-from-dog/688469/59 "2014-05-15T15:57:06Z")
I think people forget how territorial cats are, too. The dog was attacking her child, and that wasn’t okay, but the dog was also ON THE CAT’S YARD, and that _definitely_ wasn’t okay. Any dog runs into my cat’s back yard, and as old and sick as she is, she’ll still take a running leap at it - I’d put money on it. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-saves-small-boy-from-dog/688469/60 "2014-05-15T16:14:54Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > And its execution is part of the process of the domestication of dogs since forever. Got a mean one? You kill it. > > Labs have had most of the aggression bred out of them. Chows not so much, and in the 1970s that font of wisdom, _The Book of Lists,_ listed them as the breed most likely to bite you. Note that this was the same book that listed Cardiff, Wales as the worst vacation destination, so it must be true. 😉 That’s not correct; the German Shepherd is No. 1. I think chow is No. 2. Poodle is No. 4. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-saves-small-boy-from-dog/688469.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-saves-small-boy-from-dog/688469.md?page=4)