The stray kitten I mentioned in Johnny’s thread about Creamsicle got out this morning while I was feeding the horses. The dogs, who’d been fine with him in the house, apparently saw him as “strange animal in the yard” and went for him. I called them off as soon as I saw them going after something, and there was no blood, but as I was getting the carrier ready to take him to the vet, he died. I’m just heartsick. Poor little guy.
StG
I am so sorry for your loss. 
I had something similar happen years ago. My new lab was getting along with our family Pomeranian until some food got between them. It was my 21st birthday and I spent the majority of the evening sobbing. I was the one who put the food down too. It took a long long time for me to get over that.
Give your dogs the benefit of the doubt - they tend to chase when they see something running. Don’t beat them up over it or yourself.
Again, I’m so sorry for your loss.
I’m terribly sorry. These things leave one heartsick.
So sorry! As a greyhound owner, I know all too well that the sweet-natured pup who snuggles with me on the couch can turn into a killing machine one nanosecond later. All it takes is the right circumstances. It’s not your fault or theirs.
Yep, I’m just so sad. There’s no one to blame but me, I left the door open when I went out to feed the horses this morning. I can only assume he ventured out. It was fast, he died within minutes. My poor boy.
StG
I’m sorry, St. G. At least it was relatively quick … ? Cold comfort, I know.
He was loved. However briefly.
So sorry, StG.
I’m so sorry. Poor kitty, and poor you.
I love my dogs and they would lay their lives down for me as long as I had hot dogs in my pockets. And they seem perfectly fine with the new kitten, but I also know that even now I have to watch them all the time, because they have that pack mentality that sets in within seconds. I don’t think you can train that out of them.
I know how much you love your animals. I’ll be thinking of you.
**Thank you, everyone.
papergirl** - I wouldn’t leave him in the house with the dogs while I was at work, because I knew dogs could be dogs. I just went out to feed the horses - 10 minutes, tops. I left the door open and he must have gone exploring. He’d been an outside kitty before I got him, but he didn’t seem to excited about going outside again. Poor baby.
StG
Sad.
poor little tyke
so sorry
I’m so sorry.
Despite living peacefully with my own cats, my dogs will go after strange cats. I’ve been there when a cat couldn’t make it out of the yard fast enough and it is horrible and traumatic for me.
I try to make sure the yard is clear before I let the dogs out, but there have been some close calls. High prey drive dogs are just wired that way.
I’m very sorry. I have two indoor cats and one of my three dogs is great with them - but stray cats or other critters in “his” yard? Dead, emphatically and brutally. He has killed three cats so far this year. At least he is fast and efficient. Prey drive, I know - no different than a cat killing a mouse, but it is still awful.
I also have developed the habit of opening the door when I let the dogs out and making a loud PSSSSST sound to scare away cats and critters before letting the hounds outside.
I’m so sorry. It’s an awful thing to go thru, I’ve lost a kitten and a Papillon puppy accidentially. (((hugs)))
I’m having trouble forgiving the dogs. I’ve been giving them the cold shoulder all evening, not petting them or making eye contact. It’s unfair - they can’t connect it to what happened this morning. But I’m still mad. Mad at me and mad at them.
StG
I’m sorry about your kitten. I know how much it hurts to loose a pet, but I also understand why your dogs did it.
Well, no I don’t understand how dogs think, but I used to have a dog aggressive maine coon. He totally ignored my dog when she was inside, he would even go over and lick her ears and feets when she was inside. When she was outside and he saw her out the window, he would go totally nuts. He would scream and howl and climb the curtains and throw himself at the window. Once I let the dog back inside, all was good.
I don’t think that he understood that the outside dog was the same as the inside dog. Your dogs probably didn’t understand that the outside cat was the same as the inside cat.
Cry if you need to, but don’t blame yourself. Learn from this and always keep the door closed in the future.
So sorry about the little tyke.
Years ago, I had an 8-yo cat, and decided to get a puppy to keep him company. It was a black lab, who didn’t stay little for long. Plus, he repeatedly ate the cat’s food. One day, the cat got outside as I was coming home from work. I never saw him again. The puppy passed away a few months later.
It’s not your fault. You were doing norman things, and craziness happened. The dogs also were doing normal things, for a dog.
I’m sorry about your kitten, St. G.
I know that the circumstances have your heart pulled in different directions. Your dogs were just being dogs though and the kitten became part of it.
Damn.