# Why would a turtle chase/attack a cat? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 15, 2007, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-turtle-chase-attack-a-cat/404173 "2007-05-15T13:26:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2007, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-turtle-chase-attack-a-cat/404173/1 "2007-05-15T13:26:12Z")
I was sent a link to this video [http://emuse.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/21348/](http://emuse.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/21348/) of a turtle that seems to be chasing and attacking a cat. Why would a turtle do this? Perhaps to protect a clutch of eggs it laid nearby? Reptiles don’t play, do they? ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2007, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-turtle-chase-attack-a-cat/404173/2 "2007-05-15T13:31:26Z")
Snapping turtles are agressive. I don’t know enough about turtles to say it that was a snapper or not. The cat in the clip seemed to be familar with the turtle, so maybe it’s just tired of the cat always winning. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2007, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-turtle-chase-attack-a-cat/404173/3 "2007-05-15T14:28:57Z")
It’s a tortoise, FTR, not a snapping turtle, which is aquatic. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2007, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-turtle-chase-attack-a-cat/404173/4 "2007-05-15T15:00:10Z")
Turtles are fearless nasty creatures. They are pretty much pissed off all the time. We have one called Sherman. He is a nasty critter and would chase our cat forever if he could. When I put him on the ground the dogs jump up the steps or on furniture. They know something is wrong with it. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2007, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-turtle-chase-attack-a-cat/404173/5 "2007-05-15T20:04:48Z")
[QUOTE=Duck Duck Goose] It’s a tortoise, FTR, not a snapping turtle, which is aquatic. [/QUOTE] Thanks, you really tortoise something. ---
**Author:** ![A.R.Cane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@A.R.Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.R.Cane)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2007, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-turtle-chase-attack-a-cat/404173/6 "2007-05-15T20:23:41Z")
Reminds me of the story about the snail that was mugged by a turtle. When the cops (work with me here) tried to get a description, the snail could only say, “Gosh, I don’t know, it all happened so fast.” ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2007, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-turtle-chase-attack-a-cat/404173/7 "2007-05-15T20:32:58Z")
I’ll give the turtle/tortoise two points for persistance, and likewise deduct 10 points from the cat for stupidity. ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-turtle-chase-attack-a-cat/404173/8 "2007-05-16T00:34:07Z")
[QUOTE=gonzomax] Turtles are fearless nasty creatures. [/QUOTE] [Check this out.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saMNVS6lkX0) ---
**Author:** ![dgrdfd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@dgrdfd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dgrdfd)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-turtle-chase-attack-a-cat/404173/9 "2007-05-16T00:45:39Z")
[QUOTE=fluiddruid] [Check this out.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saMNVS6lkX0) [/QUOTE] Holy crap that’s crazy. He wanted it bad. ---
**Author:** ![Kneepants\_Erasmus\_the\_Humanist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/54ee81/32.png) [@Kneepants\_Erasmus\_the\_Humanist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kneepants_Erasmus_the_Humanist)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-turtle-chase-attack-a-cat/404173/10 "2007-05-16T00:51:50Z")
[QUOTE=fluiddruid] [Check this out.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saMNVS6lkX0) [/QUOTE] Holy hell. For the first little bit I laughed…then I felt awful for it. I have no experience with turtles…so…do they _always_ make…such …interesting…noises? That was weird. Jerky rapist turtle. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-turtle-chase-attack-a-cat/404173/11 "2007-05-16T01:20:25Z")
[QUOTE=Kneepants Erasmus, the Humanist] Holy hell. For the first little bit I laughed…then I felt awful for it. I have no experience with turtles…so…do they _always_ make…such …interesting…noises? [/QUOTE] [The noises in this video are outstandingly funny too,](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ldu03e1GjGA) but it’s really the look on its face during the climax that makes it hysterical. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-turtle-chase-attack-a-cat/404173/12 "2007-05-16T01:29:13Z")
Turtles make noises. Late at night when the world is quiet weird squeaky noises come out of our aquarium. Just one big miserable turtle there. ---
**Author:** ![dgrdfd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@dgrdfd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dgrdfd)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-turtle-chase-attack-a-cat/404173/13 "2007-05-16T01:32:21Z")
Is it wrong for this to get me aroused? ---
**Author:** ![Kneepants\_Erasmus\_the\_Humanist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/54ee81/32.png) [@Kneepants\_Erasmus\_the\_Humanist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kneepants_Erasmus_the_Humanist)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-turtle-chase-attack-a-cat/404173/14 "2007-05-16T01:34:00Z")
[QUOTE=dgrdfd] Is it wrong for this to get me aroused? [/QUOTE] Yes. It is. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2007, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-a-turtle-chase-attack-a-cat/404173/15 "2007-05-16T01:50:03Z")
[QUOTE=A.R. Cane] Reminds me of the story about the snail that was mugged by a turtle. When the cops (work with me here) tried to get a description, the snail could only say, “Gosh, I don’t know, it all happened so fast.” [/QUOTE] What did the snail say when it was riding on the turtle’s back? “Wheee”!