Bald eagles like to prey on small animals for their food since they are meat eaters and that’s why they are carnivores. This article will cover the concern “Do bald eagles eat cats?”, what’s the associated threat, how can you protect your pet, etc.
Do bald eagles eat cats?
Yes, bald eagles can kill and eat cats because of their large, hooked beaks and long claws. Eagles are swift creatures and they can kill a cat by instinct. Cats, being mobile on the ground and fast, can escape the attack but once put into a position where eagles could catch them, they would kill.
Eagles are meat-consuming birds and are predators in nature. The benefits of swiftness and high flight allow them to attack their prey with great precision. But eagles don’t generally feed on cats, since they live close to water bodies or in the forest, they normally feed on squirrels, rabbits, and fish.
Are bald eagles dangerous for pets?
Bald eagles can catch and kill small pets. They weigh around 12 pounds and can pick up something around the weight of 5 pounds. These eagles can fly at a height of 15,000 ft, having a clear view of where their prey is hiding.
Although eagles are raptors and therefore, meat eaters, they rarely take live animals as their food. They are carrion eaters and prefer dead prey for their diet. The major portion of their diet is fish. They attack their prey, and once they have their talons into their prey, there’s little hope of survival.
Cats owners have been warned of the dangers associated with their cats strolling in a locality where eagles are found wondering. Therefore, proper preventive measures should be taken to protect your pets from these predatory birds.
How do bald eagles attack their prey?
Eagles mostly adopt three methods for attacking their prey. One is from a perch for a low-level horizontal approach, another is diving straight down from a height and the last is a ground attack. They strike their prey and then clench their talons.
These methods won’t allow your cat to retaliate against a bald eagle and gets them killed. They hit with one foot around the neck, and the other by the shoulder. Eagles may live 25 to 30 years, and these experienced predators develop techniques and strategies to kill their prey.
Why do bald eagles hunt down cats?
Eagles are not adapted naturally to prey on cats, they are lazy creatures and don’t bother much to hunt down a live cat. Instead, they will be happy with the dead carcasses of small animals resulting from road accidents or other animal fights.
Eagles are often seen to feed their prey to their small eaglets in their nests. They hunt down prey and feed it to their babies. Animal protein is a healthy diet for eaglets and their parents don’t let slip a chance of getting food for them.
Bald eagles are carnivores and mostly feed on fish, small mammals, and other birds. But mammals make up a small percentage of their regular diet. They are known to prey and eat around 400 species, and since they are opportunistic predators and will eat both live animals and carrion.
Why do people worry about bald eagles attacking their cats?
Cats are very close companions for pet owners. They have strong emotional affiliations with their pet. But different videos of bald eagles preying on cats have drawn their attention to the threat. Eagles have strong wings and they allow them to lift small animals on which they prey.
How can you protect your cat from a bald eagle?
Here’s a list of some measures you can take to protect your cat from bald eagle attack:
- Monitor your cat’s outings.
- Keep your cat closer to yourself if she has kittens.
- Eradicate possible perches or make them uncomfortable.
- Make sure your property is not attracting birds.
- Keep your area clear of any kind of food so it doesn’t attract other scavengers.
- You can also seek help through an eagle deterrent.
- You can install a fencing system to protect your pet if you live in rural areas.
- Consider installing a pen or exercise run, which prevents your cat from getting out and predators from getting in.
- Keep your cat indoors as much as possible.
Conclusion
Today, we covered the article “Do bald eagles eat cats?”, what’s the associated threat, how can you protect your pet, etc. From the above discussion, we concluded that bald eagles can kill and eat your cat for their nutritional need.
There are very less chances of survival for a cat attacked by a bald eagle. Your cat can escape a bald eagle’s attack if the talons of the eagle haven’t clenched into it, otherwise, there is very little hope. It’s best advised to keep your cats indoors if you’re residing in a locality of bald eagle habitat.
References
https://roaring.earth/bald-eagles-eat-cat/
https://petkeen.com/do-bald-eagles-attack-kill-cats/
