In this blog, we will answer the main question, “Do owls eat cats?” we will also cover why owls attack cats, how you can keep your cat safe from an owl attack, and what types of cats are being attacked by owls.
Do owls eat cats?
Yes, owls do eat cats. It is not very common for owls to attack cats. You just need to make sure that the owl doesn’t have the opportunity to attack your cat. You should devise ways to keep your cat safe from the attack of an owl at night.
Why do owls attack cats?
Following are the reasons why owls attack cats:
Hunger
The first and the most basic reason for a wild animal to attack another animal is hunger. Owls are opportunistic hunters. They will attack and eat whatever it will find on its way. They attack especially at night because they are nocturnal animals like that your cat.
The owl may be in search of food and the usual prey of the owl will be in short supply so the owl decides to attack your cat and eat it. The usual prey of an average size owl are rats, rodents, and other small mammals.
The mother owl will attack your cat because it needs to feed its little ones.
Snatching food
The owl might have seen your cat having dinner. The dinner might have rodents and rats which are the favorite food of the owls.
The owl might want to snatch the food from the cat so the owl decides to attack your cat and snatch the food from your cat.
It is better to give enough food to your cat and do not let your cat roam on the terrace.
Threat
The next reason is the threat that the owl will face if your cat gets near the nest of the owl. It is quite a basic instinct of wild animals to mark their territory. The owl has a nest that it will protect at any cost.
The mother owl will protect its kids and will attack your cat if it feels that your cat is a threat to its kids.
What types of cats are being attacked by the owl?
The cat under 5 pounds is being attacked by the owl. There are a wide variety of owls across the world. The largest one in North America is the large horned owl which can pick up small deer. The large horn owl is the most dangerous type of owl in the world.
The large horned owl can pick up a large dog and even kill it on the spot.
Can a cat win a fight against the owl?
No, cats cannot usually win a fight against the owls. Owls have speed with a razor blade beak and powerful claws. The cats are no match for owls so it is better to keep your cat safe in the house otherwise the owl will not give it another chance.
What can you do to keep your cat safe from owl attacks?
Following are the things you can do to keep your cat safe:
Keep your cat indoors
You should keep your cat indoors at night because owls are nocturnal animals. They like to hunt at night so it is better to feed your cat in the daytime.
The owls are also attracted to the food you are placing in the yard at night for the cat. You need to keep the food inside the house at night.
Use lights in the yard
You can also install lights in the yard. The owls do not like lights and will be afraid of getting into the yard if they notice you have lights in the yard. The lights should be on throughout the night so that the owl doesn’t come near your house
Supervise
The next thing is to supervise the playtime of your cat. If your cat is playing in the yard you should keep an eye on your cat because the owls are very fast and in seconds they can attack and lift your cat high above the ground.
Keep the windows close
You should keep the windows of the house closed at night otherwise the owls will get in the house in search of food and it will be a disaster for you and your cat.
The garbage lid should be closed so that the owls are not attracted to it. Garbage has waste food in it.
Conclusion
In this blog, we answered the main question, “Do owls eat cats?” we also discussed why owls attack cats, how you can keep your cat safe from an owl attack, and what types of cats are being attacked by owls.
