Why do dogs chase cats?

Arf-arf, meow-meow! Even if you haven’t seen it happen in real life, lots of stories and cartoons tell tales of dogs chasing cats. So is it really true that dogs chase cats, and if so, why do they do that?

In certain instances (real-life and otherwise!), dogs have been known to chase cats. Mostly this is simply because dogs have the instinct to chase things that move, since that’s how they would capture food for themselves if they lived in the wild! However, because it’s their instinct, most dogs who would chase a cat would also try to chase other things, such as other small animals or even just something that moved like a remote-controlled car!

The idea that dogs specifically chase cats is mostly just used for story-telling purposes. Since these are two very common pets, it can make for a good story to think they might be like rivals! In truth, dogs aren’t any more likely to chase cats than they are to chase something else, and sometimes in real-life the tables might even turn and the cat will chase the dog!

Every pet is different, so remember that you should never put your pet in a potentially harmful situation. Even if your dog doesn’t tend to chase anything, you should never try to provoke this behavior, and always remember to ask a grown-up before introducing two new pets to one another. Some pets need to be trained so they can get along together, and depending on the personalities of the two animals this, this can take time and experience.