Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution => Topic started by: Pseudoscience-is-malarkey on 07/01/2022 13:19:21

Title: Why are dogs becoming more and more afraid of cats?
Post by: Pseudoscience-is-malarkey on 07/01/2022 13:19:21

More and more we see evidence of this in our households. A dog spots a piece of food on the floor, but if a cat sees it and is interested in it, they can easily assert themselves by just walking up to the dog and said food, causing the canine to go into full retreat.

Title: Re: Why are dogs becoming more and more afraid of cats?
Post by: Colin2B on 07/01/2022 15:32:51

I blame the owners. Poor upbringing, raising a generation of wimps

Title: Re: Why are dogs becoming more and more afraid of cats?
Post by: Bored chemist on 07/01/2022 17:28:56

It's because cats are clever enough to understand sample size.

Title: Re: Why are dogs becoming more and more afraid of cats?
Post by: set fair on 12/01/2022 07:07:04

Very interesting question. From observations in real life and youtube videos I have noticed:
i) If you start with a dog / dogs in your home and then get a cat / cats then the cat(s) rule. But the other way around the dog(s) may end up on top.
ii) If they don't live in the same household then  dogs will chase cats and cats will kill birds. But put them in the same household and their behavior is very different.
iii) on youtube you can see cats tormenting dogs and birds tormenting cats and it's clear that's exactly what their what their doing - deriving pleasure from another creature's discomfort.. We talk about man's inhumanity to man but it seems that this behavior was around way back in evolutionary time.