Why do female dogs kill kittens?

[4theloveofzoe]

My XSIL, has a female black lab, who has recently started to kill new born kittens. Any idea why she'd be doing this?

[lv4dogs]

It has nothing to do with the sex of the dog, nor the breed. Just some dogs are more prone to aggressive &/or territorial &/or prey drive behavior.

[4theloveofzoe]

It has nothing to do with the sex of the dog, nor the breed. Just some dogs are more prone to aggressive &/or territorial &/or prey drive behavior.

SO you think it's a agressive, terriotorial, prey kinda thing?

I forgot to say that she lives in a 2 bedroom apartment with three other dogs, and a bunch of cats. :( Could it be a "space" kind of issue?

[lv4dogs]

SO you think it's a agressive, terriotorial, prey kinda thing?

I forgot to say that she lives in a 2 bedroom apartment with three other dogs, and a bunch of cats. :( Could it be a "space" kind of issue?

Yes, most likely one or more of those behaviors is causing her to killt he kittens, that is unless she is really trying to play with them but she doesn't know her own strength.

A space issue would be the same as a territorial issue most likely.

[4theloveofzoe]

Yes, most likely one or more of those behaviors is causing her to killt he kittens, that is unless she is really trying to play with them but she doesn't know her own strength.

A space issue would be the same as a territorial issue most likely.


I was thinking along the lines of...

TOO many animals in a small space. SO, let's kill off these smaller creatures, before it gets WAY too crowded up here.

[lv4dogs]

I was thinking along the lines of...

TOO many animals in a small space. SO, let's kill off these smaller creatures, before it gets WAY too crowded up here.

Yeah I understand, but I still think that would fall under the territorial catagory.

[Glacier]

She's doing it because they are small, move and sound like prey. A dog can not tell a kitten from a squirrell or a mouse. They make no distinction between something their human loves and a wild creature. She is not doing to make more space for herself(although from your other post over-crowding is certainly an issue). She is doing it because she can--she has the opportunity and frankly, it's probably fun for her! Hunting is fun for many dogs.

It needs to be made very clear that this IS NOT aggressive behavior. There is a huge difference between aggression and prey drive. Some breeds are more prone to prey drive, some individual dogs are have a high prey drive regardless of their breed. It is not aggressive. It's instinct. Your sister's lab is no more like now than she ever was to bite a human.

My own dogs have killed one of my cats. They are sweet, gentle dogs who show no aggression towards humans of any size. They did it not because they wanted to hurt Dominique or to make more room in their territory. They did not do it hurt me. They did it because they are dogs and Dominique got to an area she wasn't supposed to be in. She was simply prey to them. She was not part of their pack when she was out of the house, despite the fact that they had lived with her for five years. Would my dogs kill another cat given the chance? Absolutely, so will this lab. The only way to stop it is to not leave them alone together--ever, not for a second.

[4theloveofzoe]

THanks!! :)

[IRescue452]

You've posted this before in general. The animals seem pretty neglected, they have no proper outlet for their energy and they don't seem to be given the care and attention they need, that's why she killed the kittens.