Your dogs have no idea what they did. They didn't do it to hurt you. They have no clue that they killed another creature you love. No idea that they broke your heart. They are over it, moved on. They were over it 2 minutes after it happened and looking for something else to do.

I speak from experience. On May 26, 2005 my dogs killed my cat, Dominique. She got outside somehow without anyone seeing her escape. My fault entirely. NOT the dogs' fault. They were just being dogs. They knew and continue to know that they can't chase the cats inside the house. Would they kill another cat who got outside?? ABSOLUTELY! Without hesitation. Would it be their fault? NO. It would be mine. I still love my dogs. I never considered for one minute putting them down or getting rid of them. My vet would have thrown me out of his office if I had even suggested putting them down. I am more vigilant about keeping my cats inside and not having any more escapes.

Dominique's death was one of the worst experiences of my life. I'm very sorry that you lost your kitty, but your dogs shouldn't have to pay the price for it. Yes you will forever have to watch them with cats and other small animals. You may have to keep them entirely seperated at all times. Prey drive can be controlled in some dogs, but it can't be eliminated. I have huskies. Their prey drive has been bred into them for hundreds of years. I can't get rid of it. Some of my dogs can never see a cat. Some of them are just fine in the house with them, but would kill an outdoor cat in a second. I never leave them unattended with the cats.

I was angry and hurt with them. For awhile I didn't do much except meet their basic needs--food, water, shelter. Then as the fog of grief began to lift, I realized that by shutting them out, I was only giving myself another loss. I had lost my feline friend and I was loosing my canine buddies, even though they were still physically with me. They must have thought I'd gone nuts. They had no idea why Mom was being so cold to them, no clue that they had shattered my heart. They were still the same goofy, happy, bunch of mutts they had always been. Only I had changed. So I started to do the fun stuff with them again and remembered why I had them in the first place. I miss Dominique every day, but the blame for her death is mine, not the dogs'. I've forgiven them. It may take me much longer to forgive myself. If you can't find a way to forgive your dogs, then you need to find them a new place to live. They don't need to die because they happen to have some prey drive.