“Stories from a holistic vet” is the blog of Dr. Laurel Davis, a holistic vet and “animal interpreter” with a clinic in Asheville, NC and also offering intuitive animal health and lifestyle advice for animal companions and their human friends across the USA.
Have a question for Dr. Laurel? Send it in.
Want comprehensive or detailed dog or cat advice? Schedule an Ask Dr. Laurel™ phone or Skype consultation.

To chase cats or not to chase cats, that is the question!

Tahoma considers the pros and cons of cat-chasing.

Dear Dr. Laurel,
At 11pm last night, my dog (a husky/yellow lab mix) got out and chased a poor little scared cat up a tree on our neighbor’s land and barked for an hour. Around midnight, I got out of bed and fought brambles and weeds to get to where he was and figure out what was going on. Tahoma has been trained never to chase cats, so I was shocked and upset. What if he had caught it? What was he doing chasing a cat? The cat’s family was probably worried sick about her! And what was he doing getting me out of bed in the middle of the night?
I lost it. I yelled at him, dragged him down the hill and locked him in the screen porch where he sleeps. I almost never yell at him or act so upset with him. He has rarely ever been punished. I’ve never needed to because he’s a pretty sensitive guy who picks up on things very quickly.
I think he thinks I’ve gone off the deep end. This morning he acts scared and sad, and when a dog came near our land today, he growled, but he seemed afraid to chase it away.
Is there something I can do to repair my relationship with my dog-friend, or is it best to just give it time?
Thanks, Dr. Laurel!
Erin in Asheville

Erin,

When I checked in with him, Tahoma said, “I know she (Erin) wants me to feel guilty, but I don’t. This cat is not a cat I am in relationship with, and so she was fair game, especially if she runs. It was really fun to chase this cat. I ran like the wind. I was alive and vital. Now, I know Erin did not want me to do this, so I will not do it again. I will not chase cats…any cats. This morning, I felt sorrow because I felt emotional separation from Erin. This afternoon, I am still not feeling my usual joy and wonder yet. I hope this conversation brings some clarity to Erin.”

After talking with Tahoma, it seems time will be a big emotional healer, although talking to him about how much you love him while visualizing your heart connection would certainly set him at ease sooner. Also, if you want him to continue to ‘protect’ your land from other dogs, you may want to send him a visual of exactly that.

It will be interesting to see if he truly doesn’t chase any cats again. It is natural for dogs to chase running ‘prey’, especially dogs that are more wolfen such as a husky, malamute or German shepherd dog.

Shine on,

Dr. Laurel Davis

Dr. Laurel Davis is a holistic vet offering phone and Skype consultations for animal lovers everywhere.

Call 828-254-2221 or order an Ask Dr. Laurel™ phone or Skype session or bring your dog or cat to her downtown Asheville, NC clinic.

To chase cats or not to chase cats – that is the question!

To chase cats or not to chase cats, that is the question!

About the Author