Can Owls Eat Cats?

We have never stopped being fascinated by owls and their mysterious behaviors, and sometimes unusual questions simply rise to the surface. In response to the title inquiry, owls can catch and eat cats, but there is more to the matter.

So, how do cats become prey for owls? Are their agileness and size any problems for these mischievous hunters?

Let’s dig deeper and figure out your answer!

Large Owls Can Attack Cats

With extremely sharp senses and deadly talons, owls have been acknowledged as amazing hunters, which eventually perpetuated more myths and rumors such as they are the bane of our feline buddies.

However, the prey high on an owl’s priority list are rodents, insects, fish, and sometimes other birds. These species share one thing in common: they are slower and smaller than owls, hence they become easy targets.

Meanwhile, domestic cats are often larger than owls’ typical prey, and they are quite agile themselves. Therefore, owls have a very low chance of successfully capturing a cat and carrying it away for a delicious meal.

Owls might not have the chance to eat a full-grown cat, though owls can still eat small kittens that cannot hide well or protect themselves. If the food sources become scarce and a kitty exposes itself as a good target, the owl won’t leave it alone.

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Why Owls Attack Cats At Night

Owls are nocturnal creatures and they work the most efficiently at night, so if they want to attack, there is no better time.

Experts also point out that owls still can make mistakes, so they might see cats as potential prey in a plethora of penumbrae and poor lighting.

Unfortunately for them, cats are always on alert themselves, so the sudden ambush with talons doesn’t always work on them. And thus a battle of owls versus cats is very rare to see.

Cats have many predators to be aware of during nighttime, but owls are not one of them. Nonetheless, small cats and kittens might be in danger.

Owls Eating Cats Is Just A Rare Occasion

Here is the thing: You need to differentiate between attacking and eating. Many owl species would attack cats for a few reasons:

• Small cat breeds or kittens might seem like good targets for owls. Even when they are only playing and moving about, the owls might still feel urged to act on their hunter instinct.
• Barn owls love attacking small prey so they might well notice cats, though it is not usual.
• They are asking for a fight because owls don’t give up on their territory.
• Last but not least, attacking a possible prey is simply in an owl’s blood. It is night, the little kitten is unsupervised, and an owl won’t let the good fortune slip away.

However, even the aggressive Great-Horned owls wouldn’t eat cats with appetite except for the rare occasions wherein they don’t have any other source of food.

On the other hand, the Eurasian Eagle owls and the Barred owls were reported to have captured and consumed cats (and other small pets), yet the frequency was low and owls are still not the primary threat to your feline friends.

How Heavy The Cat Needed To Be Safe From Owls

Owls have always been feared for their powerful talons, which can snatch and lift prey as heavy as they are, if not more. The species with bigger sizes such as Great Horned owls and Eagle owls can lift 1.5 – 2.5 kg (approximately 3 – 5 pounds) when the surrounding conditions are ideal for them.

However, in real conditions, the flight and lifting of owls will be affected by the pull of gravity on themselves, air resistance, and other factors. Hence, a mature domestic cat will not be an easy target.

A normal cat above 2 kg is likely to be safe from most owl species, though it might need to weigh more than 3 kg to avoid the talons of stronger owls.

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Keep Your Pet Cat Safe From Owls

There are several things you can do to make sure your cat is not on the radar of the cunning owls, especially the kittens lacking the necessary defensive skills.

1. When the night falls and the owls are ready for a hunt, don’t let your cats wander outside.
2. If you want to give the cat an outdoor house, you will need an enclosure to prevent the owls from attacking your cat.
3. Cats indeed need fresh air to grow and stay healthy, but you can keep the playtime limited to daytime only. So, the nocturnal owls won’t be a threat.
4. Don’t let the trees around your place grow uncontrollably and extend their branches to your home, or you will be giving the owls a good spot to perch and observe their prey.
5. Should you have the conditions to install motion-sensitive lights and keep them on all night, the owls will be discouraged from getting close, as well as other night creatures that you don’t want to be involved with.
6. A more economical solution than light installation is reflective tape. They will scare the owl off and keep your cat all safe.
7. Wasted food and garbage cans have the potential to attract uninvited guests, and owls will come for them.

The Takeaways

Owls might be outstanding hunters, though owls don’t usually eat cats. They might have a variety of prey in their diet, but cats are not part of it.

However, if you are surrounded by owls, a few preventive methods wouldn’t be redundant – they are much better for the environment than setting traps and killing owls off.

If you have observed unusual behaviors in owls or handled some problems related to them, don’t hesitate to share your experience with us and give us all an informative discussion!