Black Cat Stalking Deer Gets Way More Than He Bargained For
There’s a theory that says cats were never really domesticated, that though they voluntarily began to live alongside humans thousands of years ago, and certainly adapted their nature to become the fluffy little couch panthers we know and love today, they were not intentionally bred by humans the way dogs, cats, horses, and livestock were. In fact, most cat “breeds” are no more than a century or so old.
Maybe that’s why cats never seemed to stray far from their wild forebears. Though these days your average house cat tends to get most of their food from cans, a fair proportion of them—even the ones who are not feral—still live by tooth and claw, surviving as mousers in homes, farms, and barns. My cat caught her first mouse when she was only a few months old, and she regularly cries to be let on the patio so she can eviscerate the birds that flock to my feeders.
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This black cat has not forgotten his predator roots, even if he’s seriously misjudged the size of his prey. In this video, the cat is obviously stalking quarry—only that quarry happens to be a giant deer.
Related: Video of Cat 'Stalking' Mom After Returning From Vacation Is Way Too Cute
The Deer With Nothing to Fear
As he ranges closer, the deer, through some primal understanding that the hunt is on, perks up. But when he sees who it is that’s after him, he’s less scared than bewildered.
While a normal deer may run at the sight of a possible predator, this one just surveys the situation, then continues to graze. But every time he returns to the grass, the cat, comes just a little closer.
The deer keeps turning around, as if wondering if the feline is indeed serious. Eventually, he turns all the way around and gives the cat his full attention. They both seems extremely confused.
“If predator shaped, why not predator sized?" one commenter imagines the deer wondering. And indeed, the deer seems to be warring with his natural instincts. His nature tells him that something is after him. His eyes tell him that the danger is slim.
Instead, what we get wouldn’t look out of place in a Disney movie. Someone call the animators, it looks like we’ve got a sequel to Bambi on our hands.
“That deer full on booped his snoot,” says another viewer.
Satisfying Your Cat’s Hunting Drive
Obviously, this cat is a born hunter, but maybe it would be useful to find something a little more to his size.
Even your laziest house cat was born to hunt. Unlike dogs or even livestock, cats did not spend their millennia of human interaction waiting for hay, feed, or meaty bones to be served to them. Instead, they prowled granaries and barns for pests, and hunted rats aboard ships. Has your cat ever brought you a “trophy” of their latest kill, whether it’s a cricket, a lizard, or a wayward sock? Many people think this is a form of repayment for all he times you and your opposable thumbs opened a can of food for your kitty. Others think it’s the feline form of pity—they think you’re just a terrible hunter.
But either way, even housecoats need to exercise their hunting instinct. You can do this with toys like feathered teasers or laser lights, by making sure they have access to a window with plenty of birds outside (my patio bird feeder sends my cats into a frenzy), or even by investing in one of those mechanical flopping fish or rolling mouse lures.
Give your kitty something to do, or they’ll find something all by themselves.
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