do hawks really prey on adult domestic cats? Tired of this!

For your information last night my cat was attacked by a hawk or owl. We heard a noise, got out of bed to discover my cat was being attacked by a hawk or a owl couldn't tell it was dark. We seen the hawk peaking chunks of hair out of my Siamese. What's really ironic is my cat has never been out side( like it should be for all cats) my cat was sleeping in front of a sliding screen door exposed to the fresh air like always and the hawk punctured through the screen and pulled my 11 year old cat out and proceeded to try to eat him. We finally got to the mess and the hawk or owl took off like nothing happened. I believe the hawk was not injured. My cat is seriously hurt. he will make it but it will be a slow recovery. So you dumb uneducated people need to do more research.

Hawks do not hunt at night. It could have been a large owl like a Bard.

I have lived near three hawks for several years now. We also have feral kittens that come around that we sometimes catch and adopt out. Having the hawks in a tree above our yard, observing them in all conditions, I can tell you they never take cats, any size. They don't even go after the considerable bunny population here, just rodents and occasionally a bird such as a dove.
We did find out the hard way however that keeping our cats walled in from Coyotes was not effective protection from Raccoons. These devils will come around your cats for months like they're one of the gang.
After they've sized the situation up they will kill and partially devour a full grown cat as well as kittens. City animal control and police will not respond to any Raccoon report unless a human is being threatened and trappers charge hundreds to thousands of dollars to catch them, assuming they can.
After losing three cats we finally discovered these masked devils were responsible and made the only mature and humane decision, to kill them before they did any more harm.
Frederick Drury
LA CA

Yeah well, as for Opposums, I only suspected them at first because of the bite marks I was finding on my dead cats. Apparently the Possums would try and finish off what the Raccoons didn't want .
Now I know better; that Raccoons will cohabitate and share food with cats until there is none and then will kill even a full grown cat to eat! In my case we're talking about a huge, 45 pound Raccoon(now an ex Raccoon) and two smaller ones(also former Raccoons). I had a neighbor go on about how cute they are and that they're endangered, ha! They are in fact, like the Coyote, an out of control species that requires a major reduction in numbers.

The only thing that needs reduction is outdoor cats. They are as much a problem as habitat lose when it comes to the decline of song birds. Keep you stinkin' cats inside and your problem and the bird problem is solved.

I say there is a weight ratio thing going on. Like in Monty Python
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHFXG3r_0B8

I can testify that hawks will prey on cats. I have had hawks take two of my cats, one was 5 pounds and the other was about 12 pounds. They just swoop down and take them away, and there is nothing you can do about it.

Okay guys, I appreciate your kind words about my lost cat. I just didn't know that Raccoons were so viscious and that they commonly prey on cats, leaving them partially eaten. I just knew it wasn't a coyote because my walls are too high and assumed it was some tree dwelling creature. At the time, a large opposum was seen right after my cat(cats) had been scurried away. It was likely trying get left overs of my pet after the Raccoon was done eating but at the time I didn't know how these animals operated.
Also having lived right under three red tail hawks all year, I have noted they never attacked even one of the stray/feral kittens that live in a lot next door.
So, now I know...Opposums, no problem, Hawks, never a problem, Raccoons; Shoot or beat to death with shovel on sight.

Hi Everyone.
Thank you for your input. I had a hawk sitting in the tree watching my cat and I freaked out and found the info helpful. By the way...want to keep your cats 99.9 percent safe from anything? Purchase a cat fence. Ijust bought one after losing one cat to the road and another seriously injured by a car 4 weeks later that has cost me a small fortune to help him. I love love this fence and my cats love the outside time. Here is the link.
Edit [Moderator]: Link removed .
Peggy, Cheeto, Teddy, Dewey

Hi.
Where do you live? What kind of hawk took your cats?
I am sorry for your loss. That is horrible.
Peggy

I have a 5 1/2 lb. Maltese, she looks like she weighs more because all of her hair, anyway, I saw a hawk in my backyard today, my dog was not out there thank goodness, so I imagine the hawk was looking for a small bird to consume, but there is so much controversy it seems over whether or not a hawk can pick up an animal that size, that I am scared to let my small doggie be out in the yard without me being right by her side. Am I being too paranoid???
Linda from San Diego CA

All of these anecdotal postings are interesting, but don't really provide solid information regarding the risk of hawks to domestic cats. Hopefully the following information from http://www.hawksaloft.org/faq.html will:

"Can a raptor carry away/eat my pet?

Raptors hunt a variety of prey, including rodents, birds, rabbits, snakes, and insects. And yes, large raptors, such as Red-tailed Hawks and Great Horned Owls, can indeed kill a small pet. We have received dozens of inquiries about 6-pound dogs, 10 pound dogs, 10½ pound dogs, etc., all the way up to a 60 pound dog. There is no specific cut-off weight at which your pet’s safety is guaranteed. If the size of your dog or cat is similar to or not much larger than naturally occurring raptor prey, there is a risk.

If you are concerned about your dog or cat, the best advice we can give you is to keep your pet indoors or supervise them closely outdoors. There are several good reasons to keep cats indoors. Outdoor cats face considerable danger from vehicle traffic, as well as harassment from larger animals, such as dogs and coyotes. We think these threats are responsible for a much greater share of mortality than raptors. In addition, outdoor cats are responsible for killing millions of wild birds every year. Turnabout may not seem fair play when it comes to a raptor threatening our beloved cat, but by allowing our cats to roam free, we are exposing them to this uncommon danger.

When it comes to dogs, we know it is often necessary to keep them outdoors. If you live in an area with a substantial population of large hawks and owls, perhaps you can protect your dog by providing an outdoor shelter or covered run.

As pet-owners ourselves, we at Hawks Aloft share your concern for the safety of your pet. But while keeping your pets secure, we encourage you to take an extra moment and appreciate the remarkable wildlife that also shares your space. Like our faithful dogs and cuddly cats, backyard birds and wildlife can greatly enrich our lives. "