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

I spoke at length with the falconer at the Homestead Hotel in Hot Springs, Virginia, about this very topic. She is a professional falconer, and said that yes, hawks of this size can kill and will kill a cat. In addition, the hawk she used to teach us about falconry weighed 2.5 pounds (although we all thought she was much heavier until we held her), and the largest animal she took down was a fawn. Not kidding here. Very impressive animals, but I don't want my cat getting touched by their very impressive talons. You can check the credentials of the falconer who manages the mews for the Homestead; she also manages the mews for the Greenbriar Hotel. I consider that either you are fortunate with your cats, or that there is easier and smaller prey available. My cat had been chosen for a meal by two hawks right above him-- fortunately my husband noticed the two hawks, went and picked up the cat. The hawks immediately flew away -- their meal was gone.

Right now I have a cat missing has been missing for five weeks the cat had been outside all her life day and night but I adopted her from my neighbor and I kept her in at night she's only outside maybe 34 hours a day well long story but she was over a friends house not my house after she was at my house and then over Neighbor's house I live with my grandmother she's got dementia didn't want any other cats here etc. etc. long story like I said so I moved her over there everything was great Kat was spoiled had her own studio was not even let out during the day unless my friend was home I was only four days a week three days a week she was inside the house in the studio and was not wet outside because I did not want her outside unless she was supervised well on March 1 my friend let her out after an hour and a half she went to call her like normally together back in the house so she can going to town she said she tried only for five minutes which I would i've tried longer probably receive my cats life but of course you can't give your best to just anyone to take care of them they're not gonna take care of them like you would but anyway she didn't find my cat so she left to go to her appointment thinking OK she'll be OK because they had other for other cats on the property she came back and we never found her I have searched the whole entire neighborhood up and down sheds garages because most people don't have fences I have gone door-to-door show pictures of her I have gone to the pound I mean I am absolutely devastated that was my baby I mean seriously more like a dog than anything and just she love me and want to be the holder and just love her which most cats are not like that I don't know what to do I'm thinking the roommate may have done it because it's a new roommate she did not like me there every night see in my cat she thought she could just rent the whole house and all the whole house well the landlords told her otherwise they are my friends I have a key to the house and everything so I offered to pay some rent for my cat to be there since she was having such a fit anyway I also told her that I was looking for my own place well I did not know she had two cats two blocks over while she waited three weeks to even go get them which was weird because they were not being fed and they were starving who knows where they're getting their source of food in those three weeks but when she did get them brought them over two weeks went by of course we get them separated my cat does not like other cats she had issues with a female cat one day the landlord came over and let her out of the studio my friend was at work and it's really irritating that they did this they should've at least put her back in but they just left my friend came home to a scene of my cat almost attacking the new roommates cat I apologize and said it wasn't my fault I didn't let her out I saw my cat that night everything was fine the next morning I got a story from my friend telling me about this timeframe she let her out now and all this and that story I'm hoping it's the truth I just don't know but anyway she disappear the next day after all this happened I have my suspicions but I'm trying to find out somehow how I can find out if she had anything to do with it I'm working on a plan but I did confront her two times on it and she absolutely blew up in my face and told me I did not hurt your cat I never asked her if she hurt my cat I asked her if she took her or dumped her somewhere but I have posters up on that area big huge posters any $500 we ward I had $1000 we ward at first and not one freaking phone call I have posted her all over the Internet and people were tell me oh just let it go she was eaten by wild life well I'm not giving up and people are just horrible to say something like that I want help not people telling me to give up any suggestions would be nice what are you guys doing

perhaps you could write your story with some sort of punctuation. (Some sort of editing wouldn't be bad too.) This massive block of text is unreadable...at least by me. I really sympathize with your situation but it's not something I really want to sort through.

Wow, someone who is a worse writer than I. Even though I cant spell"cat", I do practice "Hyperpunctuation" and, almost always, am able to be easily understood.

Even Jack Kerouac would occasionally use a period or comma.

Well, the broadwings have taken about 5 of my chickens in the past 2 months and I actually saw this one SUMBITCH pick up a laying hen, carry hr over to an adjacent alafalfa field and then drop her from about 10 stories . The chicken actually flew down and the hawk just stooped and was on her in a flash. Hawks are very efficient killers. I dont think that certain species would have any trouble with small cat. It would have to be like a Redtail or a Broadwing. A cooper hawk couldnt lift something that's bigger than she(like a cat).

One thing, however, Hawks aint stupid, they are very selective and economic in their target acquisition they dont want to gt wounded by a squirming prey(especially one thats sporting a set of retractable claws).

Good news is that the remaining hens have become ary of one are of their daily promenade. They seem to be avoiding it and, when they do traverse this one open area, they do it in singles . It appears that the hawk has developed a hunting strategy that works best when theres a group of confused chickens running in all directions when the hawk dives in. The hawk relies on this momentary confusion reaction and quickly chooses lunch and is gone. When the chickens cross this area singly, they are better able to jut run under a bush or a fence line, thus stymieing the hawks plan. There is no strength in numbers when the predator uses the plan of picking out one from a bunch of crazy chickens all who are watching each other as much as they are watching the predator.

CLEVER GIRL eh? Like the velociraptor in Jurrasic Pork

Its a matter of Physics n Biology. Sizes n intinct.
Point is, if it is a baby cat then yes.
You seem to be looking for some sort of moral behaviour validation., which does not apply. Birds of prey are birds of prey. Not bad not good they just do what they must.

Thanks, I think I'm convinced that though rare, a large hawk may well attack smaller dogs and cats when very hungry.

Feral cats kill a lot of red tails.

I don't think it would be difficult for a hawk to swoop down on a domestic or feral cat. The talons dig into the cat's body when it is attacked, so how could the cat fight back especially if it is airborne? I have a small brown tabby and it recently had a couple of tufts of fur missing from on top of its head and has a wound on its cheek. We have seen an increase of hawks here in our neighborhood, so it is my opinion that the birds talons tried to dig into my cat's head and caused the wound and missing fur. The cat is scared to death to go outside now. I have no proof except her behavior and the nature of her wound.

I wouldn't worry about the cats - these things go after grown men..

A Shirley, Massachusetts, man attacked by a hawk three times over the past week now refuses to leave the house without a helmet.

The man, who asked not be identified out of embarrassment, told Boston 25 News the bird flew at his head each time, and, even drew blood on Tuesday.

"It's very, very scary," he said. "Every time I go out now, I have to wear a helmet, and if I hear a sound or airplane or some weird sound, I just duck and I always put my hand behind my head in case I get attacked again."

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/trending-now/man-says-hes-scared-to-leave-the-house-without-helmet-after-hawk-attacks/558670632

Do Hawks really pretty on adult domestic cats?

damn u, autocorrect...

Yes I had been taking my dogs to the park for years till one day my chieeenie about 10 pounds thank God was right beside, a hawk came down try get her, I screamed waved my arms, I thought he went away she ran to other side me behind, he tried again, I scooped her up away we went no more park it sucks just because of these scrounged they don't get their exercise hardly, so believe they at your animals! I'm definitely on high alert all the time, they're sneaky!!!!

Forget that I'd hammer his ass with a broom or they say an air horn freaks them out!

Red tail hawks will absolutely pray on domestic animals including cats!!!
My yard is fenced in so I can allow my cats to go outside safely. However, due to unmanaged over population of red tail hawks, my cats are no longer safe in their own yard!!! I have already experienced multiple attempts of hawks diving down towards my yard. Even to the point in which two hawks actually landed on my fence . There is absolutely nothing in my yard which would attract these disgusting air vultures. Prior to allowing my cats to go outside, I always check the skies first, if everything looks clear, I will go outside with my cats and it never ceases to fail. Within 20 minutes to a half hour I will see multiple red tail hawks circling my yard. They may not be able to carry off one of my cats but I'm even uncertain about that because one of the two which landed on my fence, Actually shook my fence when he landed. I was amazed and shocked at the size of this bird!! He was the absolute Definition of predator. Do you not kid yourself about their nature or what they're capable of when they are hunting. Just because they may not be able to carry an animal away, does not mean they will not attempt it!
Protected! These disgusting air vultures were going extinct for a reason. They do not belong in residential areas. Protect your pets however you need to. Just be smart about it!!! Game commission doesn't care about you or your beloved family members.
Let nature take it's course. I fully agree and if that were truly the case. These disgusting predators would be extinct. F Red Tail Hawks!!

feral domestic cats are certainly not threatened. They are cockroches and killers of chickens and ducks on "free range" farms.

I have two house cats who stay inside unlss with us on the patio or back gardens. Barn cats are open season for anything thats hungry as far as Im concerned. we have a healthy stand of cooper hawks who prey on feral cats and squirrels(besides song birds, which I dont like but ecology is a food web, not a game of favorites).

Dont be pitting species against species and then wanting pity. If you need to have your house cats outside, build em something like a nice covered run . Birds of prey are magnificent creatures.

Its under our control to keep down predation if thats what you wish.

Probably your big problem is an overabundance of rodents , since both feral cats and hawks will prey on em. A feral cat can give pretty good measure to a hawk. A hawk does NOT want to b wounded so it will pretty much avoid tangling with feral cats.House cats are not verystreet smart.

Probably your real problem is an overabundance of rodents , since both feral cats and hawks will prey on em. A feral cat can give pretty good measure to a hawk. A hawk does NOT want to b wounded so it will pretty much avoid tangling with feral cats.House cats are not verystreet smart.

Recently, a hawk comes by my backyard and swoops down on my indoor/outdoor cat. I have rescued him 3 times. The hawk then sits on my chain link backyard fence until I swoosh her away. I think the cat and hawk are competing for the same food. It is scary.

Was it a red tail r a broad wing? They are big enough to kill a cat. We have sveral families of Coopers that live in our big woods and in the old silo. They will harrass the cat and actually kill feral kats but Ive
only recently discovered itsonly when they have a nest and chicks. Cats are really dumb when it comes to sensing How BIG a bird can be.