Has a house cat ever killed its owner?

Question

Dog's turn on their owners all the time and attack them. I'm wondering if a house cat has ever inflicted fatal damage on its owner.

This question occured to me the other day when thinking about the difference between dogs and cats. They've both been domesticated for about as long. However, untrained dogs will revert to their wild instinct on occasion and attack humans. Cats, which probably still have the same wild instinct as a lion or cougar hidden somewhere inside them, don't. Why not?

Answer 1

Domestic cats have accidentally killed their owners by getting under foot where the owner falls to their death. Because of their relatively small size it's difficult for them to scratch and bite an owner literally to death out of spite. However, the infection from the wounds could kill their victim as well.

Answer 2

Cats are plenty clever and pretty smart.

They can do things dogs can't.

If a cat was smart enough, to take out its previous owner - you would think it was smart enough to not get caught. It could be said that it may be clever enough to reason that humans presume the they are the superior intelligence in the living world. Why would another human think an ordinary cat, would be able to arrange the demise of a human being. When humans think that in comparison, all other animals are just - dumb animals.

If cats could play poker, they probably could bluff and win more than a dog, because cats are cool and cunning, where as dogs, wag their tails and get really twitchy when they get excited.

I would have to say it is possible. Though why would a cat want to resort to killing a human, when revenge is so much more fun (to a cat, that is). i.e. Murphy's Law

Answer 3

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Did you tell this shelter you had an eighteen month child in your home? Most shelters don't adopt to families with babies and young children for the reason you mentioned "Even when my youngest is being a little too rough" Babies and young children aren't intelligent enough to know when they're hurting a kitten and can easily injure or even kill one. YES - take this kitten back to the shelter immediately. That's what your contract states. And do NOT get another pet until your child is at LEAST five years old. Taking a kitten back to the shelter you adopted it from is NOT a terrible thing to do as someone else said. You DO NOT have the right to rehome this animal - as another incorrectly recommended. Terrible would be if this kitten stays in your home - unloved by you and eventually injured or killed by your child.

Answer 4

I have always said that cats are wild animals that we let live in our house and hope they don't rip our throats out while we sleep.

Before you accuse me of hating cats I want to say that I have always had cats, I have 3 right now, and I love them a bunch.

I think perhaps the reason they DON'T turn on us is they don't really think of us as their owners, probably more like an inept servant. Therefore they are not threatened by us.

Answer 5

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RE:
Has a house cat ever killed its owner?
Dog's turn on their owners all the time and attack them. I'm wondering if a house cat has ever inflicted fatal damage on its owner.

Answer 6

Well yes I do believe that a cat could suddenly turn on the owner in some cases if it felt threatned. Cause once my mom had this weirdo cat that just showed up at her house and wouldn't leave, so one day i went to her house and she asked me to load it up and drop it off somewhere in a nice neighborhood. So I got the cat as I was leaving and started out to my car and assoon as I tried to put the cat in the car it went crazy and attacked me I was not seriously hurt but I did get damaged and then after that noone could even get near the cat without it trying to attack them... I know strange.... But I did say it was a weirdo cat... LOL

Answer 7

I just read a story in our local paper. A cat some how turned on a stove that was hooked up in the basement. The house caught on fire. Luckily the guy got out but it could have killed the owner.

So in a sense yes but not by a physical attack

Answer 8

I don't think so. A dog is bigger and stronger. A cat is small and not so strong like a dog. A cat can kill its owner if its allergic to it.

Answer 9

I don't know about cats killing their owners, but how about cats causing a mass murder?

Answer 10

I've never heard of a cat successfully killing its owner, but i won't deny personally that MY cat hasn't tried! Little bastard! j/k If they trip you and you fall or lay on you and accidently suffocate you, then those might be fatal. But i don't think they'll intentionally do it.