Do Hawks Attack Dogs and Cats?

By Richard Worden

Living in an area where hawks are prevalent can be nerve-wracking as a pet owner because hawks are carnivorous and opportunistic predators. So if you have a pet cat or dog, you might be worried about a hawk attacking them. So, do hawks attack dogs and cats?

Hawks will attack dogs and cats if they’re hungry and on the hunt for food. You’ll see them flying in circles in the sky or perched in a tree, using their incredible eyesight to spot prey on the ground. Hawks can see farther distances than any animal, which makes it easy for them to find their prey.

If you’ve noticed a hawk circling overhead, it’s best to assume the bird is looking for food. This article will highlight what sorts of animals hawks might eat and how to protect your pet from getting attacked by one of these predatory birds.

Do Hawks Eat Cats and Dogs?

If a hawk spots your cat or dog outside and it’s hungry, there is a good chance it will attempt to eat your pet. This is especially true if the hawk hasn’t eaten for an extended period and there isn’t other prey around besides house cats and dogs.

While hawks prefer smaller animals like rabbits and squirrels, they will sometimes grab your cats or small-breed dogs. This is why you need to keep a careful watch on your pets when they’re outside. 

Watch out for a hawk’s hunting behavior. You’ll know they’re ready to swoop in and grab your precious pet any time if you see them circling overhead or perching on a high tree or post to watch and listen for prey.

Large to medium-sized dogs are less prone to being attacked because of their size. Needless to say, miniature and small-sized dogs are at the highest risk of injury from a hawk. 

Hawks have excellent eyesight and hearing in order to find and hunt their prey. They also have strong, sharp talons that they use to grab their prey. Once they’ve caught the animal, the hawk will typically fly back to a perch to consume it. 

Hawks also have excellent grip. So if you don’t want to play tug-of-war with a hawk in an attempt to rescue your pet, it’s best to keep tiny cats and dogs indoors.

How To Protect Your Dog or Cat From a Hawk

In order to protect your dog or cat from a hawk, there are a few preventative measures you can take. These measures range from making sure your dog is supervised when outdoors to avoiding open fields or bird-watching locations.

Bird-watching locations and open fields are dangerous places for small animals to play. When a hawk is circling overhead or perched nearby and spots a small animal to hunt, it will soar down very quickly to scoop the animal up with its talons. 

Here are some tips to protect your pets from hawk attacks:

Walk Your Pet in Forested Areas

Even if your yard is enclosed by a gate or a fence, it’s still a good idea to keep an eye on your pet when they’re in the yard since hawks can fly straight down to pick up their prey. 

Trees, shrubs, and bushes provide natural cover for small animals to explore the outdoors without the fear of being attacked. Walking your pet in a forested area is a better choice to prevent hawk attacks.

You can also build an outdoor enclosure with a roof to prevent any predatory birds from flying into your yard.

Let Your Pet Play with Other Pets

Another trick is to walk your pets with other animals or allow your dog to play at a dog park with other pets. Hawks typically only hunt one animal at a time and will avoid attacking multiple for fear of getting hurt or missing the kill. 

Cats don’t often play at a park with their other cat friends, but you can still leash your cat for walks. Outdoor cats and unleashed cats are at a much higher risk of being attacked because they spend so much of their time unsupervised. 

Clear Your Yard of Potential Hiding Places

Another helpful tip is to clean up your yard to eliminate any hiding places for small critters like squirrels and chipmunks. If a hawk becomes aware of a plentiful food source on your property, it will most likely hang around for hunting purposes.

Make Your Pet Wear a Reflective Vest

To take these preventative measures even further, you can purchase a reflective vest for your dog or cat to wear when they are exploring an area that might be near a hawk’s territory. 

The vest not only creates a visual disturbance for the bird, but it is thick enough to provide added protection in case your pet experiences an attack. The vest’s padded surface can prevent a hawk’s talons from injuring your dog or cat. 

There are even vests with spikes along the top. The benefit of this type of vest is that it will be guaranteed to protect your furry friends. However, it also makes it difficult for your dog to play with other pets because the spikes can cause injury.

The CoyoteVest Dog Harness Protection (available on Amazon.com) is a highly protective vest that comes in small to extra-large sizes. For any outdoor activities that don’t involve playing with other pets (which could cause them injuries), this vest is an excellent tool to protect your dog or cat from attacks from a predatory bird.

What To Do if a Hawk Is Threatening Your Dog or Cat

If a hawk is circling overhead or, worse, diving down to try and grab your pet, you’ll need to attempt to scare it off to prevent it from preying on your dog or cat. If you run at the hawk like a crazy person, you’ll probably scare it away. However, you risk your neighbors calling in the authorities to have you taken for psychiatric evaluation! 

Surprisingly, this crazy action is a similar technique used to scare away other predatory animals like bears. (But I strongly advise against trying it out on larger animals!)

Alternatively, there are tools you can purchase that are effective at scaring away predatory animals like hawks. Below are four of the best-reviewed products that will prevent hawks from hunting your small pets (all are available on Amazon.com). do hawks attack dogs and cats

• Mageloly 500-Foot Bird Scare Tape. This reflective scare tape can shine brightly and scare away predatory birds with its capacity to create a visual disturbance. It’s also a loud paper in the wind, which startles birds.
• ZL Bird Netting for Poultry Aviary Game Pens. Bird netting is an excellent choice for those that have chickens, roosters, and ducks on their property. This product also works to deter hawks from getting to your cats and dogs.
• Lijo Solar Owl Animal Scarecrow. Owl scarecrows that sit on tree branches are great options to prevent hawks from perching in nearby trees and scoping out their next meal.
• Lanney Bird Spikes. Bird spikes are another way to deter hawks from making a nest on your property or nearby. The spikes are placed along tree branches, causing the hawk pain if it were to try and perch on them.
  
  

Do Hawks Attack Dogs and Cats?...Conclusion

Since a hawk is a predatory bird, there is a chance that it could attack your dog or cat for consumption. Watch out for hawks flying overhead or perching on a tree or post nearby, watching and waiting for prey to appear. 

You can prevent a hawk attack by supervising your pet when outdoors, using hawk deterrents, and ensuring that you’re walking your animal in covered areas. When your pet is under attack, making loud noises and waving your arms can scare the bird away. Use the tips above to protect your pet from hawk attacks.

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Hi! I'm Richard Worden, the author and founder of We Know Birds.

Over 20 years ago I developed a keen interest in birds and birdwatching, and it has been my passion ever since. I am committed to spreading useful knowledge about birds to others so we might all enjoy them to the fullest.

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