HOUSTON – It's the video seen around the world. A dog viciously attacks a boy in the driveway of his home. But the family cat comes to the rescue.
Dr. Lore Haug is the only full-time board certified veterinary behaviorist in Texas. She works at Texas Veterinary Behavior Services in Sugar Land and says that cat's response isn't surprising.
"There are different explanations for why that cat showed that behavior. Perhaps because he was protecting a child. It also may be that the cat was defending the home territory", says Haug.
And cats are not only territorial. Haug says they're smarter than a lot of people give them credit for.
"Teaching dogs to open and close doors, turn off light switches...You can actually teach cats those things" Haug says.
But don't think you can bark at a cat and expect it to take orders. According to Haug, a cat may need a little more time to train than a dog.
"For decades a lot of dog training was based on intimidating dogs into doing things. Sit or else. You try that with a cat it is not going to work!"
But with the right approach, Haug says the sky is the limit.
Join the conversation on our Facebook page!
26071324