- A Husky quickly went into protective mode when he saw a mama cat grabbing its kitten.
- The husky thought that the cat was hurting the kitten with its kicks, and immediately gave the cat a nudge.
- A cat’s bunny kick can result in scratches, so the husky was just making sure that no one was harmed.
Cats and dogs have been known to be enemies, but there have been many instances of the two species forming a good relationship while living under the same roof. A husky, for instance, became immediately protective of a kitten when he thought that its mother was hurting it.
A video shared on TikTok showed a tortoiseshell cat grabbing one of its ginger kittens and bunny-kicking it. The husky quickly stepped in and nudged the cat with its snout until the cat kicks in response.
The video was captioned, “My dog protects the kittens at all cost.”
Viewers observed how those “bunny kicks ain’t no joke,” with one user commenting that their cat “does the same exact kicking thing but to me.”
Another noted that the last kick toward the husky meant “get out of our family business.”
Just as the viewers commented, a cat’s bunny kick is no joke. According to Hill’s Pet Nutrition, a bunny kick is “stealthy and potentially dangerous behavior… the cat bunny kick is both a tactical self-defense move and a hunting maneuver.”
Cats tend to change their mood instantly so they are impossible to predict. You may think that your cat is playing with you but they can immediately become aggressive. For instance, rolling over to expose their stomach is almost always a trap to lure you into a false sense of security to give them a belly rub.
It can be painful if the cat manages to kick you with their back legs while their claws are out. The cat may not have intended to harm you but since they cannot retract their back claws, a bunny kick will most likely result in scratches.
It’s unlikely to stop a cat from bunny kicking but its behavior can be redirected. For instance, Hill’s Pet Nutrition advises against “roughhousing” or “using your hand and/or arm as a chew toy.” You can also give them “a stuffed animal (with or without catnip) that they can stalk and attack,” instead of putting your limbs in harm’s way.
Source: Newsweek
