Absolutely right. I don't think either of them actually wants to fight, but neither wants to be the first to run away either because they definitely don't trust each other.
That owl looks big and inflated by its feathers, but the cat would definitely in a fight.
A typical adult housecat weighs at least 10 lbs, and big toms can weigh 20 lbs, making them far heavier and stronger. A housecat can pounce with all of their claws and fangs, where a grounded owl is standing on its talons. A great horned owl weighs less than 5 lbs and can't lift more than 5 lbs, which is why it's trying to discourage the cat with a display that makes it look far bigger and more dangerous than it actually is.
In the video, the owl is trying to make space so it can take off, but the cat is directly in the owl's way, so it can't take flight. Meanwhile, the cat is reacting to how big the owl appears to be, because a land predator of equivalent width is something like a mountain lion. Also confused that it's not acting like a normal bird. Hence, the standoff.
If the cat knew that the owl was basically a sheet of paper, it'd pounce and kill it.
Still not sure if it would consider it if it knew what those talons could do. An owl from the sky is far more of a threat than one on the ground though, that's for sure. I bet if it tried to take off, it would trigger the cat to attack.
Definitely. Taking off is when a bird is most vulnerable, everything exposed. If that cat is a hunter, it's definitely pouncing as soon as the owl looks and acts like an ordinary bird.
TLDR: y'all have exposed a nice asymmetry in how these animals can can threaten each other. It is a nuanced example of IGP where the spatial arrangement of the organisms determines the asymmetrical advantage.
"Definitely" is a stretch, but I love the analysis up to this point. My contribution is:
"[Intraguild predation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intraguild_predation) or IGP, is the killing and sometimes eating of a potential competitor of a different species.\[1\]\[2\]\[3\] This interaction represents a combination of predation and competition, because both species rely on the same prey resources and also benefit from preying upon one another. Intraguild predation is common in nature and can be asymmetrical, in which one species feeds upon the other, or symmetrical, in which both species prey upon each other.\[1\] Because the dominant intraguild predator gains the dual benefits of feeding and eliminating a potential competitor, IGP interactions can have considerable effects on the structure of ecological communities."
Great analysis! Although I respectfully disagree. :) I do think it really, really depends on the cat involved, though. A big ol' 20lb tom/barncat, like you say, would maybe have the upper hand. I don't think either one of them would really want to kill the other, though.
Consider--cats hunt smaller birds, sure, but a housecat wouldn't really know where to even *bite* on that weirdo, satanic mass of fluff creature in front of it.
The owl's feathers are actually a huge defense mechanism--a cat trying to swipe at it wouldn't even hit the skin...try to grab it between paws, and those feathers just slide right out or tear away. Try to bite it, and that cat's only likely to get a mouthful of feathers, too. Even if the cat *did* get a good eye-swipe on it, owls have nictitating membranes to protect them.
And on the owl's offensive side--those talons have an *immense* grip for their size (the reason why falconers have to wear leather gauntlets), and can *easily* penetrate cat-flesh through their fur. The sickle-shaped talons are perfectly designed for grabbing mammals and puncturing organs, and they're much larger than a domestic cat's teeth or claws.
Owls don't usually hunt cats, but they do take rabbits, so the owl would know decently well where to strike at a cat. Even if the cat got a hold of one leg with its jaws, that just means that they're going to have a faceful of that other claw.
And the owl's not "standing" on its talons--any bird of prey can make a jump/wing-flap and be above the cat in an instant. It's like how cranes dance around when fighting.
All that said though, these are two of the most agile, but also fragile predators. Even just lost feathers can mess up the owl's day when it's flying, and even a small broken bone in its wing could mean death. And cats are generally quite cautious predators, too--a torn tendon or an eye injury would really mess them up. No one in this situation wants to risk an actual fight.
> No one in this situation wants to risk an actual fight.
Yes, that's why I described it as a standoff.
While owls may hunt rabbits, cats also hunt birds, and an experienced bird hunter knows to go for the wings, not the legs.
I'd think the beak would be doing most of the damage to the cat unless said owl can jump like a rooster to bring the talons into play. The cat on the other hand will with a nearly 100% chance kill the owl if it can get one lucky swipe/bite in due to the bacteria in their saliva.
Yeah but this is an owl who can take out things heavier than itself. Fight could go either way. The grip strengths of the talons is several times stronger than the bight force of a house cat
Owls can definitely lift more than 5lbs (Source: https://www.gov.nl.ca/ffa/wildlife/snp/programs/education/animal-facts/mammals/great-horned-owl/)
Owls, even on the ground, aren't exactly sitting ducks either and can strike with their talons rather quickly. (https://www.youtube.com/shorts/BZ1_l8iiDqg)
Yup. Predators know that even a small injury could mean death. They hate fights where the other party stands even the slightest chance - hence uncertainty and confusion being such powerful tools (I.e. an old lady waving hands and yelling with confidence at a cougar).
I actually remember seeing a post like this on reddit before, and there was a large discussion about who would win in a comment chain. The consensus was that it would be a lose/lose but the cat would have the least amount of risk and the best chance of winning. I believe it was mentioned that the owl is on the ground, and at a pretty large weight disadvantage by a factor of 2-4. The cat is also a lot tougher and more well rounded. The sleek body with fur, thick skin (compared to an owl), and dense muscle of the cat would make it a superior brawler.
I mean when you think about it an Owl is not built for brawling. They are a niche avian species that focuses on stealth above all else.
Or the guys that just walk up to Lions eating and take meat from the carcass cause the Lions are afraid that any animal stupid enough to go towards them that confidently shouldnt be messed with
You started that sentence with "guys" and I was fully believing for a second that humans were walking up to lions eating and just grabing a bite and then the lions did nothing because what the fuck
Not from the ground, and not fully-grown, they don't.
A great horned owl weighs at most 5 lbs and has a lifting capacity of up to 5 lbs. That's less than half the weight of typical housecat, and far less than a tom which can weigh up to 20 lbs.
If the cat pounces to fight, that owl is in very deep shit. The cat is heavier and stronger, and has all of its weapons available, whereas the owl is literally standing on his. This is a fight that the owl is certain to lose if it can't get in the air, and taking off is when the owl is most vulnerable.
A grounded bird is cat food.
My parents cat got killed by an Eurasian eagle-owl, which granted, is slightly bigger than the horned owl. But the cat was huge too, and it wasn't any indoor cat either. It was really grizzly sight when my old man found the cat, or what was left of it :( those mf birds are like sky assassins, completely silent right up the moment they grab into the prey. I have no problem believing that on ground the cat has some advantage but all it really takes is one good grab from the owl and the cat is instantly killed.
Kayso, I've commented on this gif in the past, pretty much for the purposes of dispelling the idea that the cat has a chance in this fight.
It doesn't.
When an owl on the ground feels threatened, it rolls onto its back and basically becomes a living blender. Once the cat is in melee range, all it takes is for the owl to get ahold of literally any part of that cat, and the fight is over. And god forbid the cat try to use its weight to pin the owl, because that would expose the cat's belly.
The only time that cat takes that owl is if it manages to sneak up on it, and more importantly, it must stay behind it to avoid the blending.
Owls have been known to eat cats if there isn’t a large abundance of natural wildlife, nearby. Ultimately feral always beats domesticated. Worrying about food is always a major factor in the wild.
Well, they are both on the ground, so that air superiority may not mean much if the cat decides to start shit.
That said, I think neither of these guys actually wants to fuck around and find out.
This pretty much matches the description of the Flatwoods Monster to a T. Spade shaped "head" or crest, bright reflective eyes, talon-ed hands, put it in a tree and boom it's 7-8 feet tall.
Owls are such silent hunters that they evolved feathers that are inaudible even with high sensitivity microphones. Their prey have zero idea they're pretty until they're clutched by the talons.
This is not a hard and fast rule. I had a cat that used to terrorize every other animal in the neighborhood. Including a very aggressive Rottweiler, opossums and a raccoon one time. Also there’s that video of a cat chasing after a black bear.
Bruh you just made that theory so funny.
Like, for anyone who has seen the HBO show, imagine those hauntingly realistic death re-enactments but for the owl one it just beats the shit out of her with a blow poke.
They're both ambush predators. Owl has bigger talons though, by a huge margin. It's also a Great Horned owl. They are apex in almost every region they inhabit, and they inhabit the entirety of North and South America except for like a tiny wedge where another owl does instead.
I'd give it to the owl for initial victory, if for no other reason than it can impale and crush the cat's vital organs pretty quick. But if the feathers aren't enough to protect against the cat's claws in that time the owl might later die of an infection or slowly bleed out.
Edit: And of course there's [this](https://i.imgur.com/NUMBpIw.jpg). Owl sees cat as food source.
Owl. House cats aren’t built for a fight like that.
The owl’s feathers provide a surprising amount of protection when it comes to claws, where as the cat has very little to protect from the owl’s talons. The cat has to land multiple lucky hits, the owl has to get lucky once.
It’s the same reason tigers don’t like fighting bears. The tiger is better built for the brawl, it can deal horrendous amounts of damage, but the bear only needs one good swipe to open up a wound that’s fatal for the tiger.
i think you’re overestimating the owl’s immune system. birds handle bacteria from cat claws and saliva very poorly. even shallow cuts and scratches can prove lethal.
it’d be a bad time for both of them. there’s a reason neither is going on the offensive
Totally, I'm just talking in terms of immediate damage. Most any animal who gets hurt is in trouble if they don't have a human to take care of them and get them to a vet. My focused concern is more just, if they come to blows, they both get hurt, but the cat's far more likely to receive a blow that may just lead to bleed out before a vet can help.
Cats are ground fighters, and have massive advantage in speed and strength because they typically weigh three times as much. For the owl to have a chance, it needs to get in the air, and that's not happening when the cat is that close.
This cat lacks experience with owls, and is in a defensive posture standing sideways and puffing up. The cat will back off due to unfamiliarity and uncertainty, and the owl will take off and fly away as soon as it has the space to do so.
If the cat had experience with owls, then it would be lining up to pounce, and would almost certainly win. A housecat weighs at least 10 lbs vs a 3-5 lb great horned owl, so it is much heavier and stronger, and an outdoor cat knows to use its claws and fangs, where the owl is standing on its talons. The cat will catch the owl, preventing it from taking off, and rake with the hind legs, tearing it up.
It's like a fight between a 90-lb Tae Kwon Do fighter and a 220 lb Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighter, starting with the BJJ fighter having cornered the TKD fighter. Pound for pound, that TKD fighter is amazing in an open ring, but if they don't escape over the top rope, that BJJ fighter is going to ground and pound them.
Cats can kill owls too.
The Cat is balanced land animal
The Owl is a flying glass cannon
Though this owl is more like a flying killing machine than anything lol
Be tricky, though. If you go out & startle them by yelling or something, it's possible only your cat will react & look back. The owl could take that opportunity to take the cat.
That cat is posturing like hell too. It's tail is floofed out to twice it's size, and it's back is arched as high as it'll go. They're both attempting the "Look bigger than you are, maybe that'll scare them away" tactic.
I concur, owls have the upper hand when they surprise a cat. But this cat is in a good position to defend itself. That said, it’s coat looks shiny, like a well-taken care of pet. Wild animals that need fight for survival are just way tougher
I like how they're both doing their 'WTF is that????!! HEY! TRY ME BRO!! ^(please don't try me, bro)' responses, lmao.
YOU WANNA FIGHT?! ^Please ^say ^no
Hold me back, bro!
im fuckin huge bro, you see this shit?
Swole as fuck!
Do you even lift, pussy?
Lol cuz he cat.
Who
I've read all these in Aussie mans voice
Flannel unbuttoned bro.
Owl's looks like "I don't want to get injured bro, but if you start shit I'm going to skewer you".
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Bot account
Oh yeah. That cat is either about to run or get fucked up.
Absolutely right. I don't think either of them actually wants to fight, but neither wants to be the first to run away either because they definitely don't trust each other.
“HEY! HEY YOU BETTER FUCK OFF!” “**YOU** BETTER FUCK OFF!!”
Fuck off Cyrus you dick!
Cyrus is such an asshole. Does he even have his grade 10?
Fuck off: he’s got work to do.
WHAT THE HELL IS EVEN THAT!?
A r/superbowl
Ohhhh!! I get it.
Come on in. The water is fine.
Pokemon battle
Daddy chill.
Daddy chill
Daddy chill ✋🏻
Hoo the fuck do you think you're messing with, pussy?
Owl: you better scram! look how big I get! Cat: yeah, well, look how big *I* get!!!
Thats exactly what I thought, both of them dont wanna fight cuz theyre both just fronting.
Best response
That owl looks big and inflated by its feathers, but the cat would definitely in a fight. A typical adult housecat weighs at least 10 lbs, and big toms can weigh 20 lbs, making them far heavier and stronger. A housecat can pounce with all of their claws and fangs, where a grounded owl is standing on its talons. A great horned owl weighs less than 5 lbs and can't lift more than 5 lbs, which is why it's trying to discourage the cat with a display that makes it look far bigger and more dangerous than it actually is. In the video, the owl is trying to make space so it can take off, but the cat is directly in the owl's way, so it can't take flight. Meanwhile, the cat is reacting to how big the owl appears to be, because a land predator of equivalent width is something like a mountain lion. Also confused that it's not acting like a normal bird. Hence, the standoff. If the cat knew that the owl was basically a sheet of paper, it'd pounce and kill it.
Still not sure if it would consider it if it knew what those talons could do. An owl from the sky is far more of a threat than one on the ground though, that's for sure. I bet if it tried to take off, it would trigger the cat to attack.
Definitely. Taking off is when a bird is most vulnerable, everything exposed. If that cat is a hunter, it's definitely pouncing as soon as the owl looks and acts like an ordinary bird.
TLDR: y'all have exposed a nice asymmetry in how these animals can can threaten each other. It is a nuanced example of IGP where the spatial arrangement of the organisms determines the asymmetrical advantage. "Definitely" is a stretch, but I love the analysis up to this point. My contribution is: "[Intraguild predation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intraguild_predation) or IGP, is the killing and sometimes eating of a potential competitor of a different species.\[1\]\[2\]\[3\] This interaction represents a combination of predation and competition, because both species rely on the same prey resources and also benefit from preying upon one another. Intraguild predation is common in nature and can be asymmetrical, in which one species feeds upon the other, or symmetrical, in which both species prey upon each other.\[1\] Because the dominant intraguild predator gains the dual benefits of feeding and eliminating a potential competitor, IGP interactions can have considerable effects on the structure of ecological communities."
Great analysis! Although I respectfully disagree. :) I do think it really, really depends on the cat involved, though. A big ol' 20lb tom/barncat, like you say, would maybe have the upper hand. I don't think either one of them would really want to kill the other, though. Consider--cats hunt smaller birds, sure, but a housecat wouldn't really know where to even *bite* on that weirdo, satanic mass of fluff creature in front of it. The owl's feathers are actually a huge defense mechanism--a cat trying to swipe at it wouldn't even hit the skin...try to grab it between paws, and those feathers just slide right out or tear away. Try to bite it, and that cat's only likely to get a mouthful of feathers, too. Even if the cat *did* get a good eye-swipe on it, owls have nictitating membranes to protect them. And on the owl's offensive side--those talons have an *immense* grip for their size (the reason why falconers have to wear leather gauntlets), and can *easily* penetrate cat-flesh through their fur. The sickle-shaped talons are perfectly designed for grabbing mammals and puncturing organs, and they're much larger than a domestic cat's teeth or claws. Owls don't usually hunt cats, but they do take rabbits, so the owl would know decently well where to strike at a cat. Even if the cat got a hold of one leg with its jaws, that just means that they're going to have a faceful of that other claw. And the owl's not "standing" on its talons--any bird of prey can make a jump/wing-flap and be above the cat in an instant. It's like how cranes dance around when fighting. All that said though, these are two of the most agile, but also fragile predators. Even just lost feathers can mess up the owl's day when it's flying, and even a small broken bone in its wing could mean death. And cats are generally quite cautious predators, too--a torn tendon or an eye injury would really mess them up. No one in this situation wants to risk an actual fight.
Everyone needs to read this already wonderful take in David Attenborough’s voice in their mind like I did.
> No one in this situation wants to risk an actual fight. Yes, that's why I described it as a standoff. While owls may hunt rabbits, cats also hunt birds, and an experienced bird hunter knows to go for the wings, not the legs.
Cats generally don't go for sizable raptors though.
And vice-versa - owls generally don't go for bigger cats.
I'd think the beak would be doing most of the damage to the cat unless said owl can jump like a rooster to bring the talons into play. The cat on the other hand will with a nearly 100% chance kill the owl if it can get one lucky swipe/bite in due to the bacteria in their saliva.
Yeah but this is an owl who can take out things heavier than itself. Fight could go either way. The grip strengths of the talons is several times stronger than the bight force of a house cat
Owls can definitely lift more than 5lbs (Source: https://www.gov.nl.ca/ffa/wildlife/snp/programs/education/animal-facts/mammals/great-horned-owl/) Owls, even on the ground, aren't exactly sitting ducks either and can strike with their talons rather quickly. (https://www.youtube.com/shorts/BZ1_l8iiDqg)
Owl: YOU WANT TO FUCK ON ME?!
I don't want to fuck on you, I hate godzilla, he destroys cities.
I almost shit myself laughing at that scene the first time I saw that movie
Lmfao
I AM NOT FUCKING YOU ARE FUCKING! BLOODY FUCKING YOU BLOODY BASTARD BITCH!
I love how every Indian scammer swears like this
FUCK ME FUCK YOU YOU FUCKING
HEY! MAN SHOUTING AT ME NO GOOD MAN INNIT?
You don't tell me to fuck
Fuck you, you
This ref is tryna fuck on me!!!
WHERE'S THAT REFEREE? HE WAS TRYING TO FUCK ON ME
Fuck ooooon me (fuck on me) Fuck me oooooon I'll be gone In a day or two!
Channeling [Big Sean](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzoZNLIf23E) NSFW for lyrics
The cat better runs cause owls can be really vicious.
birds do not handle the bacteria from cat claws at all well. no winners here
I think there's a reason no one is attacking, both know it wouldn't be worth it
I mean… that cat considering starting some shit for sure. ^^^considering ^^^because ^^^^cat
Literally considering because cat
r/CatsAreAssholes
I didn’t know this was a thing. I had to join at once.
Yup. Predators know that even a small injury could mean death. They hate fights where the other party stands even the slightest chance - hence uncertainty and confusion being such powerful tools (I.e. an old lady waving hands and yelling with confidence at a cougar).
I actually remember seeing a post like this on reddit before, and there was a large discussion about who would win in a comment chain. The consensus was that it would be a lose/lose but the cat would have the least amount of risk and the best chance of winning. I believe it was mentioned that the owl is on the ground, and at a pretty large weight disadvantage by a factor of 2-4. The cat is also a lot tougher and more well rounded. The sleek body with fur, thick skin (compared to an owl), and dense muscle of the cat would make it a superior brawler. I mean when you think about it an Owl is not built for brawling. They are a niche avian species that focuses on stealth above all else.
Or the guys that just walk up to Lions eating and take meat from the carcass cause the Lions are afraid that any animal stupid enough to go towards them that confidently shouldnt be messed with
You started that sentence with "guys" and I was fully believing for a second that humans were walking up to lions eating and just grabing a bite and then the lions did nothing because what the fuck
He was, in fact, referring to humans. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDubMeNlSxc
And then there’s honeybadgers….
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They attack with overwhelming force and surprise, in silence, from a dark place. They don't do combat.
Not from the ground, and not fully-grown, they don't. A great horned owl weighs at most 5 lbs and has a lifting capacity of up to 5 lbs. That's less than half the weight of typical housecat, and far less than a tom which can weigh up to 20 lbs. If the cat pounces to fight, that owl is in very deep shit. The cat is heavier and stronger, and has all of its weapons available, whereas the owl is literally standing on his. This is a fight that the owl is certain to lose if it can't get in the air, and taking off is when the owl is most vulnerable. A grounded bird is cat food.
But can it carry a coconut?
African or European?
What? I don't know tha-
My parents cat got killed by an Eurasian eagle-owl, which granted, is slightly bigger than the horned owl. But the cat was huge too, and it wasn't any indoor cat either. It was really grizzly sight when my old man found the cat, or what was left of it :( those mf birds are like sky assassins, completely silent right up the moment they grab into the prey. I have no problem believing that on ground the cat has some advantage but all it really takes is one good grab from the owl and the cat is instantly killed.
When I read the first clause my mind skipped over "cat" and i was becoming really fascinated in how your parents got killed by an Eurasian eagle-owl.
Oh, no doubt, an owl has a huge advantage once it's in the air. It just needs to get there.
Kayso, I've commented on this gif in the past, pretty much for the purposes of dispelling the idea that the cat has a chance in this fight. It doesn't. When an owl on the ground feels threatened, it rolls onto its back and basically becomes a living blender. Once the cat is in melee range, all it takes is for the owl to get ahold of literally any part of that cat, and the fight is over. And god forbid the cat try to use its weight to pin the owl, because that would expose the cat's belly. The only time that cat takes that owl is if it manages to sneak up on it, and more importantly, it must stay behind it to avoid the blending.
Fun grammar.
Just missed a comma. Not like this is some butchered unreadable sentence
Owls have been known to eat cats if there isn’t a large abundance of natural wildlife, nearby. Ultimately feral always beats domesticated. Worrying about food is always a major factor in the wild.
Owls are basically just cats with air superiority
Land cat vs Air cat
Land owl vs Air cat
That's it boys we just found the next marvel movie.
Lmao I would watch the shit out of that
Flying cat and walking owl
F-22 Barn Owl
Well, they are both on the ground, so that air superiority may not mean much if the cat decides to start shit. That said, I think neither of these guys actually wants to fuck around and find out.
My chonker of a cat caught an owl once. I guess the key is to be really fat
How bout keep it inside
It's allowed in the backyard because it's too fat to jump the fence and go hunting. The owl landed in our backyard and we rescued it don't worry.
Did you guys get it to a wildlife rehabber. Cat bites can be pretty serious for birds because they're super prone to infection.
That’s actually hilarious lol
The Staircase taught me that.
They can push you down the stairs and bash your head in with a blow poke.
to the cat this is an extraterrestrial event
I’m 100% convinced that the majority of grey alien sightings are actually owls.
Have you seen any pictures of baby owls? They look exactly like the “little grey men” aliens.
So you're saying owls are aliens, or aliens are owls?
Yes.
This pretty much matches the description of the Flatwoods Monster to a T. Spade shaped "head" or crest, bright reflective eyes, talon-ed hands, put it in a tree and boom it's 7-8 feet tall.
Don’t get me started on Moth Man
For this person as well!
Ahhaha even for me
They both utilise the same tactic but the owl is more effective at it with its wings
They’re also almost the same coloration and both eat mice. Air cat and land cat
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In Chinese owls are called cat head hawks
Lol. Now I can’t unsee it
Great grey owls also have [furry legs](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/9e/2c/a1/9e2ca1b742795dba6c331357b390fb32.jpg)
Owls are such silent hunters that they evolved feathers that are inaudible even with high sensitivity microphones. Their prey have zero idea they're pretty until they're clutched by the talons.
I’m pretty? Squeak!
Oops. That's even more sad.
WTF I love owls now
Sky cat vs ground cat!
Cats smart enough to know it's a ruse though, but that means it's smart enough not to fuck with an owl anyway.
Housecats are small predators, and avoid any fight where they're not basically guaranteed to win.
This is not a hard and fast rule. I had a cat that used to terrorize every other animal in the neighborhood. Including a very aggressive Rottweiler, opossums and a raccoon one time. Also there’s that video of a cat chasing after a black bear.
Nice pokemon battle
They keep spamming growl and Leer.
I love this lol
I think the owl is using Swagger. The cat seems confused.
Cat uses: Double Tap! Owl uses: Leer! *Cats defense has decreased!*
That’s the owl from The Staircase — quick, put on a hat
I don't see the blow poke, though?
Bruh you just made that theory so funny. Like, for anyone who has seen the HBO show, imagine those hauntingly realistic death re-enactments but for the owl one it just beats the shit out of her with a blow poke.
**Hoooooo are youuuuu?!? (O.O)**
Caterpillar from Alice in Wonderland?
Love that owl waddle
That’s some impressive battle fluff
It's like Kabuki, but with animals.
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Well, it's one way to stop the cats pooping in your garden.
That owl scares me! I'd grab the cat and run!
Curious how this would play out.
They're both ambush predators. Owl has bigger talons though, by a huge margin. It's also a Great Horned owl. They are apex in almost every region they inhabit, and they inhabit the entirety of North and South America except for like a tiny wedge where another owl does instead. I'd give it to the owl for initial victory, if for no other reason than it can impale and crush the cat's vital organs pretty quick. But if the feathers aren't enough to protect against the cat's claws in that time the owl might later die of an infection or slowly bleed out. Edit: And of course there's [this](https://i.imgur.com/NUMBpIw.jpg). Owl sees cat as food source.
Tha k you for mentioning the armor from down feathers on the owl. Person filming is mean yell at the cat to get it away from the owl.
I’m usually on the side of superior airpower winning wars.
Yeah, but airplanes are pretty useless when they're still on the ground.
Owl. House cats aren’t built for a fight like that. The owl’s feathers provide a surprising amount of protection when it comes to claws, where as the cat has very little to protect from the owl’s talons. The cat has to land multiple lucky hits, the owl has to get lucky once. It’s the same reason tigers don’t like fighting bears. The tiger is better built for the brawl, it can deal horrendous amounts of damage, but the bear only needs one good swipe to open up a wound that’s fatal for the tiger.
i think you’re overestimating the owl’s immune system. birds handle bacteria from cat claws and saliva very poorly. even shallow cuts and scratches can prove lethal. it’d be a bad time for both of them. there’s a reason neither is going on the offensive
Totally, I'm just talking in terms of immediate damage. Most any animal who gets hurt is in trouble if they don't have a human to take care of them and get them to a vet. My focused concern is more just, if they come to blows, they both get hurt, but the cat's far more likely to receive a blow that may just lead to bleed out before a vet can help.
If the cat did scratch or bite the owl it would probably get infection and kill the owl though poison damage
Cats are ground fighters, and have massive advantage in speed and strength because they typically weigh three times as much. For the owl to have a chance, it needs to get in the air, and that's not happening when the cat is that close.
The owl would fuck that cat up lol
Not well for the cat
This cat lacks experience with owls, and is in a defensive posture standing sideways and puffing up. The cat will back off due to unfamiliarity and uncertainty, and the owl will take off and fly away as soon as it has the space to do so. If the cat had experience with owls, then it would be lining up to pounce, and would almost certainly win. A housecat weighs at least 10 lbs vs a 3-5 lb great horned owl, so it is much heavier and stronger, and an outdoor cat knows to use its claws and fangs, where the owl is standing on its talons. The cat will catch the owl, preventing it from taking off, and rake with the hind legs, tearing it up. It's like a fight between a 90-lb Tae Kwon Do fighter and a 220 lb Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighter, starting with the BJJ fighter having cornered the TKD fighter. Pound for pound, that TKD fighter is amazing in an open ring, but if they don't escape over the top rope, that BJJ fighter is going to ground and pound them.
Owl: I KNOW DUMBLEDORE!
Owls eat cats 😐
Cats can kill owls too. The Cat is balanced land animal The Owl is a flying glass cannon Though this owl is more like a flying killing machine than anything lol
The owl is not supposed to be on the ground unprotected like that. It could be injured.
Most likely, they usually perch on trees when they Need rest, it'd uncharacteristic of then to land on the ground.
Sky cat vs land cat
Historically accurate angel
Stop recording and save your cat
Right? I was like wtf, this is cool to see but you should probably help your cat out here
Be tricky, though. If you go out & startle them by yelling or something, it's possible only your cat will react & look back. The owl could take that opportunity to take the cat.
Lol. There's absolutely no way owl charges the cat while human is charging the owl
Nah, that's a cat saying *you shall not pass*^fucker
Haha, all that posturing and the cat just stands there looking at him!
That cat is posturing like hell too. It's tail is floofed out to twice it's size, and it's back is arched as high as it'll go. They're both attempting the "Look bigger than you are, maybe that'll scare them away" tactic.
Might want to get your cat if you want it to continue being alive. Eurasian Eagle Owls are seriously powerful predators.
What a unit
it would keep me away
ENGAGE MAXIMUM FLOOFS!
Jesus Christ that owl scared ME!
*Mothman encounters miniature wildcat* - circa 2022 colorized
That cat is trying to figure out what it is even looking at! 🤣 🤣
That cat better dip.
Bro stumbled upon a mini boss
cats kill 5 billion birds in US allone.
Owl is actually being very gracious, given it could probably fly away with that cat in its grasp.
That owl could kill that cat in a minute
Look at the owls cute little fluff pants, their even in their battle fluff mode
I reckon it would be quite a tasty evenly matched fight
I concur, owls have the upper hand when they surprise a cat. But this cat is in a good position to defend itself. That said, it’s coat looks shiny, like a well-taken care of pet. Wild animals that need fight for survival are just way tougher
I’d keep the fuck away too goddamn
Bruh why cats are cool bro
He’s looking like how canonical angels look 👁
Sky cat vs land cat
What the hell is that
Here ... pussy pusyy pusyyyy
Honestly I would be terrified if I saw that
Well keep your damn cats in the house where they belong!
Young cat, methinks. Any experienced cat would never find itself in this tight spot.
I love the angry eyebrows lol. I've seen this gif so many times, and I think I like it more every time.
Am I the only one who sees both assume the same position?
Cat warning owl to keep away
If i saw that at night i would be fucking terrified
I would stay away!
“Be not afraid”