dogs with a strong prey instinct - and small furries

Has he been neutered - this does help to minimise hunting and other instinctive behaviour?

Perhaps a muzzle for the time.

Quite a difficult situation really. It isn't the dog's fault but if I had a beloved cat or other pet that was killed by a neighbour's dog I would be very upset and annoyed. That would probably be unfair of me, but I'm sure that's how I would feel.

I wonder if there is any way of training the dog out of this behaviour - by attending obedience classes and instilling the "recall" command? Or is he too set in his ways for this to be effective? Or are there certain sounds that will stop him in his tracks (I believe some pet stores sell gadgets that emit sounds to prevent certain sorts of behaviour). Perhaps a vet or dog training school could advise you. I assume you've searched on the internet to see if there is any expert advice as to whether this instinctive behaviour can be stopped and, if so, how.

I don't know what else to say. The only other way to deal with it, I suppose, is to remain vigilant at all times to ensure that there are no cats or other animals in the vicinity. It must be very nerve wracking though and has the potential for causing problems with neighbours.

My Cairn will catch and kill a mouse or rat if he can, but he will also chase a rabbit, squirrel or cat (such fun) but if the cat stops and confronts him he screeches to a halt and goes into quick reverse.
With regard to the lurcher - I don't think it makes any sense to condemn the dog for what is clearly instinct. He won't distinguish between one species or another as we do, neither does he distinguish between rural and urban living. Of course the owner should ensure everything is done to prevent him chasing a cat in future and perhaps some serious training to produced a more balance dog is in order, but to condemn him makes no sense.

Its hard to believe that people would want to keep a dog that has a record of killing cats. I would have thought that the meeting to inform the neighbour that your dog has killed their cat must have been extremely awkward. Instinct is one thing but modern town life is another. I don't think this particular dog has a place in a modern town. I know this is hard. I'm fond of greyhounds and lurchers: most are fine. This one doesn't sound as if it is. Sorry again-I know you love him.

I don't know what my whippet would do if she found a cat in the garden, and she is always on a lead when she goes out. All dogs will have a prey drive of some kind and, with sighthounds if something runs away from them it is their instinct to chase it and bring it down. Because we don't let her off the lead when there are other dogs around, she has been attacked several times; usually by small terriers running up to her and getting her round the throat; thankfully her wide hound collar has protected her from serious injury; one owner didn't apologise but said it was our fault as 'dogs will attack dogs that are on leads' ; it was last seen chasing a horse that happened to be on the beach that day. As far as people are concerned she is the gentlest creature ever and, even when frightened at the vets when having treatment has never been know to even growl at anyone. I don't leave her with the grandchildren ever, but bought her for the very reason that they are the gentlest dogs I've ever known with people. When brought up with cats and kittens they all sleep and play happily together but if they haven't been brought up with them the prey drive will take over. I have fenced off part of the garden for my dog, mainly because she would eat all of the plants if she could get to them, but don't know what would happen if a cat did get into her area. If I was a young mother I would be more concerned about seeing people with hugs mastiffs/pit bull types that they have absolutely no control over.And the latest craze for buying huskies that don't have any recall and need tons of exercise.

Our lovely greyhound occasionally eyes the odd cat when out on a walk but usually shuffles past looking sheepish if the cat refuses to do the proper cat thing and run away. Grace is always on the lead anyway and while I suppose she might attempt to chase a feline intruder, the cat would be in the next county before she got near!
Squirrels are however her favourite enemy no. 1, but again they hop up on the fence and are off up a tree before she is half out of the kitchen. She is 12 after all.
Our previous greyhound once attempted to chase a friend's cat when we were invited to bring the dog with us to their farm where they also had a lurcher, a greyhound and cats. I was assured all would be well, but envisaged a sharp and embarrassed exit. However the dog took off up the stairs after the cat, got as far as the first landing where the cat was waiting, swiped the dog round the face, showing her who was boss and there was no further trouble.

Sorry, mollie I'm a dog lover, but I wouldn't bring a dog with a history of killing a cat (even one) into my home. I'm surprised the adoption was permitted. I have known of dogs like this who were kept in rescue but not released for adoption. Volunteers would go along to play with them and let them run in the fenced field, so they could enjoy life.

I've had lurchers without any problems at all, in fact we had kittens at the same time and my saluki x greyhound would carry them around and they slept with her in her basket.

I suspect mollie's dog had been used for hare baiting hence the behaviour. Chasing furry creatures is in lurchers blood but thankfully ours rarely caught anything other than the odd wild rabbit (with myxomatosis), they were too lazy.
We were always incredibly careful about letting them off leash on walks and never had any problems.

Personally I wouldn't want a dog with that or any other bad trait (all our dogs bar one have been rescued dogs), because of the constant risk.

Why oh why would anyone want such a creature in their home? It truly boggles my mind and I cannot begin to imagine the thought processes behind it.