Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Cats

Avoid the unthinkable: How to keep coyotes away from your beloved cat

Paige Cerulli
By

If your cat spends time outdoors, then coyotes may be a concern. Depending on your location, coyotes can be a major threat to your cat’s safety. If you’re deciding whether you should let your cat go outdoors, then it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the coyote presence in your community (but don’t forget that outdoor cats face other dangers, like cars, dogs, and even poisons). It can be difficult to fully protect your cat from coyotes, but there are some steps that you can take to reduce the risk of an attack. Make sure that you understand how to keep coyotes away from cats before you decide to let your cat outdoors.

Can cats get away from coyotes?

According to the Christian Science Monitor, cats can easily become prey for coyotes. While coyotes often eat rabbits, birds, mice, and even lizards, many won’t hesitate to make a cat their next meal. A study of the coyotes living in Tucson, Arizona, found that cats made up a surprising 42% of the coyotes’ diets. The study also found that cats were killed in more than half of the confrontations that occurred between coyotes and cats.

Recommended Videos

Nite Guard explains that once a coyote has caught a cat, the cat stands little chance of escaping. Coyotes can run up to 40 miles per hour, and cats can’t outrun them.

Coyote lying down in front of a rock pile
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Can a cat hurt a coyote?

Cats don’t have many defenses when it comes to fending off a coyote. According to Nite Guard, since pet cats are usually tame, they’re easy prey for coyotes.

Black and white cat stretching in a catio
Image used with permission by copyright holder

How do I protect outdoor cats from coyotes?

According to Nite Guard, there are several ways to protect your cat from coyotes. Many of those strategies focus on making your yard less appealing to coyotes, but keep in mind this will only be effective if your cat stays in your yard.

Secure your yard

  • To start, don’t leave cat food outside. If you do feed your cat outdoors, pick up any leftovers right away. Store garbage in secured structures, like a shed, and avoid having other sources of food, like birdfeeders, on your property.
  • Use fencing. Depending on your yard, you might be able to fence the yard in to keep coyotes out. You’ll need a fence that’s at least six feet high, and you’ll also need to make sure that there are no areas where your cat could escape.
  • You might consider installing cat posts, which would give your cat a place to climb and escape a coyote if he were to be attacked. While cats can climb them, coyotes can’t. The post needs to be at least 10 feet above the ground. Remember, coyotes are fast, so a cat post may or may not be helpful during an attack. It will depend on if the cat is fast enough to reach the post before the coyote can catch him.
  • Coyote repellent lights may also help to discourage coyotes from coming onto your property. Automated LED lights may look like predators to coyotes, making your yard seem like a threatening place to avoid. You can also chase coyotes off by making loud noises, which may discourage them from returning to your yard.

Keep your cat indoors

The Humane Society of the United States notes that the only way to truly ensure your cat is safe is to keep him indoors. Remember that coyotes aren’t the only threat; your cat could also be harmed or killed by a car, poison, and even cruel people. While these coyote prevention strategies might reduce the risk of your cat being attacked, they can’t eliminate that possibility. Keeping your cat indoors can help him live a healthier and longer life. It will also give you peace of mind knowing that your cat is safe from all predators, not just coyotes.

If you’re on the fence about whether to keep your cat indoors, realize that there are many ways to give your indoor-only cat an engaging and happy life. You can provide your cat with toys, cozy spots to sleep, and plenty of cat trees to satisfy his natural need to climb and scratch. Playing with your cat daily helps to satisfy his hunting instincts and prevent boredom. Plus, with a catio, you can give your cat a taste of the outdoors safely while ensuring he’s protected from predator attacks. You can even teach your cat to walk on a harness and leash so that you’re right there with him and are able to supervise his outdoor time and keep him safe.

Coyotes are a very real threat to cats, and depending on where you live, your cat might be at a high risk of being attacked. It’s important to weigh the risks that you’ll be taking on if you let your cat outdoors and to take proper precautions to keep your furry friend safe.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Paige Cerulli
Paige Cerulli
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Paige's work has appeared in American Veterinarian, Business Insider, Healthline, and more. When she's not writing, Paige…
Why do cats eat plastic (and when you should be concerned)?
The reasons for this behavior might be surprising
Cat in a basket with plastic bag

Cats are quirky — sometimes puzzling — creatures. Part of the fun of kitty parenthood is laughing off these funny, curious traits and perhaps looking into what each might mean. Is your cat staring at you because they're plotting against you? Why does your cat want to sleep on your chest? Does your kitty wish you would get back to the office already after several years of this work-from-home thing?

Often, these questions — and our search for answers — are all in good fun. Cats are cats, and that's why we love them. Yet, if your cat eats plastic, you might wonder, "Why does my cat eat plastic?" You'll want to get a formal answer to this question from a vet.

Read more
Why do cats lick themselves? It goes beyond just cat grooming
This totally normal behavior could mean a few different things
A cat licking his paw while lying in front of a blue background

Cats spend the majority of their time doing one of a few things: eating, resting, grooming, using the litter box, or causing havoc. Their routines can become predictable at times, so it's not even worth a second glance when you catch your cat licking themselves as obviously -- and loudly -- as possible. Cats groom themselves all the time, after all, but when does licking become a bit too much?
Even though cat grooming is completely normal, if it becomes noticeably excessive, your kitty may be licking themselves -- or even licking you -- for another reason. Luckily, we can help you understand why cats lick themselves and how you can tell what may be going on. Here's what you'll want to know and what to look out for.

Is my cat grooming? When licking is normal

Read more
Why do cats open their mouths when they smell? It’s for a really cool reason
The Flehmen response is a little-known reaction in felines that allows them to take in more of their surroundings
A white and tabby cat with their mouth open

Think of the last time you smelled something foul. How did you react? If you're truly made of steel, you may not have reacted at all, but for most people, it's impossible not to flare your nostrils at least. You may have even made a face! All of these reactions are perfectly natural, though humans aren't the only species that reacts to smells, both good and bad. Even your cuddly cat sniffs out the world around them sometimes,
If you've ever noticed your cat reacting to a smell, you're not alone. Some folks have even noticed their cat opening their mouth -- and even sticking out their tongue -- while smelling, but it's not so clear what this means. Is this a reaction to a scent, or is it just a way to get an extra thorough sniff? Whatever it may be, we're here to find out.
Needless to say, you're not alone if you're wondering, "Why do cats open their mouths when they smell?" We've scoured trusted sources to find out, and this is what we know.

Why do cats open their mouths when they smell?
Watching your curious cat open their mouth in a kind of sneer while they get a good sniff of something can raise a lot of questions -- it's understandable. When people do this, it's usually a response to an unpleasant smell, but when cats do this, they're actually trying to get a better understanding of the scent in the air.

Read more