When it comes to animal wildlife, the fact that dogs chase cats has been an enforced and sometimes unfair stereotype, as seen in cartoons depicting ongoing rivalries between the two household pets. Other times, dogs are simply seen as being overly dominant and aggressive, and would like nothing better than to bully an otherwise peaceful cat minding its own business. Getting to the root of the matter though, we can see that dogs chase cats for reasons grounded in evolution.

Through selective breeding, people have been able to modify the prey drive, in order to breed dogs for performing certain functions. In dogs used by police to sniff out narcotics, the prey drive has been redirected toward objects instead of animals. The success of a catch and kill for dogs gives them an adrenaline high, reinforcing the behavior of these animals. Thus, to retrain the “dogs chase cats” instinct requires a massive investment of time, dedication, and management technique.