I hope that I have been of some help to you. The rarely witnessed behaviour show how close the dog called Oreo comes to being plucked from the ground by the owl with its razor sharp talons that can … The owl will not "attack" the cat, exactly. over the last 2 months we have had 2 dogs taken by something. People from time immemorial have said that owls carry off cats but we watched a recent documentary on discovery channel proving that there is no breed of owl that can pick up a full grown cat, save one, and that one only eats rodents. My aunt lives in a rural area, and she has seen hawks grab rabbits and take them away. How much weight can this bird pick up? I suppose it's possible. That woman was right next to her dog when a hawk tried to pick it up. So no. Did you know that dogs can be prey for owls? Many eagle species worldwide hunt prey the size of small domesticated dogs. Silovsky says that people put up reflective tape, hang pie pans from trees, and use owl decoys and machines that produce loud booms to … If you live in an area where owls are a problem, you need to take steps to protect your dog from these winged hunters. I've watched an owl calculate payload on a Maltese. Pets are not exempt from the food chain and owls are not the only animals that will eat small pets if given the chance. On the flip side, most cats and some dogs also kill wild animals (small mammals like mice and shrews, reptiles like lizards and snakes, birds including small owls, etc. You could also walk around the area and see if you can find the Owl, or Owl pellets; which are golf ball sized large balls of fur. I was saying if small dog it outside with a person it can still get attacked by a hawk. Flew up to several hundred feet and purposely drop it. The owl will pick the cat up by the spine, perhaps breaking the cat's neck in the process, and carry it off and eat it. but, can an owl pick up a 5-7 pound dog? Owls are a predatory bird and will hunt and kill any suitable prey. ). My family and I have come to believe that it is an owl that has taken our dogs. Unfortunately, this can sometimes include small dogs and other family pets. I have 2 Great Horned Owls in my yard (20 acres). I don't know what happened to your cat but it was not carried off by an owl. Does anyone know if an owl is a danger to a 36 pound dog? ... Hawks, etc pick up small cats and dogs. Pet Safety Tips for Protecting Small Dogs From Birds of Prey . Now, I think I know what kind of bird has been in the barn, killing sparrows- there is nothing left but a few feathers- there are no cats around.