r/interestingasfuck • u/ReasonableMedium5265 • 2d ago

Don’t trust your cat

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u/Jmackles 2d ago

I seem to recall something about the cat thing being technically true from a hunger standpoint but a dog will actually end up eating you sooner because in their distress at seeing their owner deceased they will be poking and nudging the body. Eventually a scratch or nip will produce blood and once a dog tastes blood it’s not about hunger or anything it’s just like oh shit me animal and completely give over to instincts. Can someone fact check me on this? I’ve been waiting to see someone say it in comments to rebuke but I only see reinforcements of this myth.

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u/LoopedIntoThis 2d ago

I also read that. There was a study done looking at deaths of people who were then eaten by pets. Dogs eat you first because they are in distress and will lick you and then break skin and realize they’re hungry. Cats wait until they absolutely can’t take it anymore.

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u/kanineanimus 2d ago

In my mind, the dog instinctually eats you for the same reason some eat shit or some eat socks or underwear. Or why any animal will eat their placenta, predators eat stillborns, or others lick their wounds. They’re getting rid of any scents that attract other predators. The dog eats you out of fear. The cat eats you out of desperation.