Cats ‘Always Win’ Against Snakes in a Fair Fight, Experts Explain Why

Cats are popular among pet owners and family units worldwide. They are known for their soothing purring sounds, clingy behavior, constant sleeping, and habit of squeezing themselves inside boxes. The household cat or domestic cat (Felis catus) that we see today dates back to ancient times when humans tamed the felines. This evidence is based on fossil records in the Middle East around 10,000 years ago.

For thousands of years, domestic cats have established a myriad of track records, but the most notable of them all is their ability to catch mice and other house pests. However, recent research found that many house cats hunt beyond the confines of their homes, endangering local wildlife. On the other hand, there is also a growing discussion about the survival of cats against snakes.

While big cats can take down snakes or evade their attacks, there is emerging evidence suggesting that pet cats can also survive snake attacks, under a fair fight.

In this article, Nature World News gathered visual evidence from social media and perspectives from previous studies about cats vs. snakes, explaining why the small feline stands a chance against predatory reptiles.

Cats vs. Snakes

Cats vs. snakes has become a topic of interest over the past decade, especially during the advent of social media and trending videos. While it cannot be contested that venomous snakes and their constrictor counterparts can kill a pet cat, the felines will not go down easily by avoiding the reptiles’ attacks.

Some of the unique biological features of modern-day cats are their heightened senses and agility. The superiority of cat reflexes has been further documented over the past decade, indicating that the reaction time of a cat, during an impending danger such as an earthquake, is faster than humans. Below are some videos posted online in recent years, showing just how cats are agile.

In 2013, a viral YouTube video shows a house cat in a yard evaded a snake attack in a split second.

In 2021, a Reddit video shows a domestic cat successfully defending itself against an attacking cobra.

Cat defends itself from attacking Cobra
 byu/fox_pro innextfuckinglevel

Also Read: Don’t Panic! How to Distinguish Between Venomous and Non-Venomous Snakes

Cat Reflexes

The reason why cats have lightning-speed reaction time against looming threats and always land on their feet is because of one thing: reflexes.

In a 2012 study, scientists have conducted experiments on cat reflexes, as well as the reaction time of rabbits, when falling onto the ground. For the felines, researchers picked 10 kittens and dropped them 10 times daily at a safe height starting the first day of their birth.

The findings of the study, through motion picture records, show that the air-righting reflex ability of cats happens at 20 days of age. The research paper was published in The Pedagogical Seminary and Journal of Genetic Psychology.

Furthermore, other research also places importance on the whiskers of both house cats and wild cats. These thin strands of hair located on their face and forelegs allow the felines to sense their surroundings, including distance and vibrations.

Related Article: Population of Predatory Sand Cats that Feast on Venomous Snakes Might Be Shrinking, Researchers Worry