Snakes are instantly captivating (from a distance), but cats cannot help messing with them. Many cats find it endlessly amusing to swat at and pounce on them, and their super special owners are “lucky” to get a snake trophy from time to time.
Snakes will typically try to avoid you and bite only as a last resort, but cats may instinctively approach them or even pursue them. If you see a snake, steer clear of it and turn back the way you came.
If you are considering getting a pet snake, it is unlikely that your cat will ever be friends with them. Snakes view cats as large predators, and the fast movements of snakes make them a tempting prey item for cats. Your snake will likely always need to be kept separate from your cat.
"Cats are genetically hard-wired through instinct to avoid snakes," Con Slobodchikoff, animal behaviorist and author of "Chasing Doctor Dolittle: Learning the Language of Animals," said. "Cucumbers look enough like a snake to have the cat's instinctive fear of snakes kick in."
A cat would win a fight against a rattlesnake. Cats play with their food to tire it out and get the animal to lower its defenses, which is exactly what it would do in a one-on-one fight. The cat would harass the snake from different sides, limiting the snake's ability to counter.
Do Dogs Keep Snakes Away? Yes, big dogs especially can be a deterrent to snakes. They bark loudly and are much larger than snakes, so they will typically choose to stay away.
Snakes will try to avoid cats. If the snake can't escape, it will use defensive behaviors like hissing, rearing up, tail shaking, and striking. Snakes are frightened of cats because they move very quickly, attack with claws and teeth, and are larger than most species of snakes.
If your pet comes in contact with a snake, its predatory instincts will kick in. Cats will circle their prey to keep it from escaping while they strike its hide with its sharp kitty claws.
Believe it or not, cats are actually imitating snakes when they hiss! Snakes are seen as some of the most fearsome predators in the animal kingdom. Just like snakes, cats hiss to sound intimidating and to try to scare away whatever is threatening them.
Yes, cats do hunt snakes and cats may keep snakes away. Snakes do tend to get their attention; the slithering motion of snakes activates their hunting instincts.
Cats, foxes, raccoons, turkeys, pigs, and guinea hens are natural predators of snakes. Having these animals on or around your property is an effective natural way to keep snakes at bay. You can also purchase store-bought fox urine to use as a natural snake repellent.
Sand cats are notorious snake hunters, particularly of horned and sand vipers, which they stun with rapid blows to the head before sinking the kill with a neck bite. Their enhanced sense of hearing allows them to detect a a potential meal burrowing underneath the ground.
The Snake Connection
“Cats are genetically hard-wired through instinct to avoid snakes,” Con Slobodchikoff, animal behaviorist and author of Chasing Doctor Dolittle: Learning the Language of Animals, told ABC News in 2015. “Cucumbers look enough like a snake to have the cat's instinctive fear of snakes kick in.”
No, cats have no immunity to venomous bites. It's an old wive's tale. Over the years, we've had mountain lions, bobcats, wolves, coyote, dogs and horses bitten by rattlesnakes and they all get sick. Antivenom is given, if it's caught early enough, within 2 hours of the bite.
Both venomous and nonvenomous snakes are extremely wary of humans and are not prone to strike. A bite is their last-ditch effort to avoid harm. Simply leaving a snake to do its job in the landscape is the best way to avoid a bad encounter.
Large birds, wild boars, mongooses, raccoons, foxes, coyotes and even other snakes are a few of the dangers snakes fall prey to. Many people find it surprising that the largest and the scariest snakes can be afraid of anything, but it is true.
It's likely that most snakes won't choose to go near dogs. They're bigger, noisier, and more of a hassle than a good snack. Simply by having your dog around, you will likely help to keep snakes away.
Despite what you might have heard, dog poop does not keep snakes away and deter them from entering your yard, garden, home, or property. Snakes do not respect boundaries and will not consider dog poop as an indicator they are entering your dog's territory.
Some snakes such as eastern brown snakes are active during the day, others prefer to hunt in the evening, while some species are more active at night during the hotter months.
Ammonia is a common snake repellent. Snakes hate the smell of ammonia and won't come near it. Soak rags in ammonia and place them in unsealed plastic bags. Leave the bags where you usually see snakes to keep them away.
Snakes enter a building because they're lured in by dark, damp, cool areas or in search of small animals, like rats and mice, for food. Snakes can be discouraged from entering a home in several ways. Keeping the vegetation around the house cut short can make the home less attractive to small animals and snakes.
Research has shown that cinnamon oil, clove oil, and eugenol are effective snake repellents. Snakes will retreat when sprayed directly with these oils and will exit cargo or other confined spaces when these oils are introduced to the area.
They also flock inside homes when the weather wreaks havoc with their cold-blooded bodies. For example, during periods of extreme heat, the pests seek out leaky water pipes and other cool, damp areas. Additionally, snakes in houses are commonly found in walls, crawl spaces, basements, attics, and drop ceilings.