My cat was attacked by a neighbor's dog...

[undeterred]

38. Some dogs have a strong prey drive and if they are not raised around cats

they can not be trusted around them. My current dog is like that - I wouldn't trust him around a cat even though he has never actually hurt one when he had the chance. He has killed chipmunks. squirells and rabbits, and I just don't think there is that big of a distinction in his mind.

Mine is half malamute - a chow or an akita has the same strong prey drive. My neighbors have even told me that while their cats are generally not too happy with dogs, they are really afraid of mine; I think he thinks of them as fancy indoor squirrels. So I never ever let him outside unleashed. Of course the dog does not understand that its a pet to us.

I'm so sorry this happened to your cat - I guess its just one of those sad things that animals do because they act on instinct. I hope she is not in pain.