My 2 huskies cornered my cat yesterday (we have always kept them separated by a gate, as my cat was very skittish, and would just run), and the 2 of them were playing with her like a chew toy. They snapped her neck, and she died almost instantly. It was very traumatic to see. In the seconds they got her and killed her, I don't think there was anything I could have done. We knew that this was always a serious risk, but as the cat came first, we tried our best to keep her safe. Not sure how or why she came into the other side of the house, as she never  did.
I was just wondering if other husky owners have cats, and how they handle it. I am feeling very guilty about the whole situation, wondering if there was more I could have done.   

Very sorry to hear about your loss. I had a very similar situation with our teacup Yorkie. It's an absolutely horrible feeling and I still feel guilty. Time does heal all wounds. Just know there was nothing you could have done, you can't watch them 24/7. Now that you know your dogs aren't good with cats, I wouldn't bring anymore into the home and watch them carefully outdoors with neighbor cats.

Sorry for you loss.

I have a husky and a cat, The cat (Halla) came first by about a year when I brought Thane into the household he was 8 weeks and from day one I had trained with him to be gentle with the cat at about six months when he was significantly bigger than the cat he learned to be gentle and now they play all then time. They will chase each other, wrestle(the cat will grapple the dog around the neck and try and push him), eat and sleep together. The only thing Thane gets territorial about is his crate and bone and he is usually vocal with the cat about that and the cat knows not to mess with those two things. Honestly it sounds like there was not much you could do the cat was at the wrong place at the wrong time and you can't watch them both forever there will always be a moment when you cannot monitor both parties. Again sorry for your loss and hope things get better soon

I just saw this post, I am so sorry. It was just a bad scenario. It will get easier over time. One of my cats died from vaccinations and I blamed myself horribly for months. I am now at peace with it.

Loki has been living with my cats since I first got him. I have the upstairs gated off but they spend most their time downstairs with us and the dogs. Loki was taught leave it quick. My cats also were raised with dogs, so they do not often run by the dogs. Every now and then (maybe 5% of time) loki will follow them (more like walk then run) but leave it works. He also follows bindi more as she plays with him and will clean him back when he licks her. Overall, I think he is doing much better then my lab at 8 months old, but some more work is needed and I plan on always keeping them separate when I leave. My other 2 dogs have been cat trained for many years now, so when the cats do run they stay very calm. Loki is also is very calm puppy too which I think makes it easier.

When I asked behaviorist about huskies and cats. She said at humane society they do not discriminate on breed but examine past behavior. Once a dog has killed a small animal, they should never live with them again. Other then that no one really ever knows until it happens.

Are you looking at your dogs any differently? Must be very tough on you all around. Again, so sorry for your loss.

I habituated Keyto to my cats, I had to because there are 5. I am beginning to wonder if all the stigma about huskies being 'cat killers' is making owners to nervous to even try to habituate the huskies to cats. Keeping them seperated may cause a 'forbidden fruit' scenario. .. I only say this because I can confidently leave keyto at home with the cats without a worry... also my cats have plenty of high places to get away if need be... but I havent had a problem at all. They even all sleep on my bed together and keyto cleans them...

It 100% isnt your fault.. I would be hesitant of getting another cat as the dogs have already decided they make good toys.

Sorry for your loss

We tried training our puppies with the cat, but the cat wanted nothing to do with them. She would run anytime they were near...which turned into a fun game for the huskies. I tried to teach the dogs to leave it, but as the cat would never come near, and would run and hide, it was a very hard thing to teach :-(
We will absolutely never get another cat with the dogs (although the kids have already asked!).
I do look at the dogs differently now...hard not to.
My big concern is our smaller dog. We have a shitzu who is the 'old dog' at 8. The huskies have been raised around him, and get along for the most part. I keep them separated whenever not being supervised. But can't help but imagine them doing to him what they did to the cat (as the dog is roughly the same size).  

I'm very sorry to hear this! That must be so difficult. I'm sure I would look at my dog differently too if this happened, but just remember it's their instinct, they are not violent or aggressive. Honestly though it really does sound like you did everything you could to keep the cat safe, sometimes things just happen. :(Don't beat yourself up about it too much.

We have Dizzy and two cats. I brought Diz home at 9 weeks and from the get go I taught him to basically ignore and avoid the cats. When he got a little older, I let him get close enough to get scratched by each cat and he has a healthy respect for them. I think the main difference here though, is that our cats will not run from him. They stand their ground and will stand up for themselves. I actually think our male cat, Miles, could seriously injure Dizzy if Dizzy got too curious about him. Martini is very curious about Dizzy and wants to be friends, and Dizzy is curious about her too. She is still a little afraid of him though and won't let him get too close. For the most part the cats and the dog ignore each other, which was my hope. When Diz shows a little too much interest, he goes to timeout.

But I would never, ever leave them loose all together in the apartment without being around. Any one of them could get hurt. Also, any non-dog critter outside is a totally different story. I think if Dizzy could get at one he wouldn't hesitate.

Do they chase the shitzu? Dizzy enjoys chasing small dogs, and if he gets too excited about it in the dog park, normally we'll leave, but if a small dog 'corrects' or stands up to him, he respects it. If they run from him, he likes to run them down and then roll them over mid run. It's a very bullish move and he gets in trouble every time he does it. I would definitely watch the huskies with your small dog. They may be perfectly fine, but you can never be too careful.

My huskies generally ignore the shitzu, as he has no interest in playing with them. Every now and again, they will try to get him to play, and he growls and snaps at them, which just excites the huskies even more, as they see it as play! I end up giving the puppies a time out when this happens. As I said, I never leave them alone together unsupervised. We have never had a problem at the dog park, as my 2 seem to understand to play more gentle with the smaller ones there.
In light of what happened, I just think I am being super cautious and a little paranoid!

I know with Loki, he acts completely different with animals outside versus my cats. If he smells my cats and they move away, he moves on. He doesn't whine at them at all. If they are on a chair, he just loots at them and keeps walking. He doesn't try to play with them often, but tries to clean my cat Bindi. But if he knows something is in our backyard, he will whine at the backdoor and insist on continually investigating to try and get it. When my lab is with him, it only makes it worse as my lab also goes after a lot of small animals outside. Two or more dogs always elevates the situation. I would think you should be able to distract your puppies from your older dog. Loki does the same to my lab (who is almost twice his size). I think I would be more worried if your huskies chase the smaller dog. The chase is when instincts kick in, so if they don't chase that is a good sign. If they do chase the small dog in your home, I may suggest you talk to a behaviorialist.

I have contacted a behavioralist, he recommended a book called 'Ruff Love" by Susan Garrett. From what i can tell, it involves crating, except for training and direct supervision for several weeks to cause/teach the dog to completely focus on you. Not sure if I am in favor of this technique. Have ordered the book, but am still reserved.

That does sound like a questionable approach. Loki acts most goofy when I go to work and crate him. I guess you can read and see.

It sounds worth checking out, but I can tell you the more 'pent up' Dizzy is, the less able he is to focus on me and training. However, I know absolutely nothing about the training method, so I can't comment on that specifically.