Why Do Owls Look Like Cats?

Many people think owls look a lot like cats. One flies and one doesn't, but their faces can look surprisingly similar.

Owls look like cats because both are nighttime hunters. They have large, forward-facing eyes, flat faces and sharp hearing, and some owls even have ear-like tufts. They are not related: they evolved these traits separately because they hunt in similar ways.

Below we look at their similarities, their differences, and whether owls are a danger to pet cats.

Why Do People Say That Owls Look Like Cats?

People often joke that owls are "cats with wings." The resemblance comes mostly from the face.

Both animals have big eyes that face forward, a rounded, flattish face, and a small beak or nose in the middle. Owls such as the great horned owl also have feather tufts that look like cat ears, although they aren't ears at all.

What Are The Similarities Of Cats And Owls?

These are the main things owls and cats have in common:

Owls and cats have successfully adapted to a wide range of habitats.
Many of them hunt mostly at night or at dusk.
Owls and cats have good directional hearing for prey detection and localization.
Binocular vision for precise ranging to targets.
Owls and cats have eyes adapted for very low light conditions.
Both of their bodies are adapted for near-silent movement through their environment.
They both have similar prey such as rodents, small birds, reptiles, and insects.

No. Owls are birds and cats are mammals, so they are only very distantly related.

Their similar looks are an example of convergent evolution. Unrelated animals that live and hunt in similar ways often end up with similar features.

Why Do Owls Have Cat Eyes?

Both have large eyes that collect plenty of light, which helps them hunt in the dark. The eyes face forward, giving good depth perception for judging distance to prey.

Unlike cats, owls can't move their eyes in their sockets. Instead, they turn their heads much farther than we can.

Do Owls Attack Cats?

Owls mostly eat rodents, rabbits and other small animals. The National Audubon Society notes that great horned owls take prey such as rats, rabbits, opossums and skunks.

That means a large owl could, in rare cases, go after a kitten or a very small cat. Healthy adult cats are usually too big to be typical owl prey.

Owls usually hunt by watching from a high perch, then swooping down to grab prey in their talons. Cats, by contrast, often stalk on the ground before pouncing.

If you're worried, keep kittens and small cats indoors, especially at night.

When Do Owls Attack Cats?

Most owls hunt at night or at dusk, and some hunt in daylight. A kitten outdoors at night or around dawn and dusk is most at risk.

Why Do Owls Attack Cats?

The main reason is food: a small kitten can look like suitable prey to a hungry large owl.

Keeping your cat indoors at night is the simplest way to protect it from owls and from other dangers.

Final Verdict

So to conclude this article, the main reason why people tend to say that owls look like cats is their similar faces and hunting lifestyle. They aren't related; they simply evolved similar tools for hunting at night.

Sources

Great Horned Owl, National Audubon Society