Firstly I apologise if you've already covered the subject of greyhounds and cats but I'm in desperate need of some advice.
Our back yard is fully enclosed by 6 foot high fencing and we have cat strips (plastic spikes) on the top of each fence panel but occasionally the neighbourhood cats still come into the garden. Mo has an extremely high prey drive / chase instinct and I am ashamed to admit that last night she caught and killed a cat that was in the yard. We've only had her a year and a half and this is the third cat she has caught in the yard. I always keep her muzzled when we're out on walks and she's always on the lead but I hate the thought of having to keep her muzzled in her own back yard. Does anyone have any idea how we can keep the cats out or how we can stop her from chasing. I'm starting to get really desperate now as my husband is threatening to send all three of my dogs back to the rehoming kennels.

First, I am sorry that you had to deal with this very real part of some greys. Greys are hunters and very efficient ones at that.

The only thing you can do is a cat patrol before you let Mo into the yard. Well, the only added piece would be to tell your neighbors, with loose cats, that your yard is not safe for their cats and that in order to keep their cat safe they need to keep it inside or out of your yard. I have a cat and have had cats since I adopted my first grey but they are inside cats for this reason (and many others).

It is not Mo's fault that prey has entered her yard.

The greys that I have (had) are cat safe inside but outside is totally different and my bridge girl would have killed a cat/squirrel/rabbit/bird (you name it) outside in a second, even our cats.

You really can not train out hundreds of years of instinct to hunt. This issue isnt the dog's fault it is the irresponsible cat owners fault. I am sorry too that your husband is talking about rehoming because Mo is being a greyhound or any hunting breed for that matter. Most dogs if presented a cat or any small animal in their fence would try to kill it.

I hope the patrol helps. Good luck!

as much as i like cats as well thats true its not mo's fault. i dont know many ways around it other than the big thing would be be to do a check of the yard before letting them out. one of my boys, (dash) has come very close to catching a few rabbits so i have just started doing a check of the yard and running of the rabbits in the yard before the boys go out. he makes a very hard and fast run each time he goes out for the two spots they go in and out of. try doing that and like they said talk to your neighbors and tell themnothing good will come out of the cat being in there. i know it seems like a pain to have to go out there and check the yard sometimes, but its worth the effort to be able to keep them. dont give up just yet, maybe someone on here will have some more ideas to go with these.

You don't just turn off 5000 years of hunting instinct. This is definetly not Mo's fault. If you want to get rid of the cats get a live trap or call animal control and they will provide you with one. Be sure to warn your neighbors that you're going to do this, whatever happens after that is on them not you.
My three are always muzzled when they go out into the back yard just for their own protection. They killed a cat a few weeks ago and another one just last week.
As for Hubby, He would be the only one being rehomed around my house!!!!!

Gary

Thank you everyone for your replies. You more or less said what I expected but I live in hope of some miracle for Mo and the local cats' sake. My hubby has calmed down a bit now and has ordered one of those sonic cat repellers, apparently it emits a high pitched noise that only the cats (and probably the dogs) can hear so hopefully it'll keep them away. We do try and keep an eye out for cats before we let the dogs out and I usually hold onto Mo till last so the others can chase the cats away before she gets there. Main thing is though that the dogs are staying

Let us know if the cat repeller works. I'm glad your husband has calmed down. It must have been upsetting to see Mo kill the cat.

Diane,
I don't walk my dogs with muzzles because they would be defenseless if another dog came after them, but I do muzzle them in the back yard. I haven't had a cat problem, but we have had 3 rabbits killed before I started using the muzzles when I let them out. Several rabbits have gotten away since then. As for the cats..I'm sure it was upsetting to see your sweet dog kill someone elses pet, but if the cat was in your yard and you have taken extra measures to keep the cats safe, it's not your fault or Mo's. I think I'd take the advice given below. You shouldn't have to get rid of your dogs just because the neighbors let their cats out to roam. They are taking a chance that anything, including another dog or a car may kill their cat when they let the cats out.