Here's why:
* Natural Instinct: Cats are natural predators with instincts to hunt and kill small mammals. Gophers, being underground rodents, fit perfectly into this category.
* Environmental Context: Cats, especially outdoor or feral cats, often encounter gophers in their territory, making them prime targets for hunting.
* Consequences: The encounter typically ends with the cat catching and killing the gopher.
It's important to note that:
* Domesticated house cats may not always display these predatory instincts, especially if they are well-fed and don't have access to outdoor spaces.
* There are rare instances where cats and gophers may coexist peacefully, but this is highly unusual and generally not a sustainable relationship.
Overall, the relationship between a house cat and a gopher is characterized by the cat's inherent hunting instinct and the gopher's vulnerability as prey.