Video Shows Hero Cat Save Family Dog From Coyote Attack

A video shared with Newsweek shows an Oklahoma family’s black cat named Binx chasing off two coyotes to save the life of a small dog, who was being mauled.

Lane Dyer, of Edmond, Oklahoma, told Newsweek in a phone interview on Wednesday that his family’s dog, a 6-year-old Havanese named Oakley, was critically injured in the coyote attack in November but survived the ordeal thanks to one of the family’s other pets, Binx.

“I was kind of inspired by it, quite frankly,” Dyer said. “She’s a tough cat.”

Dyer said that Binx is roughly 10 pounds, about two pounds heavier than her pal Oakley.

He said that the cat is more like a mini panther than a typical lazy house cat, saying that Binx prefers to prowl around in the family’s yard rather than be inside. Dyer said he believes her braveness can be attributed to her upbringing with two large dogs, with whom she loves to play rough.

“When Binx was a baby, the dogs would put her in their mouth and just drag her around and just playing and all this crazy stuff,” he said. “So she’s never been intimidated or afraid of any animal. She just owns her domain.”

Video shows an Oklahoma family’s black cat named Binx saving their 6-year-old Havanese named Oakley from a coyote attack.
Lane Dyer

Dyer said that Binx loves to roam the family’s wooded backyard, saying that “she was neighborhood cat just showed up when she was about two months old.” He said the two pets are opposites in every way, including their colors, but said Oakley and Binx share a special, familial bond.

In the 16-second security video that was shared with Newsweek, Binx can be seen darting across the yard and chasing away two coyotes, giving Oakley a chance to escape inside.

The coyote scuffle happened on November 30 when Dyer said that his family let Oakley outside to go to the bathroom. He said “out of nowhere,” a coyote showed up and began viciously attacking the small dog. The footage shows Oakley being pummeled by the larger animal before the family’s cat jumps in. As the wild animal drags Oakley around the yard, another coyote approaches as Binx emerges to save the pooch.

Binx had “jumped down and scared them off,” Dyer said, adding that “it was the craziest thing ever.” He said the cat’s actions gave Oakley enough time to get away from the coyotes and run inside.

Oakley sustained numerous cuts from the attack and “was gushing blood” from her chest and side., Dyer said.

The family rushed the dog to a nearby veterinary hospital where she needed stitches and to have her leg splinted. Veterinarians initially feared when Oakley was first brought in that she may need to have her leg amputated but the pooch has since healed and her limb remains intact.

Oakley, a 6-year-old Havanese, has fully recovered after being mauled by a coyote in November. Oakley was saved from the attack by a cat named Binx.

While Oakley was recovering from the ordeal, the Dyers wanted to figure out how the little dog suffered the severe injuries. The family checked their security cameras and realized it was a coyote attack.

“She just loves Oakley,” Dyer said. “It was inspiring to see our little outdoor cat just jump at two coyotes that were attacking this little dog who she loves and chase them off.”

Dyer said what he found to be “incredible” was that Binx didn’t hesitate or run away from the much larger threats but instead went into full predator mode.

“She jumps down and then she gets all real hunchback and then she shoots out,” he said. “There was never a point where she was like, ‘Should I do this.’ From the very beginning, she was like ‘You’re not doing that,’ and went after the coyote.”

Update 1/3/24, 6:50 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment and photos from Dyer.