Neighborhood cat eating chickens

So I usually let my chickens out to free range during the day while I'm home. Well I have a neighborhood cat that comes over and likes to fight with my cat and now said cat has taken a liking to my chickens and has eaten one. What to do? I know the owners of the cat and doubt they will keep the cat indoors.

Talk to them. If they won't listen, just build your chickens a predator proof run and lock them in it. How old are your chickens? My cats are afraid of my full grown birds.

First deliver a bill to your neighbors for the chicken the cat killed... Remember since it's not a wild animal, it's not your job to keep the cat off your property it's their owners job... Since it appears you live in a city, where firearms are not really an option get a live trap, trap cat and deliver to local animal control agency as a feral that is attacking your livestock...

This size should work fine for domestic cats...

http://www.harborfreight.com/32-1-2...ch-h-collapsible-medium-animal-trap-9646.html

Only $16 after printing off a 20% off coupon from this site... http://www.hfqpdb.com

Or you could spend a few bucks more for the larger size...

http://www.harborfreight.com/37-inc...ch-h-collapsible-large-animal-trap-90218.html

MeepBeep said:

First deliver a bill to your neighbors for the chicken the cat killed... Remember since it's not a wild animal, it's not your job to keep the cat off your property it's their owners job... Since it appears you live in a city, where firearms are not really an option get a live trap, trap cat and deliver to local animal control agency as a feral that is attacking your livestock...

This size should work fine for domestic cats...

http://www.harborfreight.com/32-1-2...ch-h-collapsible-medium-animal-trap-9646.html

Only $16 after printing off a 20% off coupon from this site... http://www.hfqpdb.com

Or you could spend a few bucks more for the larger size...

http://www.harborfreight.com/37-inc...ch-h-collapsible-large-animal-trap-90218.html

Click to expand...

Asking for the cost of the killed chicken is reasonable, but trapping someone else's PET cat and delivering it to animal control as a FERAL where they will kill it sooner than later, is wrong. Please do not do this.

Contact Animal Control. They will supply an animal trap. After the cat is caught, they will come pick it up...... Problem solved!

enola said:

Contact Animal Control. They will supply an animal trap. After the cat is caught, they will come pick it up...... Problem solved!

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And then, they will kill it sooner or later. I would try to talk to the owner first. How would you feel if someone hauled off your chicken just because it ate something out of their garden?

Cull the cat by having it removed or by other means if the owners won't control it or keep the hens in a predator proof run. Talk to the owners and give then a chance to remedy the situation first but if they don't do anything, deal with the problem as you see fit.

Wyandottes13 said:

enola said:

Contact Animal Control. They will supply an animal trap. After the cat is caught, they will come pick it up...... Problem solved!

Click to expand...

And then, they will kill it sooner or later. I would try to talk to the owner first. How would you feel if someone hauled off your chicken just because it ate something out of their garden?

Click to expand...

If my chicken was damaging someone's garden, I would fully agree to them eating that chicken for dinner.

Thanks for everyones advice. I already have a trap and have used it to catch other predators.

Wyandottes13 said:

Asking for the  cost of the killed chicken is reasonable, but trapping someone else's PET cat and delivering it to animal control as a FERAL  where they will kill it sooner than later, is wrong. Please do not do this. 

Click to expand...

I beg to differ, in my state (Illinois) I have every legal right to shoot the cat dead on the spot (pet or feral) for harming my livestock without asking any questions or seeking out an owner, and I would do just that if I caught it in the act... Trapping and turning it over to animal control for the owner to reclaim as it applicable under California law where the OP lives is IMO generous... As for calling it feral, a cat roaming my property and killing or harming my livestock is IMO feral, or at minimum is a cat at large on my property and the law in California allows trapping and turning over to animal control any animal at large...

How would you feel if someone hauled off your chicken just because it ate something out of their garden?

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As a responsible pet owner my pets are not running wild and venturing off my property and causing harm to other peoples properly... And if they were that property owner certainly has the same legal rights as me to remedy the problem as they see fit within the bounds of the law...