Cats? Predators?

[rooster0209]

Momma_Cluck: It really Yanks My Chain when people think it is OK to leave their cats to roam around; getting sick then spreading the illness around, creating MORE unwanted strays etc... and they think it's wrong to keep em as indoor pets? It's called RESPONSIBILITY!! Too little of it around these days!

Not to mention the awful fights that arise between tom cats and the serious infections those wounds cause. The wounds that females get during breeding can cause serious infections too. I have 3 indoor cats and 6 "barn cats" who are all spayed & neutered. I get very upset when a stray tom comes around the farm and starts a fight w/my old male who still thinks he is king.

I have not lost a chicken to my cats, once they were full grown. Two of my cats love to sleep in the coop, especially in the winter when I have a bale of straw in there. (not that they dont have their own straw to sleep in)​

 

[peeboo]

we have nearly 50 feral cats across the street that live in a abandoned house. under and around it is more like it, all i have to say is....poor cats...my chickens used to beat them up for some dry cat food people would leave out. never had a problem

 

[BarkerChickens]

I think it depends on the cat's personality. Mine likes the chickens, but I have had some in the past that would probably hunt them. Our cat sleeps in their run and if we aren't careful to check it, he gets locked in with the chickens at night (we let our chickens free-range when we are home, so the run is open). It all started when he wanted to lay under a tree in the moist dirt with the chickens. Dot, one of my BR hens, stood tall and ready to attack the cat and the cat submissed and laid down in front of her. Ever since, they get along great (2 yrs now). He (the cat) wasn't aggressive to them as chicks in the brooder, but he couldn't get to them either, so we weren't worried. Now we have 49 chicks in the brooder and he wants absolutely NOTHING to do with them. He isn't the least bit interested in acknowledging their existence.

ETA: Before I get "in trouble" for letting my cat outside

...he is let out for a few hours every day (when we are home!) and stays on our fenced property. He is primarily an indoor kitty...vaccinated and neutered. We are responsible with our animals and let them be indoor/outdoor animals on our property only. Our cat and dogs ALL sleep in our room at night!

 

[smokeater413]

We lost nine chicks in one night due to stray cats in the area, yes they are a big predatory problem. either you shoot tham as you catch them around the coop or call your local animal control and have them come out and set traps for them.

 

[yotetrapper]

As a hunter and bird feeder, I have no use for cats. Cats come into this yard only once.

 

[Chicken03]

I have had cats crouch down an watch my chickens from a good distance away but none have ever came after the chickens.

 

[kryptoniteqhs]

thanks for all the replies....i had set out a trap and caught two cats in 2 days and now am feeling guilty for not releasing them. i will probably be releasing them from now on. i have had such a predator problem (still have no idea what it is) that when i caught the cats i assumed it was them. today i found 4 hungry kittens....they are now under my care. and i feel absolutely horrible! and i DO NOT need any criticism at all, as i already felt like puking when i saw the kittens. trust me....i couldnt feel any worse right now. from now on its catch and release with the kitties.

 

[Bridgette1221]

Ya know you don't need to feel bad (that is assuming you didn't torture the cats you did catch) and you can always take the kittens to the pound. There are far to many stray cats in the world (and I'm a cat lover myself) and irresponsible owners that do not neuter/spay their cats. Those cats would probably be better off being put down anyway, unless you can find the good, responsible owners. I'm dealing with a situation right now where the ppl that lived here before left like 6 cats. Only 2 will come to me and the female (who is just a doll) just had 6 more kittens. As soon as they are weaned I will be getting them fixed and re-homing them and as far as the mother I will be getting her fixed as well. Not only did they leave them here but they left them sick with a respiratory infection that is highly contagious so I'm also having to deal with that. Its unfair to the cats to be just allowed to roam whereever considering they've been domesticated.

 

[PoultryPotts]

My chickens run my cats. If one of my kittys would get one of my chickens I would be hurt deeply.

 

[little_grey_bantam]

Quote:
Amen to that! Sadly, dog or cat or chicken or whatever, if they're mine, they stay on my property... you never know what could go wrong.... being run over, being eaten, being picked up, getting injured, etc. Cats especially, I have had too many stalk my chicken and kill them (including adults), as well as peeing on things they shouldn't and pooing where they don't belong and even digging holes and trying to get inside or pestering other animals

I've had outdoor cats before and I am guilty of losing cats (I was a kid then) and I suppose having them run over and whatnot... For the person who wants their cat outdoor, I'd beware... I know too many people who come home to a missing cat one day... or worse... a smooshed pancake kitty on the road...