Integrating outdoor cats with chickens

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

I live in the city, a part of the city that kind of feels like a suburb - close neighbors with yards and such. We have a lot of rodents (mice, rats, chipmunks) in and around our garage, as well as in other parts of our property. Mouse/rat traps just haven't been doing the job and we don't want to resort to poison for several reasons. So we've decided we're going to get an outdoor "garage cat" or two that can be a mouser for our property.

I don't need advice on getting a cat like that, as I have a friend who works with rescues and feral cat colonies, but my question to you all is, will my chickens be alright? I'm mainly concerned about my 6 week old pullets. My chickens have free range of the whole backyard during the day. Is there any kind of "training" I would need to do with the cat, or a specific way to introduce them to give me better chance of success? I just don't want a chicken being attacked. Any advice is appreciated. Thank you.

 

[chrissynemetz]

I've had chickens and cats together forever, and I've never had any problems with them. Now that's ONLY after the chicks reach around 5/6 weeks old. When the chicks are tiny, the cats absolutely will hurt them. But once they get a little bigger than a mouse, my cats have always lost interest. I can't say for sure that all cats will behave the same way, but that has been my experience so far. Good luck.

 

[Sussex19]

Our farm cats would definitely look at chicks as tasty snacks, if it wasn't for the fact that they have all had a broody hen for a mother.
Picture a cat going towards some nice looking morsels, and then a ferocious ball of feathers come flying at the poor cat as fast as it possibly can, ready to tear limbs and tail off if need be.
Needless to say, none of the cats have even thought about coming for chicks ever again.
Once they are over 6 weeks old, there has never been any problems.
Maybe think about how you could keep any youngsters safe if need be, like having a small encloser they can be in when you are not around?

 

[Callender Girl]

Can't think of anyone or anything that would want to face attack by a "ferocious ball of feathers."

Many a stray and/or feral cat shows up here, and not a one has bothered my chickens. I've been surprised more than once when all the girls are loose to spot a cat lounging around near them. No one sounds an alarm or seems at all concerned.

But, I would be concerned about what would a cat might do with tiny chicks. Mine don't leave the indoor brooder until they are at least six weeks old, so it hasn't been a problem here.

Good luck dealing with the rodents!

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

I've had chickens and cats together forever, and I've never had any problems with them. Now that's ONLY after the chicks reach around 5/6 weeks old. When the chicks are tiny, the cats absolutely will hurt them. But once they get a little bigger than a mouse, my cats have always lost interest. I can't say for sure that all cats will behave the same way, but that has been my experience so far. Good luck.

Our farm cats would definitely look at chicks as tasty snacks, if it wasn't for the fact that they have all had a broody hen for a mother.
Picture a cat going towards some nice looking morsels, and then a ferocious ball of feathers come flying at the poor cat as fast as it possibly can, ready to tear limbs and tail off if need be.
Needless to say, none of the cats have even thought about coming for chicks ever again.
Once they are over 6 weeks old, there has never been any problems.
Maybe think about how you could keep any youngsters safe if need be, like having a small encloser they can be in when you are not around?

Well this is perfect because my babies are 6 weeks now and will obviously be older once the cat arrives! So that's great to hear. I also have a tractor I've had them in during the day while they integrate with the flock. If the new cat seems curious, I could always out the babies back in there for a few days.

That's hilarious that it seems cats are afraid of chickens. I think in a fight, a cat could win against a hen (probably not a rooster), but hens sure do know how to act scary! Lol

Thank you both for sharing your experience!

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

Can't think of anyone or anything that would want to face attack by a "ferocious ball of feathers."

Many a stray and/or feral cat shows up here, and not a one has bothered my chickens. I've been surprised more than once when all the girls are loose to spot a cat lounging around near them. No one sounds an alarm or seems at all concerned.

But, I would be concerned about what would a cat might do with tiny chicks. Mine don't leave the indoor brooder until they are at least six weeks old, so it hasn't been a problem here.

Good luck dealing with the rodents!

Thank you! Sounds like the consensus is my chickens are safe if they are over 6 weeks and they are. So that's great news!

 

[Bertie-Merle]

Can't think of anyone or anything that would want to face attack by a "ferocious ball of feathers."

Many a stray and/or feral cat shows up here, and not a one has bothered my chickens. I've been surprised more than once when all the girls are loose to spot a cat lounging around near them. No one sounds an alarm or seems at all concerned.

But, I would be concerned about what would a cat might do with tiny chicks. Mine don't leave the indoor brooder until they are at least six weeks old, so it hasn't been a problem here.

Good luck dealing with the rodents!

Thank you ... that was very well reasoned and appreciated advice. I just found an abandoned little kitten and was thinking about keeping it as a mostly outdoor cat around the barn to at least scare off unwanted critters, and of course provide good care with good food and shots/wormings/spaying/etc.

 

[PrettyBirdRocky]

I live in the city, a part of the city that kind of feels like a suburb - close neighbors with yards and such. We have a lot of rodents (mice, rats, chipmunks) in and around our garage, as well as in other parts of our property. Mouse/rat traps just haven't been doing the job and we don't want to resort to poison for several reasons. So we've decided we're going to get an outdoor "garage cat" or two that can be a mouser for our property.

I don't need advice on getting a cat like that, as I have a friend who works with rescues and feral cat colonies, but my question to you all is, will my chickens be alright? I'm mainly concerned about my 6 week old pullets. My chickens have free range of the whole backyard during the day. Is there any kind of "training" I would need to do with the cat, or a specific way to introduce them to give me better chance of success? I just don't want a chicken being attacked. Any advice is appreciated. Thank you.

In our community/country we have several cats that will wonder by and not give a hoot about the girls. Granted they are full grown and quite possibly bigger than some of the cats around here. Even our inside cats don't seem to mess with chicks inside after about 3 weeks. They make too much noise and are too flightly lol but our indoor cats are 13 yo and just look at us like we're nuts lol

 

[Callender Girl]

Within the last two weeks, someone apparently dumped three adult cats -- two orange males and a very pregnant tortoiseshell out here. None has shown any interest in the chickens. One of the males, who likes to follow me around, is terrified of the hissing geese.

Same male was stalking and caught a sparrow this week -- then let it go. Guess they prefer having me serve meals served to them, rather than having to catch dinner.

 

[Chicken_tiger_catt]

I live in the city, a part of the city that kind of feels like a suburb - close neighbors with yards and such. We have a lot of rodents (mice, rats, chipmunks) in and around our garage, as well as in other parts of our property. Mouse/rat traps just haven't been doing the job and we don't want to resort to poison for several reasons. So we've decided we're going to get an outdoor "garage cat" or two that can be a mouser for our property.

I don't need advice on getting a cat like that, as I have a friend who works with rescues and feral cat colonies, but my question to you all is, will my chickens be alright? I'm mainly concerned about my 6 week old pullets. My chickens have free range of the whole backyard during the day. Is there any kind of "training" I would need to do with the cat, or a specific way to introduce them to give me better chance of success? I just don't want a chicken being attacked. Any advice is appreciated. Thank you.

My favorite barn cat, a grey tabby named Thomas, was always super nice. One day, I was moving some new chicks from the incubator to the brooder. Tom was under my bed and behind a box, so I didn’t see him. The only sound was a squeak. I turned around and in the time it took me to close the incubator, he’d gotten one of the day old chicks. Thomas is not allowed in my room anymore, and I set up a brooder with a lid.

The moral of the story is: no matter how good he is with the older chickens, a cat can and sometimes will attack your baby birds.

Side note: I recently hatched more chickens. One egg was a very late quitter, so only two. They are taking a nap. This is a picture I took of them yesterday.