Opinions on my cat in the yard with chickens?

[mandyplo]

I have 2 new chickens, My first two lil' gals!! (for now >:] ) Except not little, they're about 2 years old

And I have a cat who loves to roam our yard every once in a while.

Hes a male tabby, and he roams around my yard, never leaves it, and my 2 chickens are in a coop but I like to let them roam the yard too sometimes. My cat Elmo has checked them out and doesn't seem to be aggressive at all. He got close enough to sniff my Redstar the other day and she turned around and pecked at his nose! That was it for him! haha He backed off right away like "ouch girl.. dayum guess I'll be keepin my distance from you" and he went and lied down.

Only time he really scared me was when I was tossing the chickens some meat, Elmo got in his little pouncing position and I thought he was going to go after one of the chickens that was hopping around with the meat in their mouths, but instead Elmo took a big leap from where he was sitting, on top of a piece of meat i tossed! >.< LOL He wanted in on the table scraps too! So I laughed that one off..

But really.. He's a cat, and I guess can be unpredictable sometimes, but he really does seem okay with the chickens! (When I'm out there with them).. I haven't left them alone together yet, and not too sure if I should. The chickens are MUCH larger than Elmer's is.. but should I still be concerned??

 

[Imp]

It's rare that someone posts that a cat went after a full grown chicken. I have 7 cats right now 2 ferals, 2 strays outside. They are afraid of the chickens. I need to feed them in the dark or the chickens will run them off their food.

Imp

 

[Karrie13]

I have no problems with my two barn cats out with my chickens. I even somehow managed to lock one of them in with my teenage Silkie's and Marans last night. He didn't bother them but I am not sure they didn't bother him. He was meowing at the gate VERY loudly this morning!

 

[SummerChick]

I have not had any problems with my two cats and sometimes the neighbors cats comes around also and no problems. I am always close around when i let them free range and have seen the cats watch the chickens but never do anything i guess they are just curious.

 

[Kittymomma]

My three cats as well as an undetermined number of neighbor and stray cats are fine with my adult chooks, I keep a close eye on the chicks though.

 

[chick4chicks]

My outside kitty and the neighborhood cats have never bothered my adult chickens but I would watch the chicks closely just in case.

 

[Chicky Tocks]

No problems here. My kitteh ranges with my birds. She follows them around, but she never bothers them. When I first started letting them range, she pounced on one but once, and I really think she was playing. She's never bothered them since. I truly believe that she knows that these chickens are mine and respects that. Even the chicks in the house belong to me and she's never in over a year of raising chicks constantly, ever bothered them.

 

[mistyfeather]

mine are fine with my cat

(who is cerently tring to help type

)

 

[schmije]

It's been my experience that an adult chicken can take a cat. My cat has been pecked enough that he always keeps his distance. I often feed treats to all of my animals at one time - dogs, cat & chickens. The chickens will run the cat off if they want what he has. The neighborhood cats have never been an issue here, and there are plenty of them around. I have a friend whose cat stalks the chickens but has never actually hurt one.

I don't trust my cat around the babies, and I keep them separate until the chickens are almost as big as the cat.

 

[iheartchkns]

You would think cats would be predators to full-grown chickens, since they hunt smaller wild birds, but my 11 farm cats actually have a great deal of respect for the claws and beaks of my chickens. My one rooster eats meals with the cats, joining them around the frying pan full of cat food and scraps. (I have a picture of it, but not handy or I'd post it.)

The cutest thing I saw was when the farm cats were kittens and were eating around the food pan. One of the chickens grabbed one of the kittens by the head and moved it out of the way, so he could get in the circle to get some food.

So, if anything, the cats are afraid of the chickens. They just don't like those big claws and quick beaks on their soft flesh.