Can my chicken be friends with a stray cat?

[chickchiken]

I have a chicken around 3-4 months old. It spends most of it's time outside just relaxing, eating, walking, and foraging. But recently I've seen it hang out with the neighborhood stray cat, the cat doesn't seem to show any malintent, it just lays down close to my chicken and watches it eat, sometimes it even tries to eat my chicken's food and my chicken doesn't even seem to care it's like they're two friends who've known each other for a long time. My chicken is surprisingly calm around this cat and the cat usually just lays down around my chicken for a little, drinks some water and leaves a few minutes later. This is from the 2-3 encounters I've seen them together and my chicken has never come back to me with missing feathers, or scratches and cuts. It's very calm around the cat and never stressed. So is there a good chance that the cat just wants to hang out with my chicken, and I should let them be? Or is there more to this that could lead to something bad? The cat seems to be for the most part a stray, so I don't think it's been trained to know that chickens aren't food. Which is why I'm a bit scared because I don't know what the cat may be thinking, and I know wild cats and chickens isn't the best combination.

 

[Sunshine_Chick]

I had a stray show up years ago & he's been friends with all the chickens. At the time he showed up I just had 1 chicken who was also a stray. Now I have 3 chickens & he's just as friendly with them. In fact, they try to eat his food & he walks away from them. He doesn't show up everyday. I had another stray female cat show up a year ago & she's chosen to live here & comes in at night with the chickens, then goes out with them in the morning. I've read of folks being afraid of cats & chickens together, but I've not had a problem; however, all are well fed so no real competition- though the female cat is quite the hunter of squirrels, rats & lizards. Mine are all friends & have been since they've met.

 

[Isadora]

I doubt they would ever be best buds because of the "language barrier" but the fact that both of their behavior around the other being pretty benign and non-noteworthy is a good sign.
I have a couple of outdoors cats and they and the chickens mostly ignore each other. Sometimes the chickens will check out the cat food bowl and the cats let them.

 

[drdoct]

The chicken/cat dynamic is a curious one. At first the cat is greatly interested in the little chicks because they want to eat them. But after a month or so, those little chicks aren't so little. My cat is a great hunter/tree climber cat. But when it comes to taking on chickens... nope... No Way! The first time he was somewhat stalking my group of fairly young chickens until they realized the cat was coming in on them. They turned on the cat and formed a bit of a line which made the cat freeze. All it took was one brave chicken pecking him for him to know that cat's don't need to mess with chickens.

Now he will hang out around them, but if he sees a chicken looking or starting towards him, he's gone. I don't know if cats can be best friends with anything honestly.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

Just make sure you have some fresh Tuna out for the cat.

 

[Gigachad poultry]

I just lost one of my favorite chickens to a stray cat this morning and I have to say it depends on the individual cat. Some are chill and some are heart less killers who shoe no mercy. I think you need to keep an eye on any strays that come to or near the coop just to make sure.

 

[canne50]

We have two shelter kittens almost 5 months old. I was wary about them going for my hens.
So, today, I was tending my hens, their run, and nest boxes. I noticed one of our cats at the gate for the run. She likes to accompany me in and outside. She sniffed at the gate. I gently said, No. Next time I looked, she was laying down, facing outward,i calmly guarding the hens and I.
My critters always have food and water available 24/7. None are obese. They only eat what they need, except for treats! My furry & feathered children are kind and playful as well as guarding each other.

So sorry about your loss. Secured until they are big enough to protect themselves is the best idea from other’s posts. Perhaps setting out away from your home and chicks some dry cat food would satisfy its hunger.
The instinct to hunt & stalk are these originally desert creatures wildness.

We had to give our dog of one year away. The Cairn terrier is the worst for us. It killed my beautiful Bantam Cochin rooster and three of my big layers and my little bantam, Brownie. He did not attack like biting or chasing. Strangely it was like a dolphin hitting a killer whale. They each took a few days to die from the internal injuries. He was very, very sneaky. I’m still sad.
Trapping the strays and taking them many miles away to a farm area may be your best bet.
Hope your day is better soon!