Cat a Predator?

[Barnyard Dawg]

I have been noticing a cat that I have never seen before, viewing my chickens. Last evening the cat actually came into the yard I noticed my chickens go on alert making noise and their necks out streched, should I consider this a predator and a threat to my chickens? I would feel better knowing the cat belonged to someone and not a wild cat I observed no collar. The cat is between 6-8 #'s maybe, the adult chickens seem agitated by it's presents.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

OH ya I would watch the cat...pet or not it will eat chicken!~

 

[summerwindsfarm]

Occasionally a cat will catch an adult chicken but its not very likely. Cats are curious about chickens but usually end up scared of them. My hens take the cats food away from them lol.

They *will* get young chicks without a mother to protect them though and very small bantam birds.

And a cat that belongs to someone is just as likely to do that as a feral cat. Cats are natural born hunters..they dont have to be hungry to hunt. But adult chickens are really too big for them to consider prey..mostly they just sit and watch them.

 

[rooster-red]

A cat usually won't even attempt to catch an adult hen, unless it is starving.

Chances are its just curious

 

[chickens4jojo]

My cat "loves" my baby chicks & I double cage them to protect them from him. And, today, he even tried to get one of my huge Buff Orpingtons as well. I don't think he would have succeeded, but he did TRY!!

That cat needs a bell maybe??!

 

[horsejody]

Yesterday, I saw my 3 month old leghorn pullet chasing one of my barn cats. Then she had a whole flock running after her! The poor kitty!

 

[LynneP]

We house a colony of ferals in the same barn as the chickens BUT we use biosecurity to keep them separated, can you see the predatory instinct in their eyes? We appreciate them at another level, though, NO RODENTS!

 

[kstaven]

My only major losses have been due to neighborhood cats and feral cats. Stepped out the door in time to see a 5 lb cat rip the throat out of one of my Orpingtons a few months back.