Cat in the coop?

[popsicle]

Hello all!
We have recently discovered that we have a cat! I think she was abandoned or is a stray and is living in the shed that will soon be converted to a coop. She doesn't seem interested in the chickens, but my dogs are VERY interested in the cat (and chickens). Assuming this cat decides to stick around, she will have to live in the chicken coop--especially since that's where she already seems to want to live.

What things can I do to keep her sleeping quarters egg/chicken free, and what can I do to prevent her having access to the nesting boxes?

 

[FireTigeris]

She won't eat whole eggs, they would have to be broken. The hens will not let the cat stay where they want to lay- likely-

They should work it out.

 

[un-named543]

They will work out who is going to be where. My cat curls up in a nest on occasion. It may be an issue if you get young birds or chicks. They are flighty and might get the cat waaay too interested. I had to have a vicious meeting with my cats after they went after the chicks. They never did it again and I now trust them completely.
Once in a while my cat will playfully chase a chicken but only for a very short time and they never even touch it.

 

[blessedchick]

It is kinda interesting how cats just don't seem to bother adult chickens. Mine initially showed a huge interest in my silkies till the roo calmly walked up to him and pecked him HARD square on the nose. That cat must have spread the word to the others 'cuz no one messes with the chickens! I hope to get some pics of my 3 cats lounging in the grass surrounded by grazing guineas, chickens and swans...an everyday sight around here since the weather has warmed up

They'll duke it out and establish a pecking order...and I wouldn't be surprised if the cat is on the low end of it!

 

[popsicle]

Thanks for the encouragement. I haven't been worried about the cat going after the chickens, but it's nice to see I'm not the only one crazy enough to think they could live together. The dogs are in the house, so the cat cannot possibly live inside and she seems to like the coop.

I think I came up with a plan for a chicken-free cat house to put inside the coop. I would build a one-or-two-level box that will be attached to the wall. The entrance will be a hole in the bottom that the cat has to jump up into. I know cats would love to jump into something like that. I'm hoping that all my chickens would be too chicken and/or big to fly into such a hole. I'm thinking of putting the cat's food dish in there too, so the birds don't eat it.

Per advice here, I'm not going to worry about the cat eating eggs--until my fat Brahmas start smashing their own eggs--which is a whole different problem.

 

[xanxer82]

Section off with screening where you want your chickens to stay leaving an area for the kitty. The cat can help keep the snakes and mice at bay.

 

[Chicks on DL]

I thought for sure the first time one of the chickens got loose from the run that my cat would be having chicken dinner, but nope. Sometimes she hangs out in the backyard just watching them. They walk right up and get in her face and she didn't flinch. They were two months old then. I would be more careful with chicks though, but I think for the most part chickens and cats have an understanding and seem to get along very well.

 

[Dingo]

You may want to have shave her belly and check for a spay scar, we have a cat that showed up very pregnant. She's going to the humane society tomorrow to supply the ever growing cat over population we have here.

We also have a cat that showed up in January, she was a walking bag of bones and lucky for her already spayed. The spayed cat is going to be the coop cat once it's built. I'm planning on building a cat walk bordering most of the building and a cat house up high, She will also have access to our shed and lean-to at night.

 

[Alesia]

awesome ideas so a coop cat huh would that help keep other small predators at bay mainly snakes i would get a cat just for that it sounds like an awesome idea

 

[popsicle]

awesome ideas so a coop cat huh would that help keep other small predators at bay mainly snakes i would get a cat just for that it sounds like an awesome idea

She showed up literally a day after my husband and I were saying that we will probably need a cat around with all the mice and other vermin. The chickens will have a big run so kitty will have plenty of area to patrol.

You may want to have shave her belly and check for a spay scar, we have a cat that showed up very pregnant. She's going to the humane society tomorrow to supply the ever growing cat over population we have here.

We also have a cat that showed up in January, she was a walking bag of bones and lucky for her already spayed. The spayed cat is going to be the coop cat once it's built. I'm planning on building a cat walk bordering most of the building and a cat house up high, She will also have access to our shed and lean-to at night.

Well, she seems very well taken care of. I'm kind of thinking that somebody brought her into this little town thinking she would find somebody to take care of her and not make it back home. She does not appear pregnant; but after a reasonable length of time to find her owners we will take her to the vet for shots, inspection and spay if necessary.