Cat killing my chickens

[SplatterhouseCorrupt]

I WANT TO KNOW, ANY EXPERIENCE WITH CATS KILLING YOUR CHICKENS?
I don't feel like typing a long list of reasons why, but I am experienced, I live in the city in CA a few miles north of the border. Please, no suggestions on what it might be, because I have been dealing with the "possibilities" and almost everything points to this cat I finally caught last night being what has been getting my chickens. All the usual suspects, for different reasons, being access, my dog, the cage set ups, the quickness of whatever it is, plus a cats meowing and fighting was heard during an attack. I finally caught a cat last night, still thinking it was somehow still one of the usual suspects but now I am almost certain it is this cat. So I want to know

Has anyone any experience with a cat taking their chickens? This cat killed a rooster and a hen and has made multiple attempts on my other birds. I believe it is my neighbors semi-feral cat that they do not feed and I can totally see a starving cat going after my birds. Has anyone experienced cats killing their birds? Please let me know, and you do not need to say, NO I HAVEN'T, please just let me know if you have. thank you.

 

[Mtnboomer]

I have posted many times on here about tolerance when it comes to wildlife and predators. To first look at what can you do to secure your set up before going to the drastic measure of taking a life, but when it comes to cats, its no holds bard. Ferrell cats are one of the most destructive things in nature and I 100% support their removal at all costs.

 

[Rose Quartz]

I'm not sure if you're looking for stories or advice, but I accidentally caught a feral cat in a live trap intended to catch a racoon with a couple hotdogs, if you're looking for advice on how to catch it.


Story wise, the cats I had problems with were my own cats. One brought a 4 week old in the house to show off that he'd been a good hunter. Thankfully the chick was fine, and the cat dropped him. This cat learned over the course of a year trying to pounce chicks that it was unacceptable. (I chased him off my birds so many times)

A different time, and a different cat, caught and killed one of my 9 week olds. I saw him and chased him all over the yard yelling at him. He was smart enough to stay out of my reach and eventually hid in the neighbors barn. I didn't want to trespass so I didn't go in. He didn't come home for 3 days and returned with a limp. I think he might have set off a rat trap in the neighbors barn. Not sure, he eventually got better, and never touched my chickens again.

Now the adult chickens actively chase the cats and the cats are afraid of them. I do still have chicks around, but usually I have a broody with them. I haven't lost any chickens to my cats in a very long time, and aside from them watching 'chicken tv' laying on the driveway, my cats leave them alone. They don't stalk the chickens or get into pounce mode with them anymore.

 

[Smileybans]

I took in a stray a couple months ago. I have four other cats and none of them would go after the chickens. This one though stalks them and actively hunts them. I can’t let him outside when the chickens are out. He hasn’t killed any but he tried. Broke into my brooder the first month we had him and almost killed my babies. I got one of those things that puffs air at movement and put it outside my brooder. Scared the heck out of him and now he goes no where near it. If your feral neighbor cat is hungry feeding him food away from the chickens might help. But if it’s your neighbors cat could you talk to them about it? Setting up cameras near your chickens will also help you if it is your neighbors cat. Video proof and all that.

 

[Jory]

Yes, getting rid of the cats right now. My daughter has lost @20 half grown chickens and when they were gone, they turned to chewing the heads off of hens while they were sleeping.
Yes, they will dig into pens.

 

[cmom]

Can you catch and eliminate the cat? Good luck...

 

[wamtazlady]

Everyone around here has cats. I have 3. The lady next door took in 2 that originally showed up as strays. Lady across the street has 6. None have ever gone after my chickens or their chickens. In fact, when one of my hens had chicks she taught the cats to not even look at a chick. I really expected the cats to kill at least some of those chicks.

Other people seem to have different experiences with cats and chickens. I can only go by what I see around my own flock.

 

[bcorps]

How do you trap a cat. Is it legal

Same trap you use for a raccoon. Doesn't hurt them. I'm not even concerned with legal. Your neighbor isn't.

 

[FrappcinoObsession]

I WANT TO KNOW, ANY EXPERIENCE WITH CATS KILLING YOUR CHICKENS?
I don't feel like typing a long list of reasons why, but I am experienced, I live in the city in CA a few miles north of the border. Please, no suggestions on what it might be, because I have been dealing with the "possibilities" and almost everything points to this cat I finally caught last night being what has been getting my chickens. All the usual suspects, for different reasons, being access, my dog, the cage set ups, the quickness of whatever it is, plus a cats meowing and fighting was heard during an attack. I finally caught a cat last night, still thinking it was somehow still one of the usual suspects but now I am almost certain it is this cat. So I want to know

Has anyone any experience with a cat taking their chickens? This cat killed a rooster and a hen and has made multiple attempts on my other birds. I believe it is my neighbors semi-feral cat that they do not feed and I can totally see a starving cat going after my birds. Has anyone experienced cats killing their birds? Please let me know, and you do not need to say, NO I HAVEN'T, please just let me know if you have. thank you.

I have 2 cat that are indoor but I let them outside in the afternoon one of my cats are terffied of the chickens like she is really scared the other cat doesn’t seem to care about the chicken. Due to my experience cats rarely attack grown chicken or commonly they don’t care about them but they are a big threat and will kill baby chicks and juvenile chicks.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

We lost an older hen to a cat, and mostnlikely have lost several day-week old chicks (harder to keep track of those when they're with that particular flock) to a cat under our barn. Hasn't done any noticeable damage yet and it also helps a bit with mice and snakes. But it's always a possibility