Cats/duck danger?

[Andrea PNW]

This may be a dumb question (as you know I'm full of them) since I've brought home Barbe and Ed, I've suddenly noticed that the neighbor cats are incredibly curious and have been showing up in my yard checking things out. I love cats and don't mind them as long as they don't pose any real danger to my ducks.

Barbe and Ed (pretty sure they are both drakes at this point) are maybe 9wks, big boys and fully feathered. Ed has no problem chasing off my 20lb dog if he gets too close. It scares the bejesus out of my dog.

They only free range when I'm outside with them and working in the yard but I'm afraid of something happening when I turn my back/weeding or they are foraging in the raspberry patch.

Am I being paranoid?

 

[Weeg]

Ian pretty sure your ducks will be fine. Especially if they will fight for themselves. I don't think a cat could kill a full grown duck, but it depends. What breed are the cats?

 

[Andrea PNW]

Ian pretty sure your ducks will be fine. Especially if they will fight for themselves. I don't think a cat could kill a full grown duck, but it depends. What breed are the cats?

Just regular old housecats. One is a tabby and the other is standard fare gray and white

 

[Weeg]

Just regular old housecats. One is a tabby and the other is standard fare gray and white

I am sure you'll be fien. I will only be worried if they were Bangles, Siamese, or bobtail or something. I doubt they will hurt your ducks!

 

[KaleIAm]

I think it is highly dependant on the cat. One of my cats didn't even try to hurt my ducklings when they were little babies. A neighbor's cat used to visit me and he ran from my adult ducks whenever they came near.

But cats are predators and can have a strong drive to hunt. Even if they don't successfully kill your ducks they could hurt them badly, and cat scratches can easily become infected. I would be careful but not paranoid.

 

[Ron in Sebring]

We used to free range Pekins in the yard and there are a few feral cats around but not one of them would ever dare get near them...they were the sweetest birds but don’t get ‘em mad! Would chase a cat in a heartbeat....just wish they were a better match for the raccoons ...Even our dogs would keep them at a distance until they got to know each other.

 

[KaleIAm]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/do-feral-cats-kill-ducks.1254820/

All the way at the bottom, two posts with video evidence of cats.

 

[Andrea PNW]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/do-feral-cats-kill-ducks.1254820/

All the way at the bottom, two posts with video evidence of cats.

Oh sh*t.

 

[Andrea PNW]

Oh sh*t.

Neither of the two curious cats are feral - they are my neighbors' cats but still. We do have racoons, coyotes, eagles and Hawks. I'm terrified of them but I really didn't want to add friggin housecats to the list. They sleep in a locked up tight shed but for chrissakes.

 

[Andrea PNW]

I suppose I need to accept that I might lose one of my babies. Gawd.