Cats stalking chickens.

[Danny188]

We have some cats in out area some afew strays and a few are the nehbors. Right now we have our chickens in a run with a 4 foot fence secured by metal fence posts. We have had cats stalking outside the fence 4 different times. My dad says a cat could jump/climb over that fence if it realy wanted to. In iowa could we legally shoot a nehbors or stray cat outside the fence when it is laying on its belly in full stalk mode. Or would it have to be in the coop/run attacking chickens? Im just trying to figure out whats legal if i see a cat trying to climb the fence. Our nehbors cats dont have collars on either so i cant tell if its theirs or a stray.

Just to clarify i wouldn't shoot a cat outside the fence unless it was right at the edge, about to try to climb it, or failed at climbing it once

We are also thinking about buying movable net fence that is 3 feet tall and putting it around a area with lots of plants and weeds. And i cat could definitely jump 3 feet to get a chicken

 

[Top Rooster]

It depends on how old your chickens are. If they are full grown don’t worry about a cat getting them because the chickens and that cat would be about the same size and the cat won’t hunt that big for obvious reasons. I had a broody hen who would actually chase my cats around and peck them. If they are young chicks that could be another issue. I also have a four foot chicken fence and my cats have never jumped it so maybe they won’t either hopefully.

 

[Danny188]

It depends on how old your chickens are. If they are full grown don’t worry about a cat getting them because the chickens and that cat would be about the same size and the cat won’t hunt that big for obvious reasons. I had a broody hen who would actually chase my cats around and peck them. If they are young chicks that could be another issue. I also have a four foot chicken fence and my cats have never jumped it so maybe they won’t either hopefully.

Thank you right now we have small chickens in the coop i have seen these cats attack full sized rabbits before of coarse they got away but we have a rooster its still small i wont be shooting any cats unless they are in the coop i dont want to deal with angry nehbors

Here is a pick of the size of the chickens they r pretty small still.

 

[Danny188]

I think one of the strays would go through that much work to get a chicken anyway i have only seen one stray so far so i dont think any cats will get chicken dinner

 

[Ribh]

All those chickens need to do is rear up on their haunches & spread their wings & any self respecting cat will know they've bitten off more than they can comfortably chew. When we first got our chickens [POL, so not full grown] one of my cats tried it on & that's what he got. Now he doesn't even look @ the chickens, not even my tiny bantam.

 

[Danny188]

All those chickens need to do is rear up on their haunches & spread their wings & any self respecting cat will know they've bitten off more than they can comfortably chew. When we first got our chickens [POL, so not full grown] one of my cats tried it on & that's what he got. Now he doesn't even look @ the chickens, not even my tiny bantam.

Ok thanks

 

[Meg-in-MT]

I just read a thread about the OP's own tom cat killing their chickens. Full grown chickens, chicks...didn't matter. I haven't had this problem, but electric poultry netting is definitely a good idea.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Love trap and transport to the local humane society.
If people have to pay to bail Mr. Whiskers out of jail they will be more inclined to keep him home.
A requirement of getting a critter out of critter jail is they be spayed/neutered and vaccinated so there is that too.

 

[Danny188]

I just read a thread about the OP's own tom cat killing their chickens. Full grown chickens, chicks...didn't matter. I haven't had this problem, but electric poultry netting is definitely a good idea.

yea our nehbors had a big black tom cat that i saw attack a full sized rabbit and almost got it if they realy want to kill they can. i think that cat has died since then. At one time they had six cats. Our dog got a smaller cat when their 6 year old son brought it into the washout thats on our property when he was playing with a freind. Im gona try to make allittle money off eggs so and eletric fence isent an option i was thinking metal chicken fence would do fine if we end up keeping our rooster. Thank you for your info! Cats are disendece of bobcats of coarse they can kill chickens

 

[Danny188]

I just read a thread about the OP's own tom cat killing their chickens. Full grown chickens, chicks...didn't matter. I haven't had this problem, but electric poultry netting is definitely a good idea.

Also can you post the link to that i would like to read it?