Cats!!!

[rhoda_bruce]

I'm not a cat person. I'm all about animals if they can do something for me and I never felt a cat could pull their own weight.
I have had a few over the years....all rescues and had them all fixed. I know 1 cat can turn into a dozen real fast.
I thought I was finished a few months back when my last cat died, but another showed up a few days ago and my daughter fell for it. I have been watching for the killer instinct. I don't think it can bring down my RIRs, but my bantam araucanas, maybe. By night my animals are safe, but I give them a bigger run by day and they would be more at risk then. Its gone when it makes its mistake.
As to the neighbors......I'm for the trap. That way you can keep it quiet and get them out. I don't like abandoning though. I find that cruel. But I'm not above it, if it will save my birds. My chickens stay in my yard. Even if they did go in someone else's yard, they wouldn't kill someones cat or dog or disfigure their child. They would just eat grass and bugs.
If I had a rooster that did something dangerous, I would expect someone to kill it immediately, but let a dog or cat do something to a chicken....thats a different story.
My dear.....I would take care of the problem and sleep good at night too.

 

[DianeB]

Call animal control. You're neighbor is an animal horder. It is unhealthy and inhumane. I don't understand why the Humane Society would allow her to continue to adopt cats.

You should not have to put up with so many cats coming in and out of your yard. Before you know it, you will have hundreds of feral cats.

 

[GardeNerd]

How about buy one of those motion sensor sprinklers? I have seen them in gardening catalogs. Cats hate getting wet.

 

[jerseygirl1]

Calling animal control because she is in violation when the OP is also in violation is not really the right thing to do. Just because your neighbors like your chickens does not mean you are legal. If she is hoarding, then she is in violation, but so is the person complaining. That just does not justify it. You both need to work it out or someone may step in and complain about both of you, and then you will both lose. Also, again, you say the neighbors (I'm assuming the same ones) pay you to come over and feed and water their cat. Single cat. one or more cats doe not make a hoarder. You need to find out the ordinance in your town for how many domestic pets in a residential household before anyone complains. Maybe she has three, maybe seven. But, you are also not legal with your chickens and roosters. By making her cats mysteriousy drop dead does not justify anything, because she will become angry and just get more cats, or report you for being illegal with your chickens. She will figure it out eventually.
She is probably saying the same thing "Hopefully no more chickens/roosters will be brought to that house".
My opinion, but I'v been there and done that. You both just need to work it out where it is fair to each other, rather than kill someone's pet intentionally. Also, interesting to find out, does this neighbor KNOW her cats are killing your chicks? Are you sure it's a cat? Have you seen it? Have you photographed it for the legalities involved?

 

[SunnyChic]

Quote:
Hey, that's a good idea!

 

[DianeB]

Quote:
I am not suggesting calling animal control out of retaliation. I suggest it for the health of the cats. If this neighbor has several cats in a small space or unsanitary conditions, that is not fair to the cats. It is also how you get ferral cats.

However, if it will get jay1995 in trouble, then this would not be the wise thing to do.