Declawed cat

[jmeeter88]

OK, the only predator in my area is my cat "Starbucks" who has been completely de-clawed (long story involving a very expensive leather sofa).

He has killed several small birds, a baby rabbit, and a few field mice... Does he pose a threat to the full-grown hens? What sort of defense mechanisms can they impose upon my cat?

 

[goldensunriseranch]

Hi! My cats (one declawed and one not) kill all kinds of mice, moles and small birds yet leave the chicks and chickens alone. I try not to tempt them with small new hatched chicks since they are so small but they basically ignore them all. I would think the adults would stand their ground and be more a threat to the cat than the cat is to them!

 

[silkiechicken]

Doubt it. If the cat doesnt run from her dish, the chickens would probably peck her face till she left to eat her food. At least that's why the feral here run from the chickens.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

My cats catch mice, moles, and birds, but they know to leave my chicks and chickens alone. I have one cat who will sit outside of the cage and watch. She also lays down and watches the Silkies while they free range.

 

[horsejody]

I have some of the biggest, baddest barn cats around, and they have never harmed a chicken. Two of them were actually adopted and raised by a rooster when they were kittens. How wierd is that?

 

[goldensunriseranch]

Boy what I wouldn't give to see roosters raising a kitten. Must have been too cute!

 

[horsejody]

Quote:
It was. They were two little feral kittens we adopted and brought home. When the rooster saw yellow fuzz balls he just assumed they were chicks. He was my only chicken at that point in time. He was a fighting cock that somebody had dumped in our yard (everything gets dumped in my yard). He was good with humans but could be quite aggressive to other animals. He co-existed nicely with the cats. He loved those kittens and they were never out of his sight during the day. We put the kitten chow in a box with an opening too small for the big cats to get in. Whenever Chicken Bob saw a threat in the yard, he would force them in the box and stand guard in the barn doorway and chase away all intruders (usually a stray tom cat). One day we discovered two labradors in the yard. Chicken Bob was mortally wounded in that barn doorway. The kittens were safe in their box. The same dogs had just killed their owners cats, his mother's cats (she lived nearby too) and his mother's peacocks. That rooster could have easily gotten on the barn rafters to safety, but he guarded that door, and I truly believe he saved those kittens. He didn't win the fight, but one of the dogs had its tongue shredded. The dog owner shot one of the dogs, rehomed the other and bought me a new chicken. Those kittens are now 9 1/2 years old. All of my cats get along with the chickens, but those two are REALLY good with chickens. One of them grew to be a large male, and to this day, he hates dogs. The only dog he likes is my Lhasa Apso. All other dogs get a face full of cat if he sees them. He even got between me and an aggressive doberman once.

Sorry to hijack the thread. I think the majority of cats are fine with adult chickens.

 

[Mom2Cool]

Quote:
That's the cutest thing I've heard all day.

 

[turnerstar31]

I am surprised too as my female is very prey oriented. She does like to watch them a little bit and it does make me nervous but she has never done anything. I also have two other cats who are the same way and again no problem. Not really sure why they know just to leave them alone.

 

[horsejody]

Quote:
Cats have much more self control than dogs.