Do Cats Eat Chickens?

[cicknmama]

If you intend to kill the cat, you'd be better off using a .22. Contrary to popular belief, pellet guns often don't just "sting". They can cause serious injury or death. In fact, they are often advertised as for killing squirrels and other small game. I actually use a pellet gun myself to kill a chicken for butchering. Mind you, I am shooting point blank to the head, but one pellet is all it takes. My point being here is with a pellet gun, you may end up not killing the cat but seriously injuring it and causing it a slow painful death. Use a real gun or have a talk with your neighbor about your intentions if they don't control their cat.

My hubby thought a pellet gun would just sting it. I really don't want to kill it if I can help it. And I actually don't know who this cat belongs to. We have lots of stray domestic cats in our area. Thanks for the info on the .22. We don't have one but know plenty who do, and my daughter just finish hunter safety so if it comes to that, she said she would do the deed. I'm also going to check with my neighbor anyway.

 

[cicknmama]

Here's a fun way to narrow it down: spray or wipe your eggs with hot sauce or chile peppers. Chickens like it but cats, opossums, raccoons, skunks hate it.

BTW stealing eggs is not a very cat-like thing to do. I would suspect chickens or opossums at my place (upper Midwest).

Thanks for that info. I will try the hot sauce. And I'm pretty sure it's not my chickens. I was out in the yard all day today working on the coop and no eggs were missing or eaten. I'm sure it's this young cat that I see in my yard and have actually seen him in my chicken yard. I let the dogs run it off a couple times today. But question. ...since chickens like hot sauce will that cause them to eat the eggs?

 

[EggheadWI]

Thanks for that info. I will try the hot sauce. And I'm pretty sure it's not my chickens. I was out in the yard all day today working on the coop and no eggs were missing or eaten. I'm sure it's this young cat that I see in my yard and have actually seen him in my chicken yard. I let the dogs run it off a couple times today. But question. ...since chickens like hot sauce will that cause them to eat the eggs?

Oh I don't think so. It's just that if they were eating eggs then the hot sauce would not deter them. If the cat is really eating eggs it must be pretty hungry.

 

[AuntFancy]

My hubby thought a pellet gun would just sting it. I really don't want to kill it if I can help it. And I actually don't know who this cat belongs to. We have lots of stray domestic cats in our area. Thanks for the info on the .22. We don't have one but know plenty who do, and my daughter just finish hunter safety so if it comes to that, she said she would do the deed. I'm also going to check with my neighbor anyway.

That is pretty cruel to think your pet is more valuable than the neighbors pet. I bet the neighbor loves that cat, just as my family loves mine. Why not get a rooster instead? I bet that would do the trick.

 

[cicknmama]

That is pretty cruel to think your pet is more valuable than the neighbors pet. I bet the neighbor loves that cat, just as my family loves mine. Why not get a rooster instead? I bet that would do the trick.

I'm not saying that. These cats that roam around here don't have homes. They stay with anyone who will feed them. We have very few responsible pet owners in our neck of the woods. If I could rescue every tick and mange infested dog I see on the reservation I would. But I cant. My chickens serve a purpose and I can't afford to buy eggs and feed my chickens because a stray is eating my eggs and will most likely learn to kill my chicks or hens. I'm an animal lover, but have to draw the line somewhere.

 

[cicknmama]

Oh I don't think so. It's just that if they were eating eggs then the hot sauce would not deter them. If the cat is really eating eggs it must be pretty hungry.

I understand. And yes, the animals around here don't get fed much. Most are skin and bones, wish I could feed them all.

 

[EggheadWI]

That is so sad and there's only so much you can do. Does the reservation have any kind of services for cats and dogs? Out here in the upper Midwest there are sometimes traveling spay/neuter clinics.

 

[cicknmama]

That is so sad and there's only so much you can do. Does the reservation have any kind of services for cats and dogs? Out here in the upper Midwest there are sometimes traveling spay/neuter clinics.

They do have spay/neuter services but only once a year and only on the rez. That doesn't help with the current population though. It's very sad to see these animals starve.

 

[daxigait]

An old boy who has lots of chickens that free range teaches barn cats about chickens. When they start showing an interest in the chickens he waits tty I'll the cat is. Near the chickens and throws a couple of handfuls of corn feed right by the cat which causes all the birds to converge from all around the cat to get the feed. He says they never forget.

 

[EggheadWI]

An old boy who has lots of chickens that free range teaches barn cats about chickens. When they start showing an interest in the chickens he waits tty I'll the cat is. Near the chickens and throws a couple of handfuls of corn feed right by the cat which causes all the birds to converge from all around the cat to get the feed. He says they never forget.

Brilliant!