Do Cats Eat Chickens?

[birdsofparadise]

I thought my flock was getting attacked by a mongoose, but finally found fur in the chicken wire that was obviously a cat. I lost over a dozen birds before I figured out where and how the attacks were coming from. Iʻm buttoned up now, but that cat must have been owned by Houdini in a prior life.

 

[nzpouter]

We live rural and have a lot of issues with people dumping cats, they can, if hungry enough, take down a full grown hen. Our policy is simple, if we don't own it, sss.

 

[jvls1942]

yes a cat can kill a full grown chicken..

and there is no difference between a barn cat and a house kitty. just watch your cat's disposition change when you let it outside..

 

[NWchickenLuv]

Katy: Barn cats? Sorry if I sound ignorant, but are those the same as house cats or are they wild cats?

My definition of a “barn cat” is a house cat that is rarely feed, due to its purpose to rid the area of mice, rats etc. Therefore it is left to fend for its self in the food department; I think they develop stronger hunting skills due to their need to as well. So I would wager barn cats are more likely to attack a chicken because their main food supply is moving prey not regular cat food and most house cats only catch mice etc for fun, not sustenance.

 

[daisychick]

Even a tame cat will stalk a chicken. I have seen some cats pounce on and hurt a chicken just out of curiosity. Cats can't help but go after a bird...it is in their nature. So yes they can kill a chicken and at the very least they can certainly harm a chicken.

 

[lovemychix]

My cat would. Only after it's roasted.

I left my brooder open all the time inside and my cat basically just watched them.
As for a hungry stray wild cat. I think they would. I agree about hurting them out of curiosity.

 

[Swamp Roo]

Quote:
I live at the "end" of the road as well. I've lost chicks to a cat, it was a last meal. Another cat was starting to show interest (and really ticking off my two indoor cats). I walked around the corner of my coop, and there she was, right next to the run. The only thing distracting her from the chickens is that she was "acquiring tone" on one of the marsh rabbits we have all over the place. #4 game load works well, no suffering. I really hate to do it too, I really like cats, bothers me every time. Problem is I if trap them, then I get to scare the living hell out of them by putting them into the truck and take them to the pound where they will be dispatched because they don't have the time to deal with/tame feral cats. Better that I save them all that grief, they never know it's coming this way.

 

[trinity]

yes if they are hungry banr cats they will..and a hosue cat will to if they are bored and out side the will cahse and kill and some times eat them.my cat comes in and out..he likes to hide in the grass(weeds) and stalk them then he runs out and when he almost get to them stopes..yes he once didnt and now knows that a big hen will kick his butt.however once he did try to eat one of my babys and by no means was he hungry with his fat belly almost draging the ground.

 

[Sock Puppet]

I dont own cats. I dont want to have to deal with a litterbox anymore.

We have a couple of neighbor cats that Ive about had it with. Im tired of them peeing on my garage door and pooping in my herb garden. If we get caught, so called "relocating" cats we will get in trouble by the sheriff's department. So I need to figure out what to do. Im not sure who they belong too. Cant figure it out.

Im going to be getting chickens soon I shouldnt have any problems with the cats (I hope) The chickens will be in my backyard where my very large cat hating dog is. She will chase them. She had one cornered one day under a wood pile. She couldnt reach the cat

Lucky cat.


Anyway, its good to know that I need to keep an eye out about the bad neighbor cats.

 

[WriterofWords]

Housecat: Spoiled inside kitty provided with love and food.

Barncat: Working cat, keeps rodents out of feed, it's job is to kill to eat. Will it eat chicken? Yes, it's a cat, it's hungry, it's natural.

If you have barn cats around doing their job, killing rodents and such to live, it is your job to keep your chickens safe and under wraps. No, you can't blame the cat for doing it's job. No one told it in kitty language that you can only eat furry things, and certain feathered things that fall out of the sky,, feathers are feathers, it's edible.