Domestic Cats

[Rich Marshall]

Does anyone have any experience of having problems with neighbors domestic cats messing with your free ranging chickens?

 

[m.kitchengirl]

No, my neighbor cats have problems with my free range chickens harassing them!
My cat walks by the chickens & they love to give chase. He wants to just sit there & watch them do their thing, which is fine, but he sometimes tries to get in on the kitchen scraps (my cat LOVES pumpkin...weirdo) and they let out after him like they're hunting him.

I only have 4 chickens, too. It is not like they are a HUGE flock, I have no rooster. They just have no fear of him, or the other neighbor cat who comes to scrap with my big wimp. The chickens run that tom cat off faster than my cat can manage it. I tease him that he has the chickens fight his battles for him.

I tell you, there are few things funnier than watching a cat come tearing around the house with 4 chickens on his tail (literally)! Sometimes the ducks even join in the fun.

I think baby chicks have more of a chance of being attacked by a house cat than pullets or hens. But, my cat was afraid of the chickens when they were just wee little chicks that fit in our hand. He wouldn't even go on the breezeway when the brooder was out there, and literally SHOOK when he could hear their chirping.

I always sensed he KNEW what they were capable of.
My Grandparents always had a few chickens, and they had a lot of feral cats around them, they never had a problem either. I think cats like to watch the chickens, but usually know better than to approach them.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Both chickens and cats are living animals. I haved no doubt someone somewhere has had problems. The cats I've had have had extremely different personalities. For example, my former cat was total master of the dogs. My current cat is scared to death of the same dogs. It is real hard to generalize about living animals, though there are tendencies. And one tendency is that cats take birds.

But my experience is that cats do not bother grown chickens. Occasionally you'll get a cat that will take baby chicks. I have not seen that myself, but I have no doubt that does happen. What I have personally seen happen is the first time a cat gets near a baby chick, a broody hen scares it silly. After that, it may watch the chicks and chickens but it keeps a safe distance.

So with my experience, it has not been a problem at all, with my cats or my neighbor's cats.

 

[jak2002003]

YES YES YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have a nasty cat that comes into my garden often. I keep Japanese bantams. So far this week the cat has killed and eaten 2 chicks. The cat is not a pet - we have many feral ones in my area. Even my small mix breed dog is frightened of this cat.

2 nights ago the cat got onto my balcony where I keep my ringneck doves in a cage. I was awakened by a loud crashing sound - only to go out to see the cat running off with one of my doves in its mouth (having knocked the LARGE HEAVY METAL cage off the table and caused the base to fall off. My other dove was sitting on the floor with blood all down its back and a nasty hole it it. As I tried to pick her up she flew away!

2 days later I was in my garden watering the plants and she flew back and landed on my head! I was so surprised. She was very thirsty and hungry and as been sleeping a lot, but her wound looks a lot better.

Honestly this cat is a nightmare (also all the smelly cat poo in my garden). Don't know what I will do. I often find piles of wild bird feathers around my house too. Maybe I will buy a trap and then release it far far away.

 

[darkmatter]

Yeah, feral cats come around and will bother chickens as opportunity presents itself:

 

[Mattemma]

Not usually an issue.Me, I don't like roaming cats(pet or stray) and will get rid of any I can catch. I have 3 cats of my own that I keep contained to my property.They have never bothered the hens. Lol, I worry Jack the roo will do some Jackie Chan moves on them if they did get close! I let them get rodents,but draw the line with native birds.House sparrows are free game.

If the cats become an issue whether it is injuring animals or spraying around the home(lovely scent) then take care of them.Don't waste time/cash with items to deter them.Who has money to waste on that?

 

[Coop de Grille]

My cat loves to hang out with the chickens. She loves to curl up in their nest box. The chickens don't mind her one bit.

 

[harveyhorses]

YES YES YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have a nasty cat that comes into my garden often. I keep Japanese bantams. So far this week the cat has killed and eaten 2 chicks. The cat is not a pet - we have many feral ones in my area. Even my small mix breed dog is frightened of this cat.

2 nights ago the cat got onto my balcony where I keep my ringneck doves in a cage. I was awakened by a loud crashing sound - only to go out to see the cat running off with one of my doves in its mouth (having knocked the LARGE HEAVY METAL cage off the table and caused the base to fall off. My other dove was sitting on the floor with blood all down its back and a nasty hole it it. As I tried to pick her up she flew away!

2 days later I was in my garden watering the plants and she flew back and landed on my head! I was so surprised. She was very thirsty and hungry and as been sleeping a lot, but her wound looks a lot better.

Honestly this cat is a nightmare (also all the smelly cat poo in my garden). Don't know what I will do. I often find piles of wild bird feathers around my house too. Maybe I will buy a trap and then release it far far away.


She does say DOMESTIC cats in her title, and there is a huge difference.

I have never had a problem but chicks are vulnerable, till they get big.To anything, not just cats. My cats hang out with them
the neighbors cats are scared of them.

 

[aoxa]

Cats and chicks = bad situation

Cats + full grown adult birds = no issues.

My chickens scare the bejebus right out of my three cats, and the neighbour cats. They like to watch them, but they don't dare get too close. I can see if someone has bantams how that might be an issue. With full grown LF, you shouldn't have any issues.

 

[angusshangus]

I used to let my adult bantam hens roam free in my backyard until a neighbors cat killed one of my silkies. Needless to say, I don't let my hens out of their fenced in run without someone standing there with them. :-(