Domestic / Feral Cat Attempting to Catch Roosting Juvenile Chickens

[centrarchid]

This is just happenned. Gonna stop it. Not out cat.

 

[sumi]

Got to do what you got to do. Any idea who's cat it is?

 

[Gypsi]

What. I thought was a cat turned out to be a weasel per the one hair it left behind.

 

[centrarchid]

Just after midnight I awoke to a juvenile roosting front porch squawling bloody murder and then heard is fly past bedroom window as I got up. Dog had already broke up action and was working back and forth trying to find his foe. It was dark and I was concentrating by flashlite on where chicken went and found it walking about 50 feet out into yard. Scoob ran up on bird since I kept line on it and gave it a thorough sniffing that stressed chick into flying blindly back to front porch. About 10 feet away from start of commotion was a black cat that Scoob overran and largely ignored in search. As I stood near, the cat began to growl apparently at me which was odd. We have four adult cats, two of which are black so did not think much of it. When I put lite on cat it was not one of ours and it sprinted off leaving a pile of feathers from the juvenile that was just attacked. Scoob, like me, was expecting to find Mr. Fox, raccoon, oppossum or even owl causing ruckus but not a cat. With some effort I picked up juvenile, inspected it to see wounds were minor and placed it on top roost level. Then I repeated same for hen and 13 siblings. Cat most likely belongs to neighbor that allegedly has 15 adult cats plus pit bull we had "fun" with a couple months ago. I am going to likely shoot that cat if it comes back. Scoob is going to have to learn to pick hairs and go after cats that are not ours which is well within his abilites. My roost are resistant to pretty much everybody but cats so this will need to be addressed before birds in chicken tractors released to roost at night. Our cats do not like the neighbor flea bags either so wife will likely not be upset with my selective harvesting.

 

[Mattemma]

It can be hard to get cats with the trap unless they are hungry.Still give it a try.Maybe some food and catnip,and cover the trap as well.Other option is to befriend the cats and catch them one by one.Take them away or dispatch.

sss A person with that many roamers will just light up if you try to discuss cat enclosures,which imo are a great alternative to letting cats roam.Yeah,the neighbor will probably get more,but you just keep getting rid of them. I have cats and dogs,but one thing I dislike VERY much is roamers. Like dogs they can ruin your yard and attack YOUR animals.

 

[centrarchid]

Owner of this herd of cats is missing a few screws. His cats are numerous enough to be putting significant dent in wildlife, much of which would be on my property. Cottontail rabbits and timberdoodles taking a major hit. Triple S will be method of choice.