Feral cat colony

[lilmizscareall]

Just a thought, are you SURE it was one of those cats that nabbed that silkie chick? I think you said you didn't see what happened, it could have just as easily been a crow or another animal to do a snatch and run.

In any case, good for you on keeping the colony going. When you have established spayed/neutered cats, they tend to keep roaming cats away from their territory, plus you aren't likely to have rodent and snake problems while they're around, even if they are lazy.

After watching them for the last couple days, there is one or two cats much more interested, in the birds, than the others. Definitely the huntress'!
I'd like to say it could have been a different predator, but the culprit took him to their shelters, where they preceded to eat him. When I first looked around for the body or a few feathers, that's where I found the cats. They scattered like they knew what they had done. A few feathers and guts were all that were left. :/

 

[sepaditty1]

I have 3 outdoor cats. One was grown when we got our chickens, 2 babies wandered into our yard a couple months ago. None of the cats bother the chickens at all. They roam around the yard together.

One of my young cats really must think he's a chicken. He goes in & sleeps on their logs, rolls in their dust holes, pretty much everything but lay eggs.

 

[SunnySkies]

Just a thought, are you SURE it was one of those cats that nabbed that silkie chick? I think you said you didn't see what happened, it could have just as easily been a crow or another animal to do a snatch and run.

In any case, good for you on keeping the colony going. When you have established spayed/neutered cats, they tend to keep roaming cats away from their territory, plus you aren't likely to have rodent and snake problems while they're around, even if they are lazy.

This is true. Where there is good cat territory, once it is open again, ferals will move in and might be more aggressive about hunting. Keeping these ones staves that off for a while. When you get down to just a couple cats, minimize how much food is available to help prevent ferals from adopting you, unless you want to TNR any new ones.

I'd try some negative association training with the cats. A sprayer, air horn, etc, might deter the huntress ones and make them move on to easier prey, if you can hide where the cats can't see you but you can see them.

 

[Wrooster]

I love cats but the reality is they are a non-native invasive species. One recent study shows even well-fed house cats kill an average of one critter for every 16 hours they are outdoors. Cats are believed to kill hundreds of millions of birds every year in the US. If your conscience or love for cute furry things require you to maintain the cats then do what you have to do, but don't be under any illusions that it's a good thing.

My roosters could shred a cat and a full-grown outdoor chicken is no pushover, but a whole colony of carnivores sounds like trouble.

 

[appps]

What exactly did your clause say just out of curiosity. Existing feral cat population or future population. So when these guys get old and pass on are you free of the clause or do you have to feed every stray forever?

Sounds like a lovely property, hope you come up with a way to co-exist while you need to.

 

[lilmizscareall]

What exactly did your clause say just out of curiosity. Existing feral cat population or future population. So when these guys get old and pass on are you free of the clause or do you have to feed every stray forever?

Sounds like a lovely property, hope you come up with a way to co-exist while you need to.

We only offered to take care of the exsisting colony. I don't have any reason to believe that other strays will come into their territory. These cats have been established here for so long, without any new ones. Also, my dogs tolerate the current group, but not anything else coming onto our property, so they're a pretty good deterient themselves!

So far the air horn works! It's too hard to sit out there and hide. First, they always hear me... Second it's been 30°...and below all week. I have a window I've used to blow the horn out of as well. The chickens are secured in their coop run, so I'm hoping to really just let the cats know I don't appreciate them even LOOKing at the birds.
The chickens are really getting big! I'm hoping the two Roos will fill out and learn to be protective. I have some bantams being quarantined in the garage, but I think the Roo might be too small to defend his girls. You never know though!

 

[LTygress]

Broody hen, broody hen, broody hen!

Large fowl, of course. But definitely look into it!

Right now, because of my sister's lack of a thick skin, we have five cats (thankfully all fixed). None of them mess with the chickens. The oldest - named Tom - has been known to catch full-grown JACKRABBITS and bring them home. But he doesn't touch chickens.

Part of Tom's issue may be that he is old now (AT LEAST 12 years old, but he was adopted as a full-grown stray too). And the rest were brought in as kittens. I used a water spray bottle to teach the kittens as they grew (keep in mind I also have baby chicks year round) and it kinda worked, although I knew I couldn't rely on it. But the first time they messed with my large-fowl ameraucana roo, Skeeter, and the first time they ran into a broody hen... they NEVER looked back! Those two were all it took to teach them the chickens are a no-no!

The broody hen incident happened on one of the cats after she was full-grown. Now she gets scared and hides when one of them simply flaps their wings!

But a few days ago, I had my niece's new little 6-month-old Chorkie (chihuahua/yorkie) escape outside. I only had one chicken loose, and it was a broody bantam with four chicks that are about a week old. The puppy stood taller than the bantam, but the bantam DID NOT care! She chased the puppy down, and fluffed up, and pecked, and let that dog know NOT to get near her babies!

Needless to say, the puppy hasn't escaped the house without a leash and collar since then. It hasn't even tried.

One thing to remember is that once the chickens stop "freaking out" and running at the sight of these animals, the animals lose interest. That chase factor is what puts them in the most danger. So if they just stand there, the "feral cats" won't mess with them. And lord knows a large-fowl broody hen isn't about to budge!

 

[animals1981]

i think another animal took ur chick i doubt the cats did if they are that dependant on food and have seen your birds for a long time through the fence.

 

[lilmizscareall]

i think another animal took ur chick i doubt the cats did if they are that dependant on food and have seen your birds for a long time through the fence.

They had only seen the birds a handful of times and unfortunately caught with the remains. A few feathers and a bit of guts. The chickens had only been outside a few days. I think the cats are the only predators that know the chickens exist at the moment.

 

[lilmizscareall]

Broody hen, broody hen, broody hen!


Large fowl, of course. But definitely look into it!


Right now, because of my sister's lack of a thick skin, we have five cats (thankfully all fixed). None of them mess with the chickens. The oldest - named Tom - has been known to catch full-grown JACKRABBITS and bring them home. But he doesn't touch chickens.


Part of Tom's issue may be that he is old now (AT LEAST 12 years old, but he was adopted as a full-grown stray too). And the rest were brought in as kittens. I used a water spray bottle to teach the kittens as they grew (keep in mind I also have baby chicks year round) and it kinda worked, although I knew I couldn't rely on it. But the first time they messed with my large-fowl ameraucana roo, Skeeter, and the first time they ran into a broody hen... they NEVER looked back! Those two were all it took to teach them the chickens are a no-no!


The broody hen incident happened on one of the cats after she was full-grown. Now she gets scared and hides when one of them simply flaps their wings!


But a few days ago, I had my niece's new little 6-month-old Chorkie (chihuahua/yorkie) escape outside. I only had one chicken loose, and it was a broody bantam with four chicks that are about a week old. The puppy stood taller than the bantam, but the bantam DID NOT care! She chased the puppy down, and fluffed up, and pecked, and let that dog know NOT to get near her babies!


Needless to say, the puppy hasn't escaped the house without a leash and collar since then. It hasn't even tried.


One thing to remember is that once the chickens stop "freaking out" and running at the sight of these animals, the animals lose interest. That chase factor is what puts them in the most danger. So if they just stand there, the "feral cats" won't mess with them. And lord knows a large-fowl broody hen isn't about to budge!


 

Thank you for the vote of confidence! You've made me really feel like I'm not crazy. Once the whole flock gets together I think the cats will start to second guess they're abilities and hopefully the birds will learn they're place in the yard as well!