Feral Cat is stalking my coop

[Jennieschicks]

A neighbor feeds feral cats and they continue to reproduce. We rarely see them unless we drive by their property but today I saw a mommy cat walking right up towards my coop! My coop is fairly predator proof, so I am not concerned about her getting in.

My girls get to free range under adult supervision a couple times a day, but my yard is NOT fenced. I am worried now, especially because I am about to obtain a beautiful bantam and silkie and I don't want them to be cat food. I guess I wanted to just get some feedback on suburban chicken raising and CATS! Second guessing getting banties, maybe large fowl would be better?

I wondered if having large fowl as opposed to banties could deter a feral cat, or have you seen them attack large fowl just the same? The two I have now although aren't full grown, are large size girls. I'd love to still let them free range, but don't want them getting pounced on while digging up bugs in my backyard

I'd appreciate any thoughts.

 

[Mattemma]

Maybe you can get a program to steralize the cats for free.If you were in a good financial situation you might want to pay for it yourself.Me, I would probably trap them and take them to the pound. I won't spend money on other peoples pets.

You have a right to dispose of any animal on your property. Rarely will the cats bother chickens,but having a bunch roam your property has got to be real annoying.Try to find a spray program,and if there is none catch and take to a pound to be euthanised.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Cats, even ones that are not feral may attack and kill your chickens. Bantams are more susceptible, but large fowl are not immune. It really just depends on the cat. We had a problem with our next door neighbor's cats constantly in our yard. They weren't going after our chickens and ducks but it scared them nonetheless. Another neighbor's beautiful persian cat tried to grab one of my chickens from right in front of me. Now that we have geese, i've seen them escorting any stray cats out of our yard.

But as for your neighbor, she shouldn't be feeding the cats without getting them fixed. Many cities have "feral fix" programs where it is free or very cheap to take cats in to be spayed or neutered. At least then the problem isn't perpetuated.

In the meantime, don't assume any of those cats won't harm your birds.

 

[ladyrsanti]

I have 9 feral "barn cats" and not one of them has ever so much as touched a chicken. One got too close once and got a beak in the eye. He keeps a safe distance now. My chickens free range and will often scour a pasture where the cats are taking their siesta. None seem too bothered one way or the other.

THAT SAID, mine are spayed and neutered. I trapped them all in one day, not long after we moved here, and took them to a TNR (trap-neuter-release) clinic. One wasn't technically ours, but a neighbor's. I didn't tell them he got neutered but didn't mind the extra cost. He looked like he could have been the daddy. To be humane, we feed them and they in turn keep the vermin population in check. You might speak to your neighbor about this, if you are on speaking terms with her. It's best for the cats or they will multiply out of control and suffer for it. One mother cat can turn into 11,000 cats in five years, technically speaking. Most don't survive however and succumb to cold and starvation or predation. Tell her that. If she doesn't seem moved by it, trap them yourself and take them to the nearest shelter. They will probably euthanize them but it will be doing everyone involved a favor. I personally wouldn't pay to have the neighbor's cats neutered but we had a well-meaning lady come and offer to pay half to get ours done, it bothered her so much that they weren't - so they're out there.


ETA: of the 10 cats we caught, 7 were female and 6 were pregnant. Glad we did!