Feral cats - chicken predators?

[rod5591]

I leave a live catch trap out at night inside the hen yard. Tonight I caught a well fed young calico cat with no collar/tags. Was this cat going after my chickens, do you think? What would you do in my place? Choices are, take it to animal control, release it down the road, or shoot it. I am leaning towards animal control.

 

[imnukensc]

How old are your chickens? If they're at least 3 or 4 months old, I doubt very seriously a well fed cat is going after your chickens. I free range my chickens daily and there are plenty of feral cats around, but none have ever bothered my chickens.

 

[PirateGirl]

I vote to drop it off at animal control. If it's well fed, it could be a neighbor's pet. Perhaps they let it out for rodent control. If you have chickens, you likely have rodents, the cat could have wandered in after anything, chicken, mouse, wild bird. The neighbors will have to claim it, likely pay a fine to spring it from the pound, hopefully learn a lesson about letting their cat wander. If they don't claim it, it will either be put down or re-homed, in both these situations the cat will no longer be your problem.

 

[rod5591]

Hi all:

I kept the cat overnight. She was a pretty and well nourished young calico so I decided to either find the owner or keep her myself. in the morning I asked my neighbor across the road, who told me the cat belonged to the farm down the road, so I drove her back there. The owner didn’t answer the door so I released the kitty there on the front pouch. I assume all is well. I am a cat lover and wouldn’t harm a cat unless it was maurading with intent to kill one of my birds. My thanks to all who answered.

 

[hillbilly91]

I leave a live catch trap out at night inside the hen yard. Tonight I caught a well fed young calico cat with no collar/tags. Was this cat going after my chickens, do you think? What would you do in my place? Choices are, take it to animal control, release it down the road, or shoot it. I am leaning towards animal control.

I shoot them. Animal control in oconee county sc charges you for a intake even if it's a stray. It might not have been after your chickens then but a easy meal is a easy meal and if it comes threw once it will come threw again.

 

[Callender Girl]

Please don't shoot the cat! Animal control may not be much better since, at least here in Iowa, most cats that go to county pick-up or shelters end up dead anyway. But at least it gives her a chance.

There have been feral cats out here since long before we started having poultry and none has bothered any of the chickens, ducks nor, of course, the large and hissy geese. For at least the past year, a white-footed gray cat has meandered around the coops but has shown no interest in attacking the birds, most of which free range during the day when I'm home. She is the latest in a long line of apparently short-lived felines that prowled around without causing problems.

 

[roosterhavoc]

I leave a live catch trap out at night inside the hen yard. Tonight I caught a well fed young calico cat with no collar/tags. Was this cat going after my chickens, do you think? What would you do in my place? Choices are, take it to animal control, release it down the road, or shoot it. I am leaning towards animal control.

Depends on the cat. I have a bunch of cats around here and only one in many years has killed a chicken. It was a male I’ve never seen before. That cat won’t be eating anything again. What were you using for bait? It’s not wise to put the trap inside the hen yard. If your setting traps with bait or lure of any kind keep it farther away and move closer if you need too. Putting the trap inside with the chickens could just draw in animals that weren’t bothering the chickens to begin with.

 

[Michellep224]

Cats don't normally bother adult chickens unless they are very hungry. Personally I have a cat who will hunt and kill just about anything, including rabbits her own size. But she won't touch the chickens.
I think some of y'all on here are cruel, saying that it's okay to shoot the cat. It's not.
In my opinion, the only reason OP should kill a cat is if they have recently lost chickens to a predator, and see the cat hanging around the chickens. In that case I would set the trap and take cat to animal control, who would then take care of it however seen fit. Normally cats in my county are not killed. They even rehome ferals quite often as barn cats after they get fixed.
If, and only if, I couldn't catch the cat I would kill it. Trust me, I have had to shoot a cat before.. but that was AFTER trying to catch it first.

Please listen to me, Rod.. That cat has a life too. You have no idea it's reason for being where it was. It could have just been drawn to your trap bait, uninterested in your chickens completely. I would hate to think a life was ended for no reason. I would take it to animal control.

 

[HenHouse4Life]

I personally would take it to animal control/shelter. It looks like it's got some weight to it, not like it's starving. A lot of people don't keep collars on cats because they get caught on stupid things.
Hard to say if it was after your flock specifically.... cats wander. They do hunt, don't get me wrong.... I'm just saying you can't point a finger unless you see it happen.
Good luck! I sure hope it doesn't want your chickens!

 

[tripletfeb]

I would disagree and say yes, probably going after your chickens. I have five pullets that were hatched in April so they are very large. I witnessed my neighbors stupid cat stalking my chickens when they were out. The cat was hunched down, creeping forward like a little lion. Hubby got the BB gun and shot it. I would happily shoot any cat that I caught in a trap. Then again, I have no patience for my neighbors cats. She doesn't care that they poop all over my yard and bother my chickens. Calling animal control might not help because the cat is not "wild". Hopefully your animal control is different but I have called and they won't bother coming out for a cat. Good luck in whatever you decide.