I’m Seriously Ticked

[FlyingNunFarm]

From the lack of outrage at this post I see I have joined a forum in which I do not belong. The idea that just because something is inconvenient we have the right to kill it is abhorrent. We live on the edge of the woods, but with some work my chickens stay safe. The dogs keep daytime predators away and we close them up at night when the coyotes are out. The babies are fully enclosed while they are small. I feed feral cats in the front yard, put out table scraps in the far corner of the front yard for the possums and raccoons, I even manage a harvest from my vegetable garden without killing anything larger than a tomato hornworm.

There has been some outrage. Please don't think everyone on BYC condones this type of thing. We try to be civil and respect that others have differing opinions. We sometimes have disagreements on flock management and what that entails. But in the end each person has to do what they feel is best.

 

[lazy gardener]

I’m in a neighborhood, so no other land predators.

That is the biggest falsehood, and threat to your flock. Predators are not cognizant of city limits. I used to work in the city. 3 - 11 shift at the hospital. On more than one occasion, on my way to my car, there would be a coon or two moseying around in the parking lot. Where ever there are people, there are rats. Rats can kill chicks easily, and have been known to attack full grown hens. Hawks: Yep, they love a chicken buffet in the city. I was at the same hospital I used to work at yesterday. I was well entertained by a murder of crows that was trying to drive a city hawk out of their territory. If not for city predators, where do the road kill varmints that are seen on city streets come from?

1. Before shooting it, how about trying to humanely trap it? Turn it in to the local pound.

2. You have more nuisance and predator threats than you know.

3. As previously stated, if a cat can get to your chickens, so can a plethora of other predators that are smaller than the cat. You need to reinforce your flocks area with hardware cloth or the like.

4. Killing the cat will only take care of the cat. And you can't scare it away... like other predators, once they know your coop/run is open for *lunch* it will return again and again.

5. If upping your flocks security and other options have failed, THEN I would suggest you kill it. Killing an animal should *normally* be the last resort, not the first option. Please note, I said NORMALLY.

Good luck.

Excellent post. ? to OP: did you actually see the cat kill your chicks? If not, the cat could simply be doing you a favor by hunting the rodents which will be an attractant to the higher on food chain predators, which also enjoy chicken buffet. Secure your birds in a safe enclosure.

I too am for taking the cat out, it will come back. I have to off them way to often and they most often come from the same looser home. My dogs take care of most of them, if I look out the window and see one, I say "cat" and the dogs are all over it!
It is not legal (here) for a cat to run free, they must be kept on the owners property, or on a leash. They should also be declawed, else they can be viscous.
I can agree, it is not the animals fault, but we simply cannot shoot the owner.

I have to disagree with this statement. An outdoor cat needs his claws to defend himself against all manner of threat: Including YOUR dogs, and the overly affectionate child who has not been taught to respect animal language. IME, the cats who are most "vicious" and most apt to bite are the ones that HAVE BEEN declawed. In the war between you and your neighbors, you are engaged in a feud that neither of you can successfully win without both changing up the game plan, which obviously is not working.

 

[Smuvers Farm]

I hope you are responsible with your cat and keep that cat home and on your property, else you fit in with my neighbor.

I see you added this edit in after I quoted your post. I saw that passive aggressive insult. You don't know me, but you feel the need to undercut my response to justify your bad actions. That's OK. DO what you gotta do sweetie.

 

[R3bauer]

I have a few "stray cats" that wander onto my property, my first line of defense, other than fort knox security, is live trapping and then to the shelter, second is more live trapping and shelter and finally the least desirable but needed is to shot them.

 

[Smuvers Farm]

I have a few "stray cats" that wander onto my property, my first line of defense, other than fort knox security, is live trapping and then to the shelter, second is more live trapping and shelter and finally the least desirable but needed is to shot them.

Thank you. I appreciate you posting this so people will see that cats can be live trapped, humanely.

 

[Nardo]

I actually have a barn cat that wandered up last Spring. I HAD a horrible problem with rats and mice. I didn't want to put out poison because then I don't want my dogs eating an already poisoned but not quite dead mouse.
Anyway, Marvin (I named him) took up residence in my workshop which is part of the coop run and greenhouse.
Since he came (and I let him stay when he ran past me on the 1st day with a mouse in his mouth) I haven't seen a LIVE mouse or rat. And I haven't seen another opposum, which were a big hassle. And he kicks a$$ on any other cats that come into the yard (and there are a few). And, this is the big deal, he doesn't bother my hens. He moves around them and keeps the coop cleared of rodents.
I'm not siding, one way or the other, but if you can get a good cat like this, then he will keep the others away and also help with the critters.

 

[llombardo]

From the lack of outrage at this post I see I have joined a forum in which I do not belong. The idea that just because something is inconvenient we have the right to kill it is abhorrent. We live on the edge of the woods, but with some work my chickens stay safe. The dogs keep daytime predators away and we close them up at night when the coyotes are out. The babies are fully enclosed while they are small. I feed feral cats in the front yard, put out table scraps in the far corner of the front yard for the possums and raccoons, I even manage a harvest from my vegetable garden without killing anything larger than a tomato hornworm.

When I had a stray rooster last fall appear, I found him several mornings laying in the brush with a cat, the cat always ran when I came. The first time it scared the heck out of me, but the rooster was not threatened by the cat and the cat seemed to like the rooster.

 

[RWise]

To be clear, I do not go after just any cat (or dog). I have good neighbors as well, they have cats I have never seen in the yard with my chickens. I have seen them in the pasture, which is certainly fine! And the dogs will let them be! Why would they go after what they are protecting? (my girls)
I have had a pack of dogs come in and kill a large goat also.
Has your neighbor ever said to you "I will keep so many big dog and cats that you cannot have chickens"? Mine has! But can I prove that,,,
If one lives in the country, claws should not be removed, they do need them! I am not in the country, was at one time but things change. I am about the last one to sell out to development. For cats to be outside they need to be on a leash! It is the law. (here)
I feel the OPs pain, I hate to kill any animal, but I do what must be done.
I know I come off gruff, sorry that's just me being me.

 

[lazy gardener]

I need a Marvin. My dog did not play well with my cat. The cat was too wimpy to do the required correction to put the puppy in her place, and the pup (now 2.5 years old) has a strong prey drive. I am now catless. While I would love to have an other pet cat, that is not going to be happening. I would welcome a "barn cat" if I could provide an appropriate "barn" for the cat. My local humane society has "barn cats" available. These cats have been neutered, received their shots, but for various reasons are not on the "house cat" list.

 

[Wolfefarmyard]

Please do NOT shoot and kill the cat. A much better option is to trap and bring it to a shelter. I work at an shelter and they get a lot of feral cats. They work miracles on them and then they go to good homes. If they are still to feral, they have a program that finds places for them to be a barn cat. We once had a feral cat that was very timid. But we slowly gained her trust. She ended up being one of the best pets we ever had. She didn't need a litter box because she would wait at the door when she had to go to the bathroom and would go outside. We brought her to the vet and she got all of her shots and spayed. She was an amazing girl. So PLEASE don't kill or hurt this cat. There are so many better options! If you don't have the time to trap it, there are even people who will trap them for you.