Live trap it is.

[Pokster]

I am sorry for your loss, however it's not the cats fault it's the owners. How is this cat getting into your coop? I would take a walk around and firm everything up a bit. my cats hate the smell of lavender and will not go near anything it's sprayed on including me. Possibly even plant some around the yard. Good luck and remember it's the OWNER of the cat that needs to account for any trouble the cat may cause.

 

[AllthingsG]

Put your money towards fixing your coop. A BB gun isn't going to make much of a difference. If you free range your birds - fixing the coop isn't going to make an impact either. Cats are very smart about live traps so you need to make sure you give yourself the best chance possible to catch it in the beginning. Make sure the trap has a hair trigger and is in good working order. Use sardines packed in oil as bait. Cats and coons find them very attractive.

You can also document ownership of the cat by using a camera or video - especially if you find it in your coop next to a dead chciken - again. Documentation means dealing with the owner I'm not sure I'd want to deal with the owner/neighbor about anything - they had their chance. I'd fix the coop but if given a chance I'd get rid of the killer cat. BTW - I woudn't share information or intent with anyone.

Sorry about the loss of your chickens.

 

[nurseshelly]

Quote:
I would reinforce the coop with hardware cloth, and possibly put some kind of electrical fence up at night. Also, you can buy a live animal trap as others have said for about $20 and trap the cat.

 

[Chick Charm]

If the cat has already taken two chickens I don't understand why you are worried about this ferell cat. Your chickens deserve the protection you can provide. Eliminate the problem. If you choose to trap it, good for you, and don't loose any sleep over it. If you choose to SSS, good for you, and don't loose any sleep over it. If choose to try some other method of deterent, good for you, and good luck. I have never heard of a realistic way to deter a predator that has already taken some chickens. But for goodness sake do something and do some quick so you don't loose any more chickens.

 

[zookeeper15133]

Harbor Freight has really inexpensive traps. About $25 for a coon/cat size.

 

[Baymule]

Live trap the cat and drop trap with said cat into a trash can full of water. End of problem.

 

[Sachasmom]

You can get a paw hold trap online, our feed mill sells a variety of leg traps. (Paw hold if you would like to not injure it)

If I was feeling charitable about the whole thing, I would tell the folks with the cat they don't have that I am having a predator problem and I have set out leg traps, if they value the cat they don't have, they'll keep it at home.

You could try baiting a live trap with sardines, I can't seem to catch a thing with my live traps tho.

My LGD lives to try to get the neighbors cats, she treed one, its lucky I looked to see what I was shooting out of the tree before I did.

 

[WingingIt]

Quote:
x2. Return the bb gun and buy the trap. Figure out how it's getting into your coop and fix that, too. Right now it's just a cat, but later on something else or another cat could show up, so it benefits you in the long run to fix whatever hole it's using to get in.

 

[bdickey]

Make sure that once you dispatch the cat you give it back to your neighbor by throwing it onto her roof. Hopefully, it is real hot outside and it takes a couple days to find it.

 

[LostMindPleaseFind]

Mothballs are for moths. They useless against anything else, in my experience. I was an animal trapper for years. It is an old wives tale or sheer coincidence.