Neighborhood Cats !

[CityChick7775]

There is a neighborhood cat that keeps getting in my yard and attacking my poor chickens! They are afraid now in their own backyard. Is there anything i can do to keep cats out of my yard.

 

[Zinniah]

Well, catch it and drop it off at a local vets office or the pound. Worked for me, I had tons of strays. Just get yourself some food and stick it in a live trap. You could try waiting around for it and chasing after it like a mad person, after a few times maybe it will be to afraid to come back.

 

[LeafBlade12345]

Take it to a shelter or humanely dispatch it if that is not an option. But first, have a serious talk with the neighbor about possibly shooting it if it bothers your chickens, but don't be threatening. There is a good chance they will decide to keep it locked up if they are decent people.

 

[Bigwig]

If it doesn't belong to anybody in the neighborhood SHOOT IT! I have no sympathy for cats as they are like a plague where I live (Though the local coyotes have been assisting in culling them lately and there are considerably less cats) . If you don't want to shoot it you can use a live trap like Zinniah mentioned above. Fish works well though I've caught one using other types of meat as bait.

 

[izziebean]

One of my neighbor, who also owns chickens, got a cat last spring. He is the darling of the neighborhood. He plays with all the dogs that are walking. He's very friendly, but he has taken to coming to my yard. I adore the neighbors. I've had her come over to get the cat out of my yard a couple of times. They keep their chickens locked up in the coop and run all the time. My chickens free range during the day. The cat was coming into the yard to stalk my rabbits, but I've recently re-homed them. Now the cat just likes to come running into the yard when I put the chickens up in the early evening. My neighbor is convinced the cat would never hurt the chickens although they won't let the cat run around in their chicken coop and run.

So... what do I do? I've called the city and they say that electric fences are not allowed in city limits. The cat meanders around. He's pulled a rat out of my garage (for which I am grateful). The cat doesn't really go near the chickens. Tonight he was laying on my deck. The last one inside was a silkie rooster who is about five months of age. He usually is on guard with my polish rooster. They walk along the perimeter while outside.. the silkie just follows behind as if he is second in charge. Tonight, the polish had already gone in for the night. This little silkie.. I think he's trying to learn to be the tough rooster. He just charged the cat screaming 'BAWK BAWK' as if to alert any other chicken around. The cat continued to lay on the deck, but did begin to wag his tail as if he was ready if there was a fight. Luckily, I was able to grab the silkie and take him inside. I petted the rooster to let the cat know that this is a pet. I did not scold him for he was just doing what a rooster does.

I'd hate to keep my chickens locked up inside the coop/run all day inside my huge backyard with a 6 foot cedar wooden fence going all the way around because my neighbor can't lock up their cat.

I must stress that the neighbors are very very nice people. Retired folks who have offered to help with the chickens when I go out of town. I do not want to put any strain on the relationship.. I just don't know what to do.

Are cats predators for little bantams and silkies? I think he's more interested in the rats that I have collected this summer. Two days ago, though, I caught a calico cat in my yard.. this was earlier than I usually let the chickens out. I took a picture of the cat, but I have no idea where that one came from. Maybe free range is just a dream?

 

[Jesusfreak101]

I have cats that protect the flock so if he isnt attacking i think you should be ok however if you have other cat coming around that might be a problem. You could put auto matic sprayers along your fence and other such thing

 

[Jesusfreak101]

But let me say this what my cats protect my flock from our feral/dtray cats as they were attacking and taking my full grown hens (leghorns) we lost two hens and almost lost two others that my husband and i chased the cat down and got our hens back they took them with us outside with the hens no more the five feet from them. So yeah if the neighbors cat isnt attacking just watching he chickens its a good bet he might be protecting them from others. However i cant say that only you can tell what his plans are. I just found it interesting that the other cat came around when i suppose the other one was not there.