Neighbor's cat getting into chickens! Help!!

[nzpouter]

I tend to agree.  While I would never presume to say it won't ever happen, I've sure never seen it happen or lost a chicken to a cat.  Absolutely chicks and young birds are vulnerable of course.  Although my tiny little sebright puff's up her feathers and chases my cats out of the barn on occasion.  We have a lot of feral cats in our area and I've had some pretty big, nasty toms show up and slink around but they have no access to younger birds and they won't approach the adult standard size birds.  One of my own cats is a big male, (and yes he's neutered!) nearly 20 pounds and an extremely avid hunter.  He wants nothing to do with the chickens and stays out of their way, if they catch him in the pasture they run him off! 

we found the best (maybe worse depends how you look at it) is mum with kittens.

 

[chickenfu]

Whether or not a cat can kill a full grown chicken, they can still be pests. I have a large stray and feral population in my suburban neighborhood due to some nutters feeding the **** cats. They come in my yard, **** all over the place, dig up my garden and harrass my chickens. My run is not secure, my coop is. Without cats in the yard my chooks stay on their side of the fence and go on about their business quietly. When the cats come by there is all sorts of raucous mayhem. One of them scared one of my chooks over my 8 foot fence and it did come back a few days later but we thought we had lost her. So I don;t think cats are harmless and I certainly don't think they are beneficial. Just the noise they cause in my yard is a problem as I live in a very dense suburban neighborhood. Just because cats refuse to play by the same rules dogs do does not mean they shouldn't. It is flat out irresponsible to let any domestic pet roam unfettered. It shortens life for the cat, and for any wildlife they may run across. It makes other people responsible for cleaning up your cats crap. It pisses me off obviously. I like cats, but they belong indoors if they aren't way the hell out in the country keeping mice out of the barn.

I ordered a humane trap and plan to start trapping as I don;t think there is any point in trying to keep them out of the yard. I even have dogs (worthless ones obviously) The cats come in still. I will take them to animal control, where they will no doubt be put down as most are feral. However, if the cat was someone's pet I would do the same. Don't care enough to keep tabs on your pet? Not my problem. Your cat getting in my yard and causing trouble should also not be my problem.

 

[jak2002003]

Whether or not a cat can kill a full grown chicken, they can still be pests. I have a large stray and feral population in my suburban neighborhood due to some nutters feeding the **** cats. They come in my yard, **** all over the place, dig up my garden and harrass my chickens. My run is not secure, my coop is. Without cats in the yard my chooks stay on their side of the fence and go on about their business quietly. When the cats come by there is all sorts of raucous mayhem. One of them scared one of my chooks over my 8 foot fence and it did come back a few days later but we thought we had lost her. So I don;t think cats are harmless and I certainly don't think they are beneficial. Just the noise they cause in my yard is a problem as I live in a very dense suburban neighborhood. Just because cats refuse to play by the same rules dogs do does not mean they shouldn't. It is flat out irresponsible to let any domestic pet roam unfettered. It shortens life for the cat, and for any wildlife they may run across. It makes other people responsible for cleaning up your cats crap. It pisses me off obviously. I like cats, but they belong indoors if they aren't way the hell out in the country keeping mice out of the barn.

I ordered a humane trap and plan to start trapping as I don;t think there is any point in trying to keep them out of the yard. I even have dogs (worthless ones obviously) The cats come in still. I will take them to animal control, where they will no doubt be put down as most are feral. However, if the cat was someone's pet I would do the same. Don't care enough to keep tabs on your pet? Not my problem. Your cat getting in my yard and causing trouble should also not be my problem.

You are right. I really like cats - as pets, but I HATE the fact that people feel like they can let their cat do whatever it wants.

I my last home cats caused a lot of problems. They would rip open the rubbish bags, scattering rubbish all over my driveway, they would poop in the garden, which stinks and is nasty when I am planting.
They would also try to catch my pet doves, and they killed so many wild birds that were nesting in my garden. The would also fight each other and make a noise at night and wake me up.

There needs to be the same rules for cats as there are for dogs. If I let my dog go into my neighbour trash, kill their pet rabbits, poop in their garden etc, then I would be in real trouble.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

You are right.  I really like cats - as pets, but I HATE the fact that people feel like they can let their cat do whatever it wants. 

I my last home cats caused a lot of problems.  They would rip open the rubbish bags, scattering rubbish all over my driveway, they would poop in the garden, which stinks and is nasty when I am planting. 
They would also try to catch my pet doves, and they killed so many wild birds that were nesting in my garden.  The would also fight each other and make a noise at night and wake me up.

There needs to be the same rules for cats as there are for dogs. If I let my dog go into my neighbour trash, kill their pet rabbits, poop in their garden etc, then I would be in real trouble.

Ugh, yes. My neighbor has 10 cats she "rescued" from our local animal shelter. Most offices her cats are nice, friendly little critters. One in particular, however, makes me see red everytime I find it in my yard. And it has killed a few of my birds. Apparently its big fun for this cat to rush the fence and watch the birds scatter. Its even funnier when they fly into the side of the coop and break their necks. I caught this same cat in my run not long ago playing "tag" with my Silkies. He was chasing them around the run and when he caught them he would pull gobs of feathers. If I'd have caught him, I'd have rung his stupid neck. He also pees down the windshield of my car, poos in my flower beds, marks the side of my house, has cleaned out just about every fish in my koi pond (some I'd had for 7 years) and I can't even put my bird feeder out anymore to enjoy the wild birds bc he's right there waiting for them. My birds have a covered run now so he can't access them, but he still rushes the fence. My neighbors response to all of this! He's just being a cat. I think that's absolutely ridiculous. Letting cats roam is no different then letting a dog roam. They reek havoc on native bird populations and can destroy other peoples property not unlike a dog. Roaming cats get no sympathy from me- if one isn't concerned enough to keep their precious kitty at home, then they obviously don't care about all of the dangers that can befall it.
Nikki

 

[animals1981]

well the reason why i have the most capable hunting cat ive ever seen killing huge rats stoats


but when my oEGB would tell her to get lost boy did she ever lol



my cat was taught to hunt rats by her feral mother so thats why she can kill weasels/stoats/rats not many cats take such animals from what i know. THey just take smaller easier prey cause they dont know how to dispatch larger fiesty animals fast enough. It is a skill they need to be taught usually by their mother to make them good at it.

 

[sourland]

Ugh, yes. My neighbor has 10 cats she "rescued" from our local animal shelter. Most offices her cats are nice, friendly little critters. One in particular, however, makes me see red everytime I find it in my yard. And it has killed a few of my birds. Apparently its big fun for this cat to rush the fence and watch the birds scatter. Its even funnier when they fly into the side of the coop and break their necks. I caught this same cat in my run not long ago playing "tag" with my Silkies. He was chasing them around the run and when he caught them he would pull gobs of feathers. If I'd have caught him, I'd have rung his stupid neck. He also pees down the windshield of my car, poos in my flower beds, marks the side of my house, has cleaned out just about every fish in my koi pond (some I'd had for 7 years) and I can't even put my bird feeder out anymore to enjoy the wild birds bc he's right there waiting for them. My birds have a covered run now so he can't access them, but he still rushes the fence. My neighbors response to all of this! He's just being a cat. I think that's absolutely ridiculous. Letting cats roam is no different then letting a dog roam. They reek havoc on native bird populations and can destroy other peoples property not unlike a dog. Roaming cats get no sympathy from me- if one isn't concerned enough to keep their precious kitty at home, then they obviously don't care about all of the dangers that can befall it.

Nikki

Around here, that cat would have to disappear. You are a very tolerant person.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Around here, that cat would have to disappear.  You are a very tolerant person.

I'm not THAT tolerant, I'm certainly working on making him disappear. There's a nice can of tuna in my have-a-heart trap as I type this. I keep catching her other cats (the ones that aren't a problem). He'll slip up eventually...

 

[dunnk]

I love animals (cats are not my fave) but in this instance I believe the best option is to shoot, shovel and shut up. Growing up there was a cat that terrorized everything in our neighborhood and the neighbor refused to do anything about it. Its your property, laws allow it and if you arent getting any results through polite channels of communication with your neighbor i would dispose of it humanely and move on. You are a farmer and you have to take charge of your farm. You owe it to the animals you own.

 

[galanie]

My neighbor has at least 10 cats. I finally started running them off when I see them because one stalks them and will pounce. It's doubtful it could kill any of the grown ones but I don't like that one bit. In spite of this love of all creatures, he has given me the go ahead to shoot any if I must. He understands. I really really don't want to do that though and won't until I see evidence that it's just gone way too far. I have my youngest in an electric fence so I know they aren't bothered.

It is highly unusual that a cat will attack a full grown chicken it's true, but some do. I don't doubt the stories of cats attacking chickens myself. But it is not the usual order of business for them, and a well fed one? VERY unusual. But that's not to say it can't happen at all. For every rule, there is the exception.

By the way, just for clarity:

I've been around cats all my life, and I'm close to 60. This one that does stalk the chickens is not a kitten, and is serious. I dont' trust it one bit.

I've never seen a cat kill a chicken. But I've never seen a dog kill one either. With my own two eyes. Seen plenty of evidence, even had some kill my own. But I wasn't personally viewing the carnage. I only showed up after it happened. I don't doubt a dog can, in spite of the fact that I haven't seen it with my own eyes, why should I doubt a cat might?

 

[nagolbud]

Too all the people saying a cat won't kill a chicken... you're living in delusion land. I've had cats kill everything from guineas, to chickens, to even a small goose at night. I saw it leave the crime scene each time. Different large cat. People feed them because they have the same delusional go green mentality.

To anyone with a cat problem.. SHOOT THEM. Dispose. and move on. It is the ONLY way to get rid of them. Especially when people are feeding them nearby. Only solution, trap and shoot. If you disagree. You shouldn't be in the farming business. Feral cats are no different than a coon or possum killing livestock. If you disagree, please list your address and phone number, I'll gladly start dropping off feral cats... usually about 10 a month. I am the Sheppard of my animals, if I do not protect them I am a very lousy Sheppard. Free range or not, doesnt matter. My critters are on my property and I will protect them. I repeat. SHOOT AND DISPOSE.