Neighbour's cat taunting my chickens

[kks-chick-chicks]

Hey yall, so I have bantams and they are separated into two yards. A rooster yard and a hen yard. My neighbour's cat killed one chick last year October then in December, one of my hens had 10 healthy chicks and 9 of them just disappeared in a matter of days, I saw the cat jumping in and out of the yards around the same time. She insists that cats are free animals and she cant do anything to keep the cat from killing my chickens. She wont budge on anything I say. My chickens are safe in my yard, not bothering anyone.... what do I do in this situation?

 

[DobieLover]

Hey yall, so I have bantams and they are separated into two yards. A rooster yard and a hen yard. My neighbour's cat killed one chick last year October then in December, one of my hens had 10 healthy chicks and 9 of them just disappeared in a matter of days, I saw the cat jumping in and out of the yards around the same time. She insists that cats are free animals and she cant do anything to keep the cat from killing my chickens. She wont budge on anything I say. My chickens are safe in my yard, not bothering anyone.... what do I do in this situation?

Welcome to BYC.
Call animal control. There is no leash law for cats but they are killing your livestock so I imagine that changes things.

 

[Hidrainja4]

well, well, well,
I cannot keep cats from bothering my chickens, except I have big chickens that aren't afraid on any old cat. I see two ways to go on this, 1. You could put a top fence over your chickens that would keep out the cat and hawks and owls and foxes. 2. You could set a have a hart trap and take the cats to the animal shelter . They are trespassing. That will cause big resentment in the neighborhood. Oh, a number three is get a guard dog. I suggest a miniature schnauzer raised with chickens they will guard them all day long and they love chasing cats, squirrels, rats ect. I would go with putting a top fence over them. More than just cats are after your chickens.

 

[kks-chick-chicks]

Welcome to BYC.
Call animal control. There is no leash law for cats but they are killing your livestock so I imagine that changes things.

Thank youu, I appreciate the quick answer and I am working on getting in touch with them.

 

[Isadora]

If it were me I would set a live trap and give it to an animal shelter. Unless she's going to be willing to keep it in the house, there's no way she can keep the cat out of your yard. But it is still her responsibility, not yours. Sorry you're dealing with this.
In the meantime, do you have a safe place to keep up your chickens so the cat can't harm them?

 

[kks-chick-chicks]

well, well, well,
I cannot keep cats from bothering my chickens, except I have big chickens that aren't afraid on any old cat. I see two ways to go on this, 1. You could put a top fence over your chickens that would keep out the cat and hawks and owls and foxes. 2. You could set a have a hart trap and take the cats to the animal shelter . They are trespassing. That will cause big resentment in the neighborhood. Oh, a number three is get a guard dog. I suggest a miniature schnauzer raised with chickens they will guard them all day long and they love chasing cats, squirrels, rats ect. I would go with putting a top fence over them. More than just cats are after your chickens.

My my, thank you. I think I will put up a top fence after I move my chickens in all together. I assume that the cats aren't only after my chickens but rats too. Thankfully the rats dont bother my chickens, they just lure the cats even more. I am going to make a more secure place now definitely. And as for the dog, I have one but she is fenced off from my chickens even though she is alright with them.

 

[kks-chick-chicks]

If it were me I would set a live trap and give it to an animal shelter. Unless she's going to be willing to keep it in the house, there's no way she can keep the cat out of your yard. But it is still her responsibility, not yours. Sorry you're dealing with this.
In the meantime, do you have a safe place to keep up your chickens so the cat can't harm them?

Thank you, this clears up some stuff for me. I was feeling guilty for wanting to get rid of the cat. But some people can be so frustrating. But again thank you I will try to set one up.

 

[BDutch]

I have bantams and several neighbouring cats that trespass all the time. Some of them are killers. But not chicken killers. Some cats lure and the chickens get a bit alarmed by them. But not the way they react on seeing a dog. If they see a dog they panic. One chicken once was ‘attacked’ by a playful young dog, but rescued in time.

In the 8 years I have chickens I lost a few to predators. One by a buzzard (probably), one by a fox (certain). And a few chicks to a rat that chewed itself through the netting (certain).

The cats never really attacked my adult tiny chickens. Are you sure it was you’re neighbours cat that killed the adult chicken?

That questioned, I wouldn’t trust a cat with chicks. Chicks are a treat for cats and many more animals.
Imo chicks need to be locked in against all kind of predators. Cats, quit a number of birds of prey , rats, … I only let chicks free range under supervision where the broody and I am in control.

Btw. Here we have no law that says that cats are not allowed to trespass. And I don’t mind they do. Because I don’t have rodents because of them.

PS and I don’t want an argument with all my neighbours. They are the ones that look after our chickens when I’m on a vacation.

 

[Isadora]

Thank you, this clears up some stuff for me. I was feeling guilty for wanting to get rid of the cat. But some people can be so frustrating. But again thank you I will try to set one up.

Glad it was helpful.

 

[I_speak_the_truth]

I’ve always had a couple cats that live in my chicken coop, and more than a handful of Tom cats have come and gone, and none have ever bother a chicken, including hens with chicks. I’m not saying it doesn’t happen, but just make sure it’s really the cat before you go trapping and stealing someone’s pet. I’m saying this from a practical standpoint, not as an unreasonable animal lover. I’ve trapped and extinguished many cats, but I’m on a very rural farm which is much different than a neighborhood situation.