Predator? Pest! Chickens vs Cat *New Cat (??) Appeared*

[GiddyMoon]

Are you sure it is the cat getting into the garbage? By his posture he doesn't look like he is feeling confident enough to attack a big chicken..more like curiosity. And I would not be surprised if it is a raccoon or something else getting into the cans. I say this because we have always had wildlife around..and cats..and it is just never the cats getting into the cans..we always find out it was something else.

 

[speckledhen]

I've caught possums and coons in the garbage, but him, too. I think it's a tomcat, but not sure about that. We try not to let it pile up out of the can, but we have only one can and we have to take our garbage to town ourselves so we only go about once a month and try to burn most of it.

 

[mamabahre]

what a pretty kitty!
I'd take him if he was close to us, a handsome thing like that.

I would be really surprised if it was a cat tearing through your trash, they generally won't eat trash, especially when they are very proficient hunters (90% success rate)...They are carnivores and unless you are throwing away actual meat they aren't likely to be interested in what your trash is...
As far as baby chicks and that cat, yeah I can see that being a problem...
What a pretty kitty though

 

[schellie69]

I have seen cats make a real mess of trash, We have Ferrel cats that live in the sewers here they can and do cause problems. I have one cat that goes outside he keeps the stray cats away from our block which is nice. he does not mess with the chickens he tried when we got them a good pop on the back side a couple of times he learned now baby chicks we watch him like a hawk. Our cat did find out about a rooster when Leon (bantam Cochrin) went after the poor cat while he was sleeping on the grass he avoids the chickens and the rooster now. Cyn I hope you can get rid of this cat or at least teach him to leave your chickens and trash alone. I love the fact that the 3 hens were going to show that cat who was boss.

 

[speckledhen]

The time it was him was when I was incubating and threw away an egg with a dead chick in it--it was in a plastic ziplock, though, but he got the chick out and left the shell, plus made a huge mess in the process.

 

[mamabahre]

Quote:
oh yeah, I can see a cat going for that special treat!
It's funny of all the critters we've ever had in our trash (coons, possums, dogs, 1 skunk that nearly sprayed me in the face when I stuck my head close to the trash trying to figure out what the heck was in there and 1 very enterprising crow) a cat has never been an issue. I hadn't really thought about cats messing with trash at all. They are such clean animals who tend to be picky, although I guess feral cats can't be as choosy as my 2 fat mooches who sit on their bums all day.

 

[wren]

ooh yuck!

I think the pellet gun was a good idea! I wonder if you could sit out with a super soaker water gun with a little vinegar in it. My husband is deathly allergic to cats. It will be interesting to see what people come up with. At least he will be a good mouser hopefully.

If the cat is so hungry he has to go through the trash I wonder if he has claws?

 

[featherz]

Yah my cats never mess with the garbage either. If something else tipped it over, I could see them going through it, but otherwise they stay clear. We get a lot of stray cats on our property - not sure why. For a while I was positive people were dumping them! They have never ever bothered my chickens. My own outdoor barn cats will sit with the chickens - my little tuxedo DID try to stalk a leghorn once and she chased him around the yard.

That said, I think they'd eat three week old chicks if they could! I start letting my chicks outside at about eight weeks and so far no incidents.

 

[ranchhand]

We have to burn or haul trash to the dump also. And the possums will get into any bags left in the back of my truck for any amount of time. Our solution was to hang it on the porch! Not real attractive, but very effective!

I ran some screws in under the eaves. The nearest post support has a little bell mounted on it and when I hear the bell, I know a possum is trying to climb up. Then I go out and scare the behoozit out of it!

We did have a "wild" cat get in the trash several times, made a mess in the truck. He's snoozing on my desk right now....

Luckily, our house is pretty much invisible, so if you're close enough to see the porch, you're trespassing. The trash bag is the least of your worries then!

 

[nonsuch]

I would try to feed the poor cat, but away from the Chickens. The poor thing might be dumped and hungary

Lovely hens... and brave!