This isn't a silly question in the slightest. You've received some wonderful advice already, but I must give my two cents' worth. 
Cats are indeed born with a natural prey drive, and will pursue many small creatures, such as birds, mice, moles, ect.. Chickens don't normally activate this instinctive desire to hunt. Please keep in mind that the overwhelming majority of poultry is far too large to so much as be considered quarry. And if raised around cats, your birds are far less likely to fear them....thus further reducing chances of attack. Felines are taken aback by animals that look them in the eye.
"Stalking" isn't necessarily a problem. What most fail to consider is that this is not only hunting behavior, but also a form of play. Cats stalk each other quite often. Admittedly, poultry around here gets "stalked" on the regular, with no harmful results.
I brood bantam and standard chicks/ducks/poults in an enclosed room with my house cats, completely uncovered. *gasp!* No deaths, either. In fact, both kitties particularly love when bantam chicks fly out to explore - entertainment! The barn cats (most of which have been brutal murderers of songbirds 
) also are infatuated with our flock, often choosing to sleep in the coop at night. Ferals/strays/neighbors' pets never present issues.
Fun fact: I worry more about the chickens inflicting harm upon our poor, persecuted kitties. If only eye protection for cats existed!
~Alex
Cats are indeed born with a natural prey drive, and will pursue many small creatures, such as birds, mice, moles, ect.. Chickens don't normally activate this instinctive desire to hunt. Please keep in mind that the overwhelming majority of poultry is far too large to so much as be considered quarry. And if raised around cats, your birds are far less likely to fear them....thus further reducing chances of attack. Felines are taken aback by animals that look them in the eye.
"Stalking" isn't necessarily a problem. What most fail to consider is that this is not only hunting behavior, but also a form of play. Cats stalk each other quite often. Admittedly, poultry around here gets "stalked" on the regular, with no harmful results.
I brood bantam and standard chicks/ducks/poults in an enclosed room with my house cats, completely uncovered. *gasp!
* No deaths, either. In fact, both kitties particularly love when bantam chicks fly out to explore - entertainment! The barn cats (most of which have been brutal murderers of songbirds ) also are infatuated with our flock, often choosing to sleep in the coop at night. Ferals/strays/neighbors' pets never present issues.
Fun fact: I worry more about the chickens inflicting harm upon our poor, persecuted kitties. If only eye protection for cats existed!
~Alex
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