Stray cat mousing and hen safety

[Eglanterina]

Hi! I have an urban flock of hens (a mix of bantams and full-sized). Recently a small stray cat has been hanging around the hen’s run and my compost bins catching mice and generally chilling. It doesn’t seem interested in the hens. I’m willing to let it hang around to keep the mouse population down but I’m not sure I can trust it. Was curious to hear about your experiences with this type of situation.

 

[Roosterinthecity]

I have the exact same thing. Well, a mice once in a while. Cat looks like he’s about to pounce on the chickens on a few occasions, but I have seen chickens go after cats. I’d be concerned with hatchling/chicks.
Bantams….hummmm(?)

 

[FrostRanger]

I had to fish my cat Phoenix out of the run earlier....
Everyone was fine, if anything I was more worried about Phoenix as one of my hens Ginkgo sometimes chases cats

You should be fine, cats usually only ever go after chicks, not adult sized birds, granted, there are exceptions, but my experience with the various stray and feral population including my own cats, (1 of my cats is a former stray and Phoenix and his brother are exferals) is that they tend to be afraid of the chickens rather than the other way around. It doesn't sound like the cat hanging around your place is going to be problematic so I'd let them be

 

[Al Gerhart]

Adult hens should be fine, a rooster would be handy for making sure if you can keep one. Just don't feed the cat unless you just feed it in the morning. The mice are most likely to be active at night so you want that kitty hungry and earning its keep.

 

[sourland]

14 years ago a starving feral cat showed up under my pigeon lofts. I was unable to trap and euthanize her so, of course, I had to feed her. There are no longer any mice in my flower beds or around my dog pens. The lofts are now gone. I feed her twice a day, and routinely she deposits a mouse either by the deck door or by my truck door as appreciation. Scaredy Cat is worth her weight in gold, but the behavior of feral cats must be monitored before they can be trusted. I know she could not be trusted around chicks.

 

[Amer]

Yes, fully grown grown hens are far too intimidating for a cat to stalk.
Chicks can only be trusted around some cats that have been conditioned not to bother them.

 

[StacyT]

I have around 15 feral cats on my property. At 1 point there were close to 30. I just give the cats 1 bowl of food a day and the rest of their meals they have to catch. I haven’t seen a mouse in years. I have a handful of hens/roos that will chase the cats. Even my smallest Sebright runs the cats off. For the most part the cats/chickens are like 1 big flock. I’ve never had an issue with cats going after a chicken. Chicks I keep in an enclosed run until they’re big enough I don’t worry about the cats getting them.

 

[Seaslug]

I have hesitated to mention this, because I am not certain where I read it, but there was a scientific study of feral cats and they found that most tended to either hunt small mammals or songbirds, but very few chose to hunt both. Don't know if that is a factor with the experiences mentioned above or not.
I did foster a kitten once who was very interested in grown chickens, but I don't think the chickens were too worried.

 

[Amer]

I have hesitated to mention this, because I am not certain where I read it, but there was a scientific study of feral cats and they found that most tended to either hunt small mammals or songbirds, but very few chose to hunt both. Don't know if that is a factor with the experiences mentioned above or not.
I did foster a kitten once who was very interested in grown chickens, but I don't think the chickens were too worried.

I can't see how that's true.
My cats are opportunistic and will hunt whatever they can.

 

[ChookaPete]

Over the past week a stray cat (tan and black longitudinal stripes, very fluffy coat) has been spooking my chickens. One night I even found her in their shed where they sleep - they were terrified!

Meanwhile a neighbourhood black cat who used to live across the road, occasionally visits. She does her skedaddle loop around the house but doesn't bother the chooks at all. In fact I've seen her do her loop and the chickens are close by without a worry at all.

Earlier today I set up a cat trap to catch the stray - but instead the nice black cat got caught instead!

Unfortunately I don't know where her owners moved to, and she seems to have lost her collar. I guess she has a tattoo in her ear or is microchipped. I tried taking her to the council animal ranger but they did not want to help after hours, which I am not happy about at all.

I set up a motion sensor alarm at the closed entrance to the chook shed. It went off a few times already, but I haven't been able to spot that cat tonight yet. Hopefully I will tomorrow.