Stray cat...?

[Brady bunch]

I wish the local cats were nice like that but I've seen the local strays chasing my chickens and chicks before. :T So stray cats are not great here.

We live very much in the country with lots of forests in our backyard. We mostly have other critters.

 

[Anime2lover]

We live very much in the country with lots of forests in our backyard. We mostly have other critters.

Same here. We've got one older shecat, her three adult kittens, her mate, and one fat cat that wonders around.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Yeah, we're in a suburb so cats are a consistent experience and I have actively seen them spooking adult hens (never hurting them, just moving through their space, stand-off, etc) and chasing chicks, trying to carry them off, etc. Mind you, we have plenty of other things but the cats are a problem too.

 

[StaffordshireLady]

We adopted a feral kitten that my Grand daughter found under a hedge. There were several but she only caught one (thank goodness) We had it neutered and it is fully grown now but still remains half feral living in and out of the house - having a cat shut up in the house is considered cruel in the UK. He has never botherd the chickens but can catch anything small. Maybe because small things run but the chickens do not.

 

[PioneerChicks]

If you rub your feet on the ground while the cat is watching, and maybe hiss a bit, the cat should back off and leave. Rubbing their hind legs on the ground is cat talk for "leave now, this is my territory".

Don’t get me wrong, I love cats. But I don’t like the idea of an animal that may belong to someone who just lets their pets go in others yards and not enough kindness to care where there pet is.

We fix out cats and let them run around outside. The neighbors don't mind. Our cats aren't pampered house pets, they are tough outdoor cats who are very friendly and sweet. We let them go where they want, they own us, not the other way around.

The main reason why I am worried is because I saw the cat climbing up a tree in the back woods. If the cat can climb up a tree he could climb a tree near the run, an jump right over the gate/chicken wire. I don’t really want to put chicken wire all the way over the top.

Cats can climb and fit through almost anything. If it is wood, even strait up, they can do it. They easily climb the wood fence in our yard which is around 7 feet high.

 

[imnukensc]

Get your cats indoors where they belong.

My cat does not belong indoors. She comes and goes through the doggie door just like the dogs do. Plus, my cat craps outside. Win win situation for me and the cat.

 

[AllenK RGV]

There is a stray cat wondering around our street lately and he or she comes into our yard sometimes and then I chase it away. Should I be more careful about it or do something else? I am afraid that the cat will get into the coop or run when I am not there.
Any advice is appreciated!!!
Thanks in advance!

Our cat kills the rats, possums and probably raccoons. I would encourage it if it is big enough. It does leave our chicken alone.

 

[That_australian_lad]

Cats in my area harass but don't hurt my hens. But they will and have hurt chicks.

You might try to find out if the cat's owned and if nothing else if it's fixed. Even if it leaves your birds alone, its offspring might not.

x2 when my mums cats are not about

 

[Peepsi]

My cat does not belong indoors. She comes and goes through the doggie door just like the dogs do. Plus, my cat craps outside. Win win situation for me and the cat.

Do you feel any ounce of personal responsibility if your cat craps in MY yard? Obviously, that's theoretical, because I do not live anywhere close to you (thankfully), but seriously...do you not feel bad at all that your pet is leaving its filthy feces in someone else's yard to pick up? Yeah, it's a win for you, but it just shows how selfish this is to other people. I'd be mortified if any of my pets stepped foot on someone else's property (which they cannot do, because I won't allow them to).

 

[ChocolateMouse]

My neighbor has stray cats he feeds.
"His" cats didn't fare well for it. My husky killed one and he promptly found homes for the rest of the youngsters.

The mom still is around and keeps out of my lawn for the most part. But cats don't get usually the chance to poop in my lawn. When we got new neighbors on the other side recently we told them that if their cats were in the lawn when the dogs were out there was nothing I could do.
I'd rethink letting cats run loose unless I had a few hundred acres.