Stupid neighbor's cat...

[Tiranni]

My beautiful 3 month old barred rock rooster was eaten by our neighbors cat. I caught the darn feline in the act. He broke through the avian netting on the top of our run. Now it's time to hardware cloth our chicken run's top and figure out how to keep the cat away.

 

[Kayla's Lunch]

Oh my goodness! I am so sorry. Did you talk to them about it? What are your laws in your area about people keeping their pets on their own property?

 

[Aunt Angus]

No no no!!!! Oh, that is do sad and frustrating, too! You took good care to protect your birds and a stupid cat ruined it. I am so sorry!!!

 

[Tiranni]

Oh my goodness! I am so sorry. Did you talk to them about it? What are your laws in your area about people keeping their pets on their own property?

I'm not sure, as we are still pretty new here. We wanted to run over and talk to the neighbors, but being in farmland here... There are farm cats all over the place. If theirs didn't do it, someone else's would. It's a good reminder how important it is to have a super secure run. We are heartbroken though, as he was the sweetest guy. He was always the first out to say "hi". He followed me around in the coop and run.

I'm considering talking to our animal control and see what they recommend.

 

[Aunt Angus]

It's always the best ones...

 

[muddy75]

My beautiful 3 month old barred rock rooster was eaten by our neighbors cat. I caught the darn feline in the act. He broke through the avian netting on the top of our run. Now it's time to hardware cloth our chicken run's top and figure out how to keep the cat away.
View attachment 1944741

we ran a 2-wire electric fence system on top perimeter of our aviary to protect from any predators trying to gain access through netting. we also changed to heavy duty netting that barely cuts with scissors/knife.

 

[BaaKaaawk]

I wonder what makes these cats like that. I have 4 barn cats and 3 of them pay my chickens no mind. One of them actually hangs out in the run with them.

 

[Folly's place]

How awful! Chicks are vulnerable, because they are small, and this cat is a serious predator, and your birds didn't have a tough broody hen to defend them.
Definitely reinforce your coop and run! Most of use have learned the hard way that building 'Ft. Knox' is best, and it all gets improved after every disaster.
I would talk to the neighbor, if you can. This may go well, or not.
Photos help, although it's too late now for this episode.
The only good news here is that only one bird was killed, not everyone. A weasel could have entered the same way, and killed everyone in a short time. Now this access point will be fixed before worse happens.
If one of my animals causes harm, I would pay for it. that's the responsible (and legal) thing to do. It wouldn't replace your loved cockerel, but still would help.
Electric poultry netting, or electric fencing with wires close together would repel this cat, and other land predators.
There's the 'trap and shoot' method, or trap and take to Animal Control.
Mary

 

[trumpeting_angel]

I see your point about barn cats in a farm area, though. Barn cats are there (in the barns) because they’re predators. they keep the mice from eating all the grain. Since there are so many of these cars around, the only solution is Fort Knox, as Mary mentioned.
So sorry for your loss!

 

[Folly's place]

Most (many) cats won't bother larger chickens, but likely any cat will think that unprotected chicks are fair game. The issue would be about how big the chicks need to be before any particular cat ceases to consider them prey. This depends on the cat and it's previous experiences with chickens, it's prey drive, and maybe how well fed it is.
I do hope that you can work this out peacefully, saving your birds, and co-exisiting with at least some of the neighborhood cats.
I'm totally not a fan of having feral cats around, or feral dogs. I will trap and rehome, or take to AC, or test, vaccinate, and keep any that turn up here.
Mary