Stupid neighbor's cat...

[MROO]

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.

I am SO sorry! It's so hard to lose them, especially when we get so attached. As far as your neighbors go, it's hard being the new kid on the block and have to approach someone with an issue like that. I know exactly how that feels ... absolutely exactly. Way back when, I had to do the same thing when a neighbor's dog was caught red handed tearing my (sturdy!) rabbit hutches apart ... the very night we moved in. She got my favorite doe, who had three kits too small to hand rear, and another who was already pulling hair to kindle.
I think you've got the right attitude about it, though. It's time to reinforce the run, and maybe leave a little electric surprise around the sides. There's an old adage that rings very true:
A cat will sit on a hot stove once ... then never again on a cold one.
Make it unpleasant enough for Kitty, and he won't be back!

 

[Devastating kitty]

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.

And what did you do in return? Kill the cat to make you feel better do your neighbors would also be heart broken? If you allow your birds to roam around and not cooped up you have to except the cats to kill the chickens.
Before killing their cat one would think about walking over there and telling them that you do not keep your chickens locked up and you let them run around your yard and you are upset how their cat comes to your property as if the cats know that's not allowed and how the cat is chasing your birds. I would keep my chickens cooped up if I wanted to keep them.
But killing a cat for killing your chicken when it was your fault as well as you know that was your fault but you rather put the blame onto their cat for your laziness.
Another thing you know as well as everyone else is cats are hunters and they hunt and kill birds what made you think your chicken was any different?

 

[Tiranni]

And what did you do in return? Kill the cat to make you feel better do your neighbors would also be heart broken? If you allow your birds to roam around and not cooped up you have to except the cats to kill the chickens.
Before killing their cat one would think about walking over there and telling them that you do not keep your chickens locked up and you let them run around your yard and you are upset how their cat comes to your property as if the cats know that's not allowed and how the cat is chasing your birds. I would keep my chickens cooped up if I wanted to keep them.
But killing a cat for killing your chicken when it was your fault as well as you know that was your fault but you rather put the blame onto their cat for your laziness.
Another thing you know as well as everyone else is cats are hunters and they hunt and kill birds what made you think your chicken was any different?

My chickens are not free range. The cat broke through the netting in their run, which has been remedied... No laziness here thank you.

 

[The Moonshiner]

And what did you do in return? Kill the cat to make you feel better do your neighbors would also be heart broken? If you allow your birds to roam around and not cooped up you have to except the cats to kill the chickens.
Before killing their cat one would think about walking over there and telling them that you do not keep your chickens locked up and you let them run around your yard and you are upset how their cat comes to your property as if the cats know that's not allowed and how the cat is chasing your birds. I would keep my chickens cooped up if I wanted to keep them.
But killing a cat for killing your chicken when it was your fault as well as you know that was your fault but you rather put the blame onto their cat for your laziness.
Another thing you know as well as everyone else is cats are hunters and they hunt and kill birds what made you think your chicken was any different?

Did you read the OPs posts or just stop by to get on a kitty crusade?
It's clearly posted that they were penned and didn't see no where of mentioning killing the cat.
I'll play....
I free range and don't care how much of a hunter cats are.
They can hunt elsewhere.
One comes on my property and hunts chickens I'll be glad to show off my hunting skills towards them.
People need to keep their cats at home or they take the chance they won't be coming home.

 

[Tiranni]

Did you read the OPs posts or just stop by to get on a kitty crusade?
It's clearly posted that they were penned and didn't see no where of mentioning killing the cat.
I'll play....
I free range and don't care how much of a hunter cats are.
They can hunt elsewhere.
One comes on my property and hunts chickens I'll be glad to show off my hunting skills towards them.
People need to keep their cats at home or they take the chance they won't be coming home.

Agreed. I love cats, but if a neighbor's cat is killing my pets and or livestock, they need to be taken care of. That doesn't always involve killing. We have 4 barn cats and they were raised with the chickens, so our cats ignore them. I caught the neighbor's cat in the act, and he has been scared off the property. He's not dead. When he comes back to test us, our German shepherd is sicced on him. Mind you she doesn't kill the cat, but scares the bejeebers out of him.

 

[Mayakovsky]

And what did you do in return? Kill the cat to make you feel better do your neighbors would also be heart broken? If you allow your birds to roam around and not cooped up you have to except the cats to kill the chickens.
Before killing their cat one would think about walking over there and telling them that you do not keep your chickens locked up and you let them run around your yard and you are upset how their cat comes to your property as if the cats know that's not allowed and how the cat is chasing your birds. I would keep my chickens cooped up if I wanted to keep them.
But killing a cat for killing your chicken when it was your fault as well as you know that was your fault but you rather put the blame onto their cat for your laziness.
Another thing you know as well as everyone else is cats are hunters and they hunt and kill birds what made you think your chicken was any different?

Dude....please tone it down a bit....you are all over this poor person who lost a chicken to a predator....we can see from your response that you are a passionate cat lover - and we take no objection....but please stop jumping to conclusions and blaming the owner of the chickens.....this just doesn't display the respect that all are afforded on this forum, yourself included.....

 

[HomesteaderWife]

First off, I am so sorry to hear of your loss. What a handsome little fella- my heart goes out to you.

So, I know every region has different laws. But in working at animal shelters here, usually there is no "leash law" on cats so the animal control officers could not cite an owner for a loose feline. Because of this, people would trap the cats and just take them to the shelter and surrender as a stray (or...dispatch, but I'm not promoting that). Another issue I learned about particularly with feral cats, is that if one main cat is removed, another one steps up to claim territory essentially. So removal could possibly not solve it. Talk to animal control, talk to owners if you need/want, but for right now you have a good game plan of reinforcing that pen to the best of your ability. Highly recommend getting yourself a game camera, because if there's a chance you can do something lawfully about it- you have proof the cats are coming onto your property looking for birds. I hope this helps somewhat?

 

[BDutch]

Sorry for your loss Tiranni.

My experience with cats is that they only hunt chicks for real. I have very small chickens (Dutch bantams) and our neighbor cats never hurt the chickens. The cats are hunters and do catch mice, frogs and birds. Must say that the cats do get a proper meal once a day. Real wild cats is another thing of course.

My chickens are closed into the run when nobody is at home. I don't have hardware cloth on top of the run but netting. One part with netting used for prey birds and another part for cats.

I have the prey bird netting 4,5 years and the cat netting 2,5 years. They do their job great until now. Except on a lower part where rats could bite through the pray bird netting.

When free ranging, the cats and chickens often share our garden. Sometimes one of the cats scare the chickens. Alarm sounds for a moment and after a few seconds the chickens go back to normal scratching behavior.

 

[RoosterML]

And what did you do in return? Kill the cat to make you feel better do your neighbors would also be heart broken? If you allow your birds to roam around and not cooped up you have to except the cats to kill the chickens.
Before killing their cat one would think about walking over there and telling them that you do not keep your chickens locked up and you let them run around your yard and you are upset how their cat comes to your property as if the cats know that's not allowed and how the cat is chasing your birds. I would keep my chickens cooped up if I wanted to keep them.
But killing a cat for killing your chicken when it was your fault as well as you know that was your fault but you rather put the blame onto their cat for your laziness.
Another thing you know as well as everyone else is cats are hunters and they hunt and kill birds what made you think your chicken was any different?

Where is the world did you see her say she killed the cat......FYI I know I would have. I love me some good Chinese food anyways.