That was not a chicken...

[gritsar]

Cats don't have shoulder blades and their collar bones aren't connected to other bones in their bodies:

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/strange-facts-about-cats.html

They can squeeze into some seemingly impossible places.

 

[abhaya]

I would keep the cat as long as she is chicken friendly. She may help with other predators. (mice raqts ect) I would double check the run tho to see how she got in because if she can so can a small predators that will kill your gals.

Here is a pic of one of my very chicken friendly strays. She was also sitting in one of the nest boxes on an egg yesterday. I think she is a bit confused.

 

[kitkatnoah]

I love that picture, Abhaya! I recently got two kittens & daily I put them outside when my flock is free ranging. My chickens are very curious about the kittens & will come up to the patio to inspect them

I'm training the kittens to not harm the chickens, for when they are old enough to be outside permanently, I want them to catch the rats & mice that come into our yard from the field behind our house. My dog likes to stay outside and guard the chickens when they're free ranging and on top of that, the kittens will watch him interact with the chickens, setting a good example.

 

[Judy]

Abhaya, I just made your pic my desktop, hope you don't mind. Great pic.

OP, my first thought was, if a cat can get in, so can a weasel.

 

[fishnet1971]

abh, i saw that photo yesterday in the 'for sale' stuff. I had to laugh. I was looking for a cat 'cause i lost my little girl of 19 years last week. that photo made my day.

 

[bobbi-j]

Love the pic! I wasn't planning on not keeping her. Just more befuddled as to how she got in. I did look around and didn't find any gaps in the fencing, but am going to REALLY look today. I'm still thinking she got through the wire. She was in the coop because the pop door was open. When it's closed up at night, it's tight and hopefully weasel-proof. Although they don't need much of a space at all to get in. I know that a weasel and possibly a mink can get into the run, but it's what I could afford. Like I said, hopefully they can't get into the coop when it's locked up at night. In the spring, summer and fall, the girls free range so the fencing around the run doesn't really matter anyway.

In all my years of having chickens, I've only had mink or weasel problems a couple of times. I've had more problems with coons, coyotes, and my own dogs (not the dog we have now). I'm pretty sure the run is secure against all of those.

 

[garp94]

Quote:
Cats actually DO have scapulae [shoulder blades]. do a google image search on cat skeleton [among other options]

 

[bobbi-j]

Scapulas or no scapulas, they are definitely agile!

 

[TennesseeTruly]

That's actually how we got our kitten Meez, who is now 8 months old. We found her inside our EE coops sleeping in the nest box. She was about 3 weeks old, no mother cat around.

Laurie

 

[wyoDreamer]

When we lived in the modular home in WI, my kitten would squeeze under the bedroom door to sleep with me at night. It drove my husband mad. He didn't want the cats on the bed.
The bottom of the door had about 1 1/2" gap (for cold air return for the heating system we think). She could fit under the door until almost a year old. I watched her do it and really, she would "ooze" under the door. Flat like a pancake. It was kinda freaky to see.

The tubby cat can barely jump onto the back of the couch now.