Training cats to leave chickens alone

[peckpeckpeck]

My cat "Coop"er loves to hang with the girls. He even lays in the run with them while I'm doing chores. View attachment 1246337 View attachment 1246338 View attachment 1246340 View attachment 1246343 View attachment 1246345 View attachment 1246345

I don't mean to hijack but...
did someone lay an egg in your potted ivy?
Back on subject, i was wondering the same since we're thinking of getting a barn cat to deal with mice & rats.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Is there methods to teach young cats to leave chickens alone? I have 3 kittens who are recently moved outdoors, and the two males are very interested in my flock. They have chased my two bantams, and stalked the others... It seemed to help when I threw a bucket at one who was stalking the banty roo.

Having a bucket chunked at my noggin would likely keep me in check, at least as long as the bucket chunker was present. But the instant that you turn your back I think that it would be game on with your cats. Domestic cats, like lions, tigers, or grizzly bears are opportunistic predators, and all a cat needs is an opportunity to take a chicken. The chickens themselves are likely the best cat teachers. That is if the chickens are serious enough and large enough to get the job done without losing their heads in the process.
Good luck with your cat herding endeavor.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Having cats together with chickens introduces funny dynamics for me. One of my cats loves to poop in the chickens dirt baths (oh boy loose dirt!), and the chickens love to steal my other cat's caught mice when she plays with them.

 

[GldnValleyHens]

An orange Manx at that! Great color in that breed, always good cats. Stunning Aussie as well.

@GldnValleyHens I guess I'd be shocked if it didn't work out fine in the end. Are you going to get them fixed? I actually think it calms the boys down a bit. No impression on the females, they stay the same I think.

The males are definitely going to be fixed. The girl, maybe if the surgery isn't too expensive

 

[Ruralhideaway]

Makes males stay home too

 

[mothergoose]

We have both feral and friendly barn cats and one house cat. We do leave cat food out in the barn at all times and even the feral cats go in and eat cat food after we have left the building, so maybe that makes a difference. We have never had any trouble with our cats and chickens. We keep our chick brooders covered...no sense in unnecessary tempting. But our ducks and our guineas hatch their own babies and have free range of the farm with them and the cats never bother them...not even the feral cats. We hatch chicks in the house and start them inside before they go out to the brooders and our house cat loves to lay and watch them but never bothers them.

This is "Kitty" she loves watching over our chicks. They are a week old today.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

This is "Kitty" she loves watching over our chicks. They are a week old today.

Maybe she would like to invite them over for dinner?

 

[mothergoose]

Maybe she would like to invite them over for dinner?

She has been raised with chicks and has never even reached in to swat at them. She likes to watch them and will sleep next to them but never tests the boundaries. She is an awesome cat though. She never gets on the counters or kitchen table. I do not have to worry about leaving food out or anything. Our kids leave their plates with food on them on the floor and she won't go near it. She is just super. I know she is out of the norm and we are truly lucky to have her. She is also a fantastic mouser, we live on a farm and on occasion have a mouse in the house and she is all about catching the mice and is rewarded accordingly! We love our Kitty!

 

[Scratchychiken]

Many others have suggested getting the cats right up in the bird’s face (large fowl obviously) and usually the cat learns the hard way to stay away from the birds. Spray bottles work too. Usually however, cats are fearful of chickens because of their size and attitude compared to little birds (but most of you already knew that).

 

[Chickenlady802]

When I got my chicks in June, I introduced my 4yo cat to my chicks the day they came in the mail and supervised them together for the first few months. When the chicks were small I would put them outside in a dog crate so the cat could see & sniff them but not eat them.

The cat took down a hawk that tried to make off with one of my pullets in late summer and now he wanders through the chicken yard like he is one of the flock.

It just takes time and patience just like introducing other animals.