What's y'all's secret to keeping cats away?

[The Moonshiner]

 

[Kaykayvovo]

Cats rarely harm a full grown chicken, so the best way to discourage them is to let them catch one,
After the birds peck their heads a few times, and beat them with their wings, the cats will be happy to just watch

This is not true

 

[EmmaDonovan]

Ugh, this is a huge problem for us. Several neighbors have cats and they consider our front and back yard part of their territory. They can't get at our flock but they love to hang around and stalk and stare at the chickens.

The cats mark everywhere. I'm allergic - emergency room allergic, cats make my lungs stop working - and when I clean, or it rains, or we hose off the patios or car port or chicken pens, all those allergens aerosolize and I end up a big mess and can barely breathe for a few days.

I've never found an effective deterrent. Nature's Mace spray and pellets seem to help a little bit, but those are not cheap and you have to reapply it constantly and it smells like blood and cinnamon. The cats don't care about our dogs since the dogs don't spend a lot of time outdoors in the yard.

 

[The Moonshiner]

Ugh, this is a huge problem for us. Several neighbors have cats and they consider our front and back yard part of their territory. They can't get at our flock but they love to hang around and stalk and stare at the chickens.

The cats mark everywhere. I'm allergic - emergency room allergic, cats make my lungs stop working - and when I clean, or it rains, or we hose off the patios or car port or chicken pens, all those allergens aerosolize and I end up a big mess and can barely breathe for a few days.

I've never found an effective deterrent. Nature's Mace spray and pellets seem to help a little bit, but those are not cheap and you have to reapply it constantly and it smells like blood and cinnamon. The cats don't care about our dogs since the dogs don't spend a lot of time outdoors in the yard.

Tried bear spray?

 

[SkyAJK]

My dogs chases the cat away. It does not come over after a few times being chases off. I have 2 little dogs, it takes 2 little dogs to chase a cat away. One time I saw it jumped back down on the ground to fight with my 1 dog, but when it saw the 2nd dog running toward it, it ran off.

 

[Three Stents]

I would try a .22. My neighbors know if my chickens are endangered by their animals I won't hesitate to shoot them. I dont let my animals invade their property so tjey should do the same

I have a live trap. No matter what 4 legged animal is in the trap, gets transported

 

[McChooky]

Don't be disappointed if you don't get a response.This was originally posted in October of 2014

 

[PatriciafromCO]

paintball gun so your neighbor sees their cat is a target

 

[SourRoses]

A couple assertive chickens can do wonders.
When we first moved somewhere our chickens and pets shared the backyard, the cats and Jack Russell terriers were very interested. But we had a hen named Happy who stalked them back. One time Happy wanted to come up on the porch (we were more permissive then) and as she got to the top of the stairs, Frosty the cat who had been laying in the sun sat up and took a swipe at her. She launched at him pecking and as he turned to flee she pecked him in the back end until he flung himself off the porch. Ever after that he gave way to the chickens.

Some feral cats are more determined, but honestly the size of chickens is already a partial deterrent.
So you just need to add more negative stimulus. Such as a water hose. Not a nice thing but cats remember horrible water experiences. So do dogs to a lesser degree.

@EmmaDonovan there is a motion activated sprinkler jet, with a rotating 180 head, meant to deter predators and pests. I think it costs somewhere around $100, the only reason we don't have one.
But if you set that up covering the direction those cats usually come from, they will hate your yard. And it doesn't hurt them, just makes them miserable.
Alternatively, you could have a bunch of sprinklers on a timer to go off every 15 mins or so for the shortest time it will run, during the times of day / night they most like to visit. Wet feet and the possibility of getting sprayed will take the fun out of Chicken TV.