When will my chickens be safe around my cat?

[ChickeeNewbie]

I am always concerned about my cat getting my 4 hens when they free-range. I let the hens out every evening for about an hour and I just let them put themselves to bed at dusk. My cat is an older girl and is starting to show signs of slowing down, but she still brings me presents like mice, and birds, and lizards - the usual. I got the hens when they were full grown and the cat wasn't sure what to make of them - she didn't know whether to eat them or play with them. She would just lay in the tall grass and "watch" them intently. One time I caught her sneaking up ever so slowly on one of the banties and I called out her name in my mean mommy voice and she stopped in her tracks and went and laid back down in the grass. I think my cat got the hint that the chickens are friends and not food and that she should probably leave the chickens alone as to not upset Mommy, hehe. She is a good old girl

 

[19hhbelgian]

We have 2 outdoor cats... They sleep in our garage and go into our fenced yard all the time. They are always hunting and catching mice, rats, birds... Doo, my bigger male (both are fixed) will come into the yard when I'm working outside for attention. He gets nervous around my older chickens... If they come up to him, he completely freezes and won't move! I also have a few 1.5 month olds, and 4 that are 20 days... I absolutely would not let either of my cats near my babies... Too much like regular birds, and too easy to catch. So Sorry to hear about your baby! Once they get older, hopefully they will be alright with the cat!

 

[2DogsFarm]

My pullets are now 17wks old and until this morning I was careful to keep my barncat away from the coop & the chickens.
She is a mere 5#, but she is The Verminator around here - killing (and eating) rabbits nearly her size.

This morning when I let the girls out of the coop for their morning freerange, barncat showed up - took one look at the hens, did a doubletake and left for the barn.
Not even a hint of the before-pounce cat crouch.

I'll be monitoring her when they have a fenced yard, but for now I get the feeling she has marked them off her grocery list...

 

[mrbstephens]

Quote:
I have a rooster, but he's a dope. Actually he's very sweet, but that's the problem. He's not aggressive enough to protect the ladies.

 

[mrbstephens]

I locked my kitty in the house this afternoon and let the chickens free range for about an hour. I so enjoyed watching them pecking and eating in the garden. They looked so beautiful......I'd go so far to say "poetic." And HAPPY! I never saw them eat like that! My son said they were like little lawn mowers.