Why are my cats afraid of baby chickies?

[farmerlor]

Really? My cats love to kill off all the birds who ever come into the area. All spring they're running around with dead sparrows, dead bluebirds and even the occasional dead robin but they see the tiny day old baby chicks, ducks or turkeys and run like they were just sprayed by a skunk. They can't possibly be smart enough to know that the baby chickies are mine and therefore not food so why are they so afraid? Are they just supremely stupid or amazingly smart?

 

[aidenbaby]

I'm not sure but in the case of my cats it's because they are afraid of the dog. Well, not really afraid but they don't want to be bothered by him. If he sees any of them crouching and starting to do their prey sneak, he's on them like white on rice. He loves to chase them and when he catches them, he... GROOMS them. That's right. Grooms them. They hate it because he always messes up their fur and you know that takes hours getting just right. He reacts the same way if they get caught scratching the sofa. We taught him to be the cat police. He loves the chicks too. He is learning to herd them into the coop from the run at the moment (only under VERY strict monitoring; he is being taught use his nose to direct them to the coop).

 

[nerfy]

You would be amazed on how smart cats really are, but I sure as heck would not leave them unattended with them.

 

[chickenannie]

Maybe they learned that mama has a sharp beak. Even my barn cats stay away from those chicks (though they occassionaly cast a hungry look over at them).

 

[Skyesrocket]

I was going to say the same thing as chickenannie. Maybe the cats have had past experiences with a mother hen. Do you have a hen with the chicks now? They can be very protective.
I would still protect the chicks from the cats just in case.

 

[farmerlor]

No, the chicks are in a rubbermaid tub in my bathtub. The cat will follow me in when I go to the bathroom because of course between cats and kids it's impossible to "go" by myself. And he'll sit on the tub ledge and stare at the chicks until they move or peep and then he's outta there like somebody shot him. He's never seen a baby chick with a momma hen so he has no way of knowing that the two are the same though he is quite afraid of the big chickens too. The other cat won't even go into the room where the baby chicks live.

 

[SproutGirl]

Ha ha. That's a good thing. You have smart cats. My cats are bored with our chicks. They occasionally will look in the brooder, but then they'll just rub their cheek on the box and walk away. Now the parakeets . . . look out 'cause they smell like lunch!

 

[rhondapiper]

I showed the chicks to all but one of my cats. Of the three that were allowed to see them, two were unimpressed, but one was absolutely terrified! He panicked and ran away, after making on of the funniest faces I have ever seen on a cat. The fourth doesn't get to see them until they are bigger than him because once he knows where they are, he'll make it his life's mission to kill them.

And the dog, well, the dog wants to eat them, badly. So she won't get any chicken interactions, ever.

 

[farmerlor]

We put one of the little, tiny baby call ducks ON TOP of the big black cat and he screamed like a little girl and ran away all puffed up. I don't get it. I'm glad, but I don't get it.

 

[okiron]

Quote:
Yes they can lol.