Will a cat hurt my chickens?

[EmtheFishLady]

The cat should be brought inside, and then the chicken issue is a non-issue. Outside cats are at great risk of disease, predation, and they do a decent amount of damage to native wildlife. Bring the cat in, get it vetted and tested for FIV/FELV, and have a wonderful snuggle buddy.

 

[B-Goock]

I had some mice issues in my coop before and put my cat in the coop. He'd been around them most of his life.

I had a little rat terrier that liked walking around the chickens and got her eye pecked. That would be a concern.

 

[EmtheFishLady]

Here’s a kitty update I named him Salem.

View attachment 2429811View attachment 2429812
I’ve witnessed one good sign already: there was a duck in my front yard about 10 feet away from him and he didn’t even give it the time of day. He barely glanced at it, much less attack it!

Lovely boy! I have a Salem also!

 

[bryan99705]

Not trying to be a smart___ but half the cat foods out there are chicken flavor. They are impossible to stop unless you do a full lock down of your chickens and they hunt night and day. Short of trapping, poisoning or shooting they can't be stopped and they are prolificate reproducers. Dogs help but are not really effective

 

[ladybrasa]

I’d keep cat and baby chickens separate, at least until they are adults. I’ve heard a determined hungry cat can kill an adult standard chicken, but I suspect it’s rare. Standards are as big as a cat and cats naturally go after, and are designed to go after small creatures like mice. Baby chickens though are little yummy nuggets that don’t fly very far, so err on the side of caution. That said, I’ve never had a cat get a chicken or chick. I even have a huge TNR’d boy now who doesn’t bother with the chickens. He doesn’t have access to the half-grown ones though! My suggestion is keep separate, bring the cat indoors (if you can), and monitor/introduce when the chickens are as big as the cat.

 

[mcdze]

ive free ranged for years and cats are pretty much all over the neighborhood, never been much of a problem but one, and that was a large outdoor cat that made his rounds for a long time .. occasionally i'll have a bird that will get broody and nest under some bushes somewhere .. over time i lost 2 birds and about the 3rd time it happened i figured out it was that cat getting them after dark .. it had an 'accident' ... no more problems since ..

 

[LanaNg]

Wow, he's a beautiful cat! Mind if I draw him?

Omg I would love that!! <3

 

[OmnipotentOrpington]

@LanaNg I finished!!

 

[LanaNg]

@LanaNg I finished!!View attachment 2430340

Wow thank you so much!! I love it! You’re very talented.

 

[OmnipotentOrpington]

Wow thank you so much!! I love it! You’re very talented.

Aw thank you!