Will barn cats harm mallard/khaki ducks?

[ChickenMom04]

We have 2 ducks, one mallard drake and one khaki hen. We also recently got 2 barn cats, but they are still semi-kittens, more “teens”. Our duck enclosure is fenced in so when we first got our cats they were too small and too uninterested to climb the fence and bug the ducks. As they got older and started being more outgoing, they started to kill things like mice, rats, small snakes, and insects. They’re pretty tame as far as wanting to be around us, so I’m wondering if they’ll be okay around our ducks or chickens when they free range. When they aren’t free ranging, the chicken pen is predator proof but the duck pen is still open enough that they could get in. Today they scaled the fence with the intention to only sit at the tippy top of the fence post. They ventured a bit further near the ducks but our hen chased them whenever they got too close. So far it seems like they don’t have the intention of making our ducks their meal, but I’m afraid that when our male cat gets bigger he may change his mind. Any advice?

 

[JaeG]

It would be unusual for cats to attack a bird as large as a chicken or duck, especially if said birds had taught them to keep their distance from a young age. An adult cat who hadn't been around larger birds before might try their luck, but I doubt yours will, especially if other prey is plentiful. It will be something to keep an eye on, but I don't see there being any serious issues in the future.