dottybetty Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 Hi, I had two chickens and last month they were attacked by a team of two cats. One of my chickens was killed and the other badly injured and had to be swiftly taken to the vets to be sown up. She has fully recovered now and got two new friends. I only discovered what was going on when I went down the garden to empty some stuff into the compost I have had chickens for four years and many cats have passed through the garden and if anything have been either afraid of the chickens or completely ignored them. When I was at home I used to let them out to roam around the garden. Now I feel like I have to keep them under close observation and subsequently they don't get out of their run as much now as these two cats are still around the area. I wondered if anybody had had a similar experience and if anybody had any suggestions what to do. I actually love cats and have my own cat, but now if I see any cats in the garden they are swiftly chased away by me or the children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 Welcome to the forum, DottyBetty . How awful that cats attacked your girls . I only have a dog, but always thought chickens would see a cat off quite easily . I suppose two cats, if aggressive, would be a match for any chicken though . Do you know whose cats they are? Not that they can do much, as cats roam free . They should have paid the vets fee at least . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiggy Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 need more chickens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 Welcome to the forum What a nasty experience. My hens send visiting cats packing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickvic Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 Hello and welcome to the forum. My chickens also see off any cats and ignore my 3 cats Sorry you had a horrid experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chillicat Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 My cats won't go near our chickens.........possibly because they are pensioner kitties Interesting that cats are brave enough to take on such large birds............they can't be domesticated or loved ???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falkor Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 I was going to recommend lion poo to deter the moggies but see that you have your own cat so not sure how that would work sorry. My three cats stay well clear of my three chickens! Even Molly, the grumpiest and fiercest cat you would ever want to meet takes the long way round the garden rather than venture near! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluekarin Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 I am very sorry to hear about that. I am so surprised a cat has done this. Was your chicken a full size one or a bantam? Our cats, after the initial curious batting, steer well clear of the chooks, and they get chased up the garden and have to escape by jumping up the fence. However, we did have a brave cat in the garden this week who was trying to get the chooks, and they did look a bit worried so I went out and chased the offender away. I was looking outside to see what the chickens were doing today. All three were on the steps looking through the fence to next doors garden. I was thinking "no, don't even think about hoping over there" when I noticed our ginger cats ears through the trellis. Poor Oliver was trying to find a way home, and the chickens wouldn't let him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAJ Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 I have many cats in the area that are no match for chickens, but we have two cats of our own - one is evil and I really wouldn't trust him with the chickens - in the past he has taken a chunk of feather and easily kills giant wood pigeons BUT he cannot get through the Omlet netting - he might sit outside it and hope they get close, but never in a year has he got in it. I think it is certainly worth a try - most people have no problems with cats, but there are exceptions to the rule. Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 cats roaming free is a big bug bear of mine but I won't get into that now! Sorry to hear what's happened to your girl I think, if you've got these killer cats on the prowl, the safest option would be to keep them in their run when you can't be with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathybc Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 so sorry to hear about your girls. What a horrible thing to happen. Like others on here, my cats (and big Henry-cat from around the corner) keep well out of their way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clueless chick Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 Our cat Molly has tried to get at our chickens. Launched herself at the netting at one point, now just waits by the side hoping for a close encounter. Whenever I am out with the girls she looks the other way as not interested, cats may be tame but most have a strong hunting instinct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
margotthechicken Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 Sorry to hear about you chooks. . I found my two tom cats asleep in the nestboxes the other day. My boys are intrigued by the hens, they walk around with them in the run, but when the girls were last let out 'free range' in the garden Basil, (pretty cat and the hunter of the two) did the crouching, wiggling his bum, ready to pounce thing. So, you never really know I suppose. We have a number of Pheasant that come into the garden, and the cats stay well away from them, but they are bigger than my young hens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ash Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 My 2 cats are scared stiff of the chickens but some random neighbour hood cat snuck in the run one night and killed one of my chickens. I removed it from my property with a swift right foot and I havent seen it since, although another neighbour with pidgeons has reported seeing it since I dropkicked it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bondinho Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 What do people do about keeping cats out of their garden? I've had another cat attack on Sunday morning and luckily I was there to chase it off before it drove my poland out of my garden to it's probable death. The only cats I seem to have trouble with all belong to this family of skanky, dirty muppets down the road who couldn't care less about anyone or anything. They actually own about 7 cats and they all go around sh*tting in other peoples gardens, climbing in through open windows etc. As you can tell I'm a big fan of cats strolling around to do whatever they want If I keep getting them in my garden then I really don't want to resort to my BB gun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlegg Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 Cats hate water you can try using a big water pistol at full pressure, won't hurt them but they really dont like it. I suppose we have to face facts cats are hunters. Our cat whose now nearly 18 and I'm sure has dementia, never ventures out now, but years ago had a campaign against 8 sparrows who used to line up on the hedge in the morning, everyday there was one less ( he was well fed at home) so I put a collar on him with a bell, and the sparrows were safe, he gave up trying and never bothered birds again. Luckily here we dont have foxes at all, so we only have seagulls who can dive bomb, and there is a large cat around here Maine Coon that comes throuigh the garden on a short cut, now we have a new gate so he'll have to make more effort to get in. Our chickens are new so they are in a run so havent let them out yet. I would try a high powered water gun kept well loaded and pumped up ready and then give it a good long fire when ever you see it. Lots of shouting, stamping and yelling too! good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cordelia Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 Our cats roam about quite happily....initially when our chickens were younger, (we got them aged 14 weeks)...they thought them terribly interesting, and often assumed crouching positions (the cats), to pounce on the chickens... but that lasted about a week.... the chickens then went to chase the cats whilst still in their run... now the chickens actively attack our cats on sight...so the poor things have to quickly escape to a fence, or are pursued across the lawn. ......even a poor hedgehog was marched out of the garden....a little faster than it had anticipated even visiting cats which our labrador has missed (chasing out of the garden), are given short shrift......so sorry you were so unlucky... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
