Auto door randomly closing during the day

[not enough chickens]

i have a new unwanted visitor to my garden in the form of a cat

hes not shy as he trys to get to my chickens during the day even when im outside yards away , he comes at night to but im not so bothered about this as all my chickens are shut in for bed, i live in the middle of nowhere and no near by neighbours have cats so i can only assume its a stray .i worry that during the day if my back is turned the dam thing will get in my run and kill everybody , ive chased him off several times but he isnt bothered by me, any tips for getting rid of the "Ooops, word censored!" would be much appreciated

Edited November 15, 2011 by Guest

[The Dogmother]

I wouldn't worry too much, most cats with any sense are terrified of chickens - my two hunters certainly are.

[Chicken shack]

Poor kitty cat He/she has probably been dumped and is very hungry. I have two cats and goodness knows how many visit our garden constantly. I would not worry at all, however if he is hungry I would feed him and gain his trust and if you dont want a cat take it to a rescue centre. My girls free range with the cats all day. Please help the poor thing.

[vickichicky]

Like the others above I wouln't worry too much. My 2 cats are huge Norwegian Forest cats and run when ever my girls go towards them. Especially as one hen once removed a beak full of fur!....

If it is coming at night it's more likely after the mice or rats that are attracted by the chicken food. Mine are on mouse patrol once it's dark - although now they are 17 years old they are slowing down a bit (try telling that to the poor rabbit TC caught last week though)

[not enough chickens]

thanks for your comments, i did wonder weather i should befriend him or if i could make things worse by attracting him, my theory is tho if i feed him he wont be hungary enough to wana eat my girls ...........

[foulbird]

I wouldn't worry too much. My three fought off a fox...

Dogs are a worry but not cats.

[memphisto]

My two are scared stiff of my girls!

 

My cats just came face to face with Dilys as he came round the house, he ran like no tomorrow to the end of the garden!

[reneepren]

A feral cat recently adopted me and my flock despite my giant German Shepherd's ire.

 

At first she hung out behind the run and spied on me and the girls, yowling a lot. I started feeding her on top of the 7 foot block wall and then on top of the secondary coop. I put an old dog igloo up there and bought her a heated cat cushion and posh cat bed for inside the igloo. She is lovely, black and white. I named her Zorina. She sits in my lap and follows me like a dog when I work in the garden.

 

I took her for shots and neutering and it turned out she had already been neutered, so I think she was abandoned. I don't let her in the house due to Hank, my dog. But I have never been a cat person and she trained me well!

 

She and the girls wander together, and occasionally she goes into the run but not the cube! I don't let Hank out when the girls free range and during those times she surveys her domain from her heated cat mat. She is even starting to stay up there when I put the girls in the run and let Hank out! I am hoping she will nab any rodents attracted to the area.

 

Renee

[emmastar]

Same as the others my cats will sit in the garden with the girls but as soon as they get to close the cats run off .See her/him as a good thing a bit of food for some pest control .

[The Warrens]

wouldnt worry to much

 

i have a collie x and my chickens wear the trousers lol - they forever chase her, poor dog, shes scared of them

 

they run at her and do some kind of karate stance lol its funny to watch

[NouveauChick]

I agree with all other comments, I think cats are far more intimidated by chickens than vice-versa. After all a chicken is quite a large bird compared to ones a cat usually comes into contact with. My brother told me that he'd seen a chicken peck a cat's eye out on a farm he was working at! How horrible, suppose most cats are enough sense to stay away!

 

I's definitely be-friend the cat, and offer some food and shelter

[ohcarolina]

I agree. Over the years I've been converted to cats (work F/T so can't have a dog). My Maddie fell asleep the other night 'cuddling' my hand with her front paws and only yesterday Kitty brought me a dead mouse . Milly helps me with the chooks every day.

 

However, all three will walk among the girls but leave a wide enough berth so that if one goes to peck them they can get away - most of the time

[coco]

My two cats are terrified off my big girls ans will sunbathe with the little girls (all very small bantams, one is about the size of a blackbird}. The neighbourhood cats don't bother with any of the girls either.

[not enough chickens]

glad to hear all your good stories about cats and chickens cohabiting, was a bit worried with mine being in betweeny (in between bantam and large ) size silkies hes come back a few times and ive tryed t be friendly we shall see what happenms

[klmpink]

I would proceed with caution.

 

We have a lot of cats around us who pop in and out of the garden while our girls are free ranging. I initially scared them off as I didnt want anything happening to the girls. But over time one in particular would watch the girls but do nothing more.

 

Earlier this week my boyfriend was working from home, so the girls were free ranging. Ethel was in the Eglu laying her egg and Gertie (our shy smaller hen) was out in the garden. Out of nowhere this cat ran at her and chased her up and down the garden several times before my boyfriend ran out and scared it off. Although Gertie didnt have any injuries there were feathers everywhere!

 

I'm sure it was an opportunistic attempt on the Cats part as Gertie was on her own but we are far more cautious with the girls now, and they are sticking much closer to each other when they are out in the garden.

 

I would agree in general that Cat's are fine with hens, but I would be cautious if the Cat gets in a situation where there is one hen on their own!

[not enough chickens]

ahh very angry today

i tryed to befriend the cat and fed it in the hope that it would live my chickens alone , no such luck, i came home today at 4 oclock t see all my babys shut in, thought thats strange, then my neighbour came running out and told me the cat had jumped in my very tall very large run and had attacked ginger ( my favourite typically ) she said she managed to chase him off and round my chickens all up and put them to bed, and kept an eye, apparently 5 minuits later the cat was then back in the garden hanging around, really dont know what to do, i live in the middle of nowhere my neighbour is attached and the only neighbour for a fair distance, i no everyone else down the road and none have cats so it must be a stray , i bought some stuff called silent roar ( lions wee mud ) thats suposidly ment t detir cats, that hasnt worked and it dont care about us, what else can i do, as i no it wont give up till it gets one

[House MD 221B]

We have lots of cats around us and 90% of them are scared stiff of our girls. Pecan's got a talent for scaring off Mojo and Fudge our neighbours pair. But there's one VERY young all black kitty that really wants to play / nibble, and it isn't afraid of me, it won't attack / hiss / scratch / bite at me, it's lovely and wants fuss, but if the girls are there, there's no taking it's attention off them. Once it even got by me and went for Pecan, but I managed to chase it out the garden before it could get to her. I don't encourage them, but on the whole I let them watch, because they're scared. but this all black cat is definitely an opportunist, and if I wasn't there, I'd have to hope that both girls were next to each other and fought back together.

 

a water spray with maybe a bit of citrus in it, but I don't like hurting animals, so make sure its very weak, because i hear cats don't like the smell or taste of citrus. But just be vigilant, and with enough shooing off it should get the idea. hopefully.

[vickichicky]

oh dear.

I would ring or email one of the Cats protection organisations or even the RSPCA. TheI know one of them will come & trap feral/stray cats and take them away. I knew someone who had that done for a feral that was hanging around their business premises.

Shame - Bad kitty

[not enough chickens]

well the dam thing has attempted 3 more times today eat my chickens, hes getting desperate !!

i chased him away spraying citrus water as i went, didnt bother him as he was back 5 mins later, i fell over nd cut my hand up preety bad, hmm bet he was aving a good old laugh at me, think i will have to ring the rspca as i dont see what options i have left ,poor thing has clearly been dumped as i caught him stealing bread for the wild birds of the bird table earlia so he must be starvin , all i can say is cat repellent clearly dont work

[docsquid]

Just one other thought...the cat is starving, that is clear. If you fed it, that may take its mind off the chickens. It is obviously desperate enough to risk injury to itself from the chickens, and to eat bread. Plus feeding it would make it easier to catch for the RSPCA or Cats Protection people. I know this sounds perverse, but it might work, and it is clearly a determined cat!

[not enough chickens]

i did put food out for it, it wld eat that (along with every possible wild bird)and it wld still attempt to get at my chicken s

[docsquid]

Oh dear! Well, sounds like cat rescue or RSPCA need to take it away and find it a good home, poor thing, but that is the only way you'll get peace for your chickens.