Cats

[cherrynberry]

We have had various cats climbing on our fences, but never too close to our chickens. That all changed today when a cat jumped into our private backyard and lunges at our chickens. I threw a shoe at it to scare it away. Although the chickens warned us and brought us to the scene, I really do not like that cat. It has a collar and came several times already, what is the best way to make it stay away. Because if Covid, I don't really prefer setting up a conversation with the owner. How have you gotten rid of cats in your areas?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Maybe catch it in a live trap? Mine learned real quick not to go in kennels and traps cause then they couldn't get out

 

[cherrynberry]

But wouldn't it catch a chicken? Although we do have traps

 

[Weeg]

I have never had this experience before but have an idea. What is your fence like? Is it wide enough to put some bird spikes on the top. Below there is an amazon link. They are spikes so birds won't land and poop on telephone poles. It may just keep the cat from being able to climb over the top of the fence.
https://www.amazon.com/Aspectek-Sta...=1&keywords=bird+spikes&qid=1597868664&sr=8-6

 

[Weeg]

I don't think that a cat will kill a chicken, but it depends on the breed of cat, determination of the cat, and the size and determination of the chickens. It does sound like that cat is a hunter though, it is possible the cat could injure you chickens. A chance you might not want to take.

 

[Lyndzie]

I have a cat, and we have a reasonable feral cat population around here, and they do not mess with full-sized chickens. Maybe something smaller, like up to 8 weeks, but nothing beyond that. Are they young chicks? Or maybe the cat is a nut?

 

[NatJ]

It has a collar and came several times already, what is the best way to make it stay away. Because if Covid, I don't really prefer setting up a conversation with the owner. How have you gotten rid of cats in your areas?

If you can catch the cat (pick it up, or use a live trap): you could try putting a note on the collar, asking the owner to telephone you or email you (give contact info.) Then you could explain that the cat is not welcome in your yard.

Or you could catch the cat and try taking it to the animal shelter. They will probably contact the owner, but the owner will have the trouble of getting their cat back, so they might be more inclined to keep it home in future.

Or you could try an electric fence, which works well against many kinds of animals.

You could sit outside with a squirt gun or a water hose and spray it each time it shows up, but that is probably not practical.

I think I've read of water sprinklers with motion sensors, so they spray when an animal moves nearby. One of those might deter the cat.

You mentioned that a live-trap might catch chickens: that depends on where you put the trap. Maybe you could hang it on the fence, or sit it on top of the chicken coop, or set it only at night while the chickens are sleeping. And if a chicken does get caught, you could just release the chicken and re-set the trap. (I don't know whether the chicken will avoid the trap in future, or go back for another piece of bait.)

If none of these ideas work, hopefully they will at least help you or someone else think of something that does work

 

[cherrynberry]

I have a cat, and we have a reasonable feral cat population around here, and they do not mess with full-sized chickens. Maybe something smaller, like up to 8 weeks, but nothing beyond that. Are they young chicks? Or maybe the cat is a nut?

I have 2 adult comets, 2 adult leghorns, and 9 18 week old easter eggers...

 

[cherrynberry]

If you can catch the cat (pick it up, or use a live trap): you could try putting a note on the collar, asking the owner to telephone you or email you (give contact info.) Then you could explain that the cat is not welcome in your yard.

Or you could catch the cat and try taking it to the animal shelter. They will probably contact the owner, but the owner will have the trouble of getting their cat back, so they might be more inclined to keep it home in future.

Or you could try an electric fence, which works well against many kinds of animals.

You could sit outside with a squirt gun or a water hose and spray it each time it shows up, but that is probably not practical.

I think I've read of water sprinklers with motion sensors, so they spray when an animal moves nearby. One of those might deter the cat.

You mentioned that a live-trap might catch chickens: that depends on where you put the trap. Maybe you could hang it on the fence, or sit it on top of the chicken coop, or set it only at night while the chickens are sleeping. And if a chicken does get caught, you could just release the chicken and re-set the trap. (I don't know whether the chicken will avoid the trap in future, or go back for another piece of bait.)

If none of these ideas work, hopefully they will at least help you or someone else think of something that does work

Thanks for the help, by the way just as a note, we did use the trap once to catch our groundhogs, we were not that smart back then and it caught a cat. That cat never really came back, but that was back then when we did not have chickens yet. I will try to put up a trap. However, I am worried because I really don't think any type of bait would be better than a plump chicken. And I really don't want to lead it here again.

 

[Weeg]

Ya, the bird spiked may work but it depends on whether or not your fence goes all the way around your house.