Cats

  We don't get many cats in our garden - probably on account of having two dogs but yesterday we had a cat we had never seen before sitting watching our 4 chickens.. The chickens started to walk 'en masse' towards it ...woul.d have been intersting to see what happened but then the dogs appeared and it ran off ....are cats a threat to chickens ?

My cat was at first terrified of the chickens, but over time he has grown braver, sniffed their bottoms and tried to get them to play. They have ignored him throughout. However, on the whole he remains wary and only explores their run when they're out; he disappears pronto if they reappear. He will take on full-grown rabbits and also stalks pigeons, but I think chickens are just too big.

Thanks  ,that's bit of a relief ...did think the chickens maybe just a little too big for a cat to run off with and have always known foxes were a problem but had not  heard anything about cats :happy:

Chooks will see cats off most times particularly if the chooks outnumber the cats. To be honest the cats are more frightened of the chooks then the chooks are of the cats. The only time I would worry is if it was one on one then you can even that up with a good pump action water pistol.

My 5 month old tabby cat likes nothing more than to get into teh chicken run and curl up in the nest boxes.  More than once I'm sfraid she's been shut up in the run accidently.  She's also discovered that the bone ry patch of earth in the old green house that the hens use makes a very good litter tray .... tut tut.

My cats were very interested in chicks but as soon as they were "pointy" they backed off.  Due to capturing a ferret in the hen house, the chooks have been in the utility room today and the cats were not bothered at all by this!  They have been chased off by a tiny broody silkie so mind their manners with chooks.