[Belinda]

i have had problems with a couple of oriental tabbies coming in my garden for a while now. I am very careful as I have a greyhound and whippet and I don't want the cats to be hurt. Since I have got the chickens I am having a lot more problems with the cats. They keep coming in and laying on top of the run. I have tried several things to stop them. The dogs bark at them/ used a water pistol and I have a sonic deterant which can be altered for different animals.None have made any difference.

My main concern is free ranging the chickens I haven't up to now as they were small when I first got them. But I am concerned that when they are big enough if I free range them the cats will kill them as they are only Bantams. Should I give up on the idea of free ranging? Has anyone else got any tips to keep away bold cats?

[Aunt Sally]

I don't know what make of sonic deterrent you have but the RSPB use the CatWatch by Concept to protect rare birds nesting areas from cats.  So it must work for them.

http://www.conceptresearch.co.uk/cats.htm

Concept give a 90 Day Money Back Guarantee, so they will refund if it doesn't work for you.

Perhaps the deterrent you bought is just not good enough !

[Vember]

I found that my cats two of which Siamese, were curious more than anything.

If they go too close the cats get a peck, I find my banties are the most fiesty and are very quick to chase off the cats  




Sarah

[kimT]

The best deterrent we have found to keep cats from your garden and away from your chooks is a water gun!

We had the same problem when we first had our girls but I got myself one of those huge water guns that shoot 30 mts or so.(Great fun)

Water won’t hurt the cats and they don’t like a shot of cold water up em and it even worked on the squirrel who no longer dares to enter this garden!

[Dannii]

Hiya!

I also have a cat who is very curious about my chickens, I let them free range and the cat just watches them and occassionally goes up and sniffs them and rolls over on the ground (completely stupid!) He also goes into their enclosure, lies on the roof with the chickens and when the chickens are out in the garden he goes inside their house and lies down. I really dont think they will harm your chickens unless they are known to be hunting orientated cats - my other cat, who left home, used to bring in dead rabbits, pheasants, baby foxes, infact anything he could catch in the fields and disect in my house as a nice gift! If he were still here I definitely would have reservations about letting them out, I'm not sure how well you know the cats and their owners but if you know they are not that way inclined you should be fine!

Hope that helps

dannii

[Belinda]

I think I definately need to get a better water pistol as mine doesn't reach very far and they get out the garden before I can really reach them. I may also try the sonic device is all else fails mine looks as good as that one though as it is motion triggered and doesn't make any difference at all
Thanks for the tips