[rosie14]

we leave our 2 chooks to free range in our garden with it's 10 foot plus high wall to the back and 6 foot solid wood fence all round plus our neighbours horri high fir trees! Anyway my dh always worries about them in case cats get in which of course could be done with ease and tells me to put them away before popping out ANYWHERE! Are cats a rick really? I'd love them to be out more.

[GrannieAnnie]

Our cat used to go into the chooks run.  She got a little peck sometimes, but she never bothered the chooks, it was the other way round! 

[sarajane]

I don't know about cats but my Terrier cross (who thinks he's a Great Dane) will stand up to anything except the chooks.  He's learnt to stay well clear of them having being pecked on quite a few occasions, even when they have been in the run and he has had his nose too close to the wire fencing.

[ANHBUC]

More likely to be taken by a fox.  6 foot fence is no problem for them, so better safe than sorry. 

[Tony H]

Hi no cats shouldnt be a problem, before we got chucks we had must have had every cat in the aria use our garden for a toilet  but the girls soon put a stop to them  but as mentioned foxes are more of a concern. I let mine free range all day but we have a cannal at the back no tow path, the other side two rotwilers so touch wood no foxes, we have seen mink so the coop is fox and mink proof as they are more likley to attack at night.

[8doubles]

It all depends on how hungry the cat is !
A starving cat would have a go !

[Raven81]

Our cats and rottweiler all run away from the hens, as do the neighbours cats.

We don't have many feral cats around here so can't comment on them, but as said before, foxes are your main worry.

[joyfull]

we have a ginger feral and he was very curious especially when we had young chicks but a quick squirt with a water bottle soon put paid to that, now he catches mice and either feeds them to the chickens or leaves them next to his feed bowl for me  .
On another note - we have an 8 week old puppy staffy cross who came out with me this morning to let the chickens out. She was very interested until she saw one fly out of the coop I have never seen that pup run so quickly back into the safety of the house 

[evie2]

So far we've not had any problem with our 4 cats or the neighbourhood cats and the chickens apart from last summer when Merlin got between Star and her chicks.  I didn't know cats could base jump

Have you put a picture of puppy up yet Joyfull, she sounds lovely

[SarahJC]

Our bantam Araucana hen charged at our cat last week. He jumped and froze close to the ground. She reached the wire and they eyeballed each other, then moved off in slow motion 

All our cats have been nervous of the chickens. As is our neighbours cat who hunts anything that moves.

[Geo]

Not had any cats in the garden since we got the chickens.Lots of foxes in the fields at the bottom of the garden.We do not even see many cats in the neighbourhood now, It may be that the foxes have killed/chased them away. Plenty grey squirrels if anybody wants some

[Suzybat]

My six girls
 surrounded a cat this afternoon, it did not know what to do, then shot back up the fence and out again, I dont think we will be seeing it in the near future!!!

[Mickle]

Only ever had problems with one, and it came every night and killed one Pheasant hen and always fed on the two oysters of meat above the hips, when I finally stopped it the Stainless name tag had its name and address enclosed it was not Feral and I knew its owner.
The Pheasants were a little bigger than the bantam,  FULL GROWN Chickens being bigger and noisier would probably be too much for a cat which are all Cowards at heart, However their chicks and poults would be fair game. 

[nic_28]

great thread topic, and great advice. Im adopting a bit cuddyy handsome boy soon and I wondered if it would cause uproar in the hen house!

[bygrace]

My cats are inquisitive, but nothing more. One day one of them got a bit close, and 3 chooks stared her out - no physical contact - the cat just wandered away sheepishly!
I have no qualms at all.