[Tricky]

Never being a cat owner poses this question. I keep just a few chickens that unfortunately attracts a few rats which I can only kill a small amount by traps and poison, so my question is, would having a cat that would live in a nice warm sheltered kennel outside at night deter or stop the rats? Or would the cat just live in relative warmth and not bother at night when I would most need it to be doing its required purpose? Would there be a difference if it were a male or female?

[Celtic Eagle]

not sure about a cat unless it was a tom, but a dog may be better something like jack russell the classic ratting dog.

[Roughlee Handled]

Tricky do you take the chicken food away at night?

[Caralou]

A feral or semi-feral cat that would be happy to live in a large kennel (not a tame cat as they would want to be in the house not the kennel) would hunt the rats.

I have 5 house cats and 2 feral (although both of these have moved in!) and they keep my rat and mouse problem at bay. My female cats are just as good hunters as the boys - all are neutered. The littlest female who is still kitten size is most likely to bring down rats for me.

You should really have cats in twos as social creatures and if not a house cat would want the company outside. You'd need to supplement with a dry feed for the cat and obviously think about vets bills and how you would capture in the event of illness to take to the vets (house cats can be picked up and popped in a box with difficulty, a feral or semi-feral is almost impossible).

 

[grumpydad]

we dont have cats, the dog hates them, but i have a permanent bait station under the shed with rat poison, just keep it topped up. take the chicken food away at night, and keep it in a metal bin.
we had rats under the shed for years before we had chickens, certainly no one can say that it was having the chickens that brought the rats into the garden.
ascot small holding have an electric rat killer if you dont want to use poison

[tode]

We have three cats in the house, and still see a mice from time to time 
Doesn't seem to bother the cats, unless they just happen to be in the mood for it (which they're not, usually).
Some cats are good mousers, others aren't.
I think that one steel trap is worth as much as three sleeping cats     

[Kate and her Ducks]

I have the wettest, soppiest, neutered male cat. He is scared of day old ducklings. Really! He is also a great ratter despite living in the house most of the time and has really helped keep them under control in my experience.

[Tricky]

Thank you all for prompt replies.

Celtic eagle: I understand the dog thing but it’s the time/responsibility I don’t have.

Roughlee handled: chicken feed is locked away in the coop.

Caralou: the cats I have been offered are second/third generation house cats outdoor reared and not very tame or sociable.

Grumpydad: the poison thing is costing me a fortune, and the rats only appeared when I got the chickens.

Tode: the steel trap is not clever enough for the rats.

Kate and her ducks: these cat don’t know what neutered is.

Any more thoughts?   

[Kate and her Ducks]

Hmmm, castrate them and they get the idea!

[death of rats]

How do you cathc the rat to castrate it? 

I have 2 cats and 2 dogs. They sit and watch the rats running along the fence at the end of the garden at night. The only one showing predatory instincts is the dog who will charge them. Regrettably a terrier he aint and the rats are on the roof before he can get there.
I must get on top of them from time to time and so I shoot them with a decent air rifle. I find the one sure way is a .22 pellet just behind the ear.
I cannot poison because of the cats and dogs which will eat dead rats and also the local wildlife which is spectacular in its owls, hawks, harriers, buzzards and the like.
I also find that the exhaust from a 2 stroke strimmer piped down their holes moves them away fro a while, then bung up the holes. It slows them downbut you are never rid of them and it is not necessarily the presence of chickens that attracts them.
I think there is a fortune to be made for the person who breeds a chicken large and predatory enough to kill rats but quietand placid with humans and other pets.

[dizzylizzie]

you may have only seen the rats since you got the chickens, but they would have been there trust me!
you say the food is locked away in the coop...do you leave it in the coop all night?, where do you store the food?
do you scatter the food during the day? my girls are very messy eaters, and they spread the food everywhere. I put the feeders on slabs, then pick up the feeders and bring them in the house in the afternoon, that way they eat a bit of what is on the ground. what is left at the end of the day gets swept and hosed away. i used to keep rats as pets, if they can smell food they will come. they are very clever animals that dont give up easily.My cat will catch mice, birds if she is feeling energetic-which at 19 is not often, but to my knowlage she has never caught a rat...ferral cats would, but they may harm your girls also. my cat wouldnt dare, shes scared of the chickens
i would have a look at the electric traps, it just a one off payment for you then and it wont cost as much as posion. good look

[beulah59]

Only one of my four cats would take a rat and they are all hunters. The female kitten, now 12 months old, is practising effectively on mice, so I suspect she'll take one soon, too.

Only had hens 4 weeks, not seen a rat yet, but we know they were there anyway 

[chickadee]

if you get cats please please don't use rat poison as well as recently my cat "noodle" ate a rat - dead with poison in it's system £1000 for x-ray, blood transfusion hospitilisation for over a week she nearly lost her life - i don't think there is a 100% fool proof method to rid rats but a cat will certainly help to deter and keep population down

[dizzylizzie]

 oh poor thing. you must have bben out of your mind with worry! how is your cat now?

[nzdunn]

How do you cathc the rat to castrate it? 

I have 2 cats and 2 dogs. They sit and watch the rats running along the fence at the end of the garden at night. The only one showing predatory instincts is the dog who will charge them. Regrettably a terrier he aint and the rats are on the roof before he can get there.
I must get on top of them from time to time and so I shoot them with a decent air rifle. I find the one sure way is a .22 pellet just behind the ear.
I cannot poison because of the cats and dogs which will eat dead rats and also the local wildlife which is spectacular in its owls, hawks, harriers, buzzards and the like.
I also find that the exhaust from a 2 stroke strimmer piped down their holes moves them away fro a while, then bung up the holes. It slows them downbut you are never rid of them and it is not necessarily the presence of chickens that attracts them.
I think there is a fortune to be made for the person who breeds a chicken large and predatory enough to kill rats but quietand placid with humans and other pets.

gees sounds like you have a lot of rats,  makes my skin crawl.     nickyx