Trouble with a cat!

Taygator · « **on:** August 13, 2010, 05:56 »

My hens have been very contented for many months in their stone built house with their own walled yard. Recently two of them have decided to sit on their eggs so I got some fertilized ones for them to hatch (I have no rooster). A new cat has come to the area and I have found it twice in the hen house. A couple of eggs from the nest were lying half way down the yard. There was also a brocken egg in the nest. It looks like the two hens who are nesting got covered in yolk and pulled their own matted feathers out of their chests. I have chased the cat away many times when I see it, but I am away at work all day and it obviously annoys the hens when I am out. Does anyone have any suggestions about how to deter this cat from the hen house/yard?

Zeb · « **Reply #1 on:** August 13, 2010, 06:25 »

I'd be interested in knowing too because I have a problem aswell.

A cat or cats daily do their 'little jobbies' in my front yard.
As I have no idea who the owners are, I can't go round and (politely ?) ask them to solve the problem.
All the solutions that I have been given so far wont cure the problem, just move the cat on to a new area.

I refuse to use them because I dont want to be the one responsible for the cats to start cr@pping in someone elses garden.

pigeonpie · « **Reply #2 on:** August 13, 2010, 13:31 »

My chooks chase off any cats that even think about venturing in to our garden. I'm thinking of loaning them out to neighbours with similar problems!
Unfortunately cats are one of the least domesticated of the animals that we keep and therefore it is very difficult to stop them from acting as they would in the wild. If they are let out they will mess in other people's gardens, chase and catch birds, raid nests, etc. If you don't want them in your garden then you will have to scare them off or deter them with the result that they will then just go to someone else's garden instead.
Water pistols are good, or a dog, or my killer chickens!

Caralou · « **Reply #3 on:** August 13, 2010, 14:11 »

My cats sleep in the nest boxes and I have on occasion found a very disgruntled chicken not able to get in to lay as a result. I'd recommend a water pistol, it doesn't harm the cat but will stop them wanting to go in if they fear being pelted with water when they get near to the coop.

TheEnglishman · « **Reply #4 on:** August 13, 2010, 14:21 »

I got fed up clearing cat poo from the borders, so got one of there. It's very effective. And I see this as a service to the obese cats that (used to) frequent my garden - they don't half move quick when it goes off.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=217986

I'm sure I got it on offer though - I don't remember paying that much

tesni · « **Reply #5 on:** August 13, 2010, 14:37 »

There's a water cannon option, good for deterring foxes too

http://www.primrose-london.co.uk/fox-repeller-p-1251.html

there are other types, a search on ebay will turn several up

Bev · « **Reply #6 on:** August 13, 2010, 21:44 »

I used to use pepper dust in my town garden and stopped the poo but I am not sure what it would do to your chickens.

Bev

Taygator · « **Reply #7 on:** August 14, 2010, 17:59 »

Thanks for all your help. The cat was back today and I chased it through the yard, down the lane and through the trees, making lots of noise. Now the neighbours are totally convinced that I am nuts!!

Bev · « **Reply #8 on:** August 15, 2010, 20:42 »

That must have looked really funny

Think in law cats are classed as wild animals and you can't easily hold owners responsible for their actions, (the cats that is)?

Bev

madcat · « **Reply #9 on:** August 16, 2010, 07:43 »

Quote from: Taygator on August 14, 2010, 17:59

Now the neighbours are totally convinced that I am nuts!!

And the problem with that is???

gingerplant · « **Reply #10 on:** August 16, 2010, 07:51 »

The only sure fire way of deterring a cat from your garden is by getting one of your own

Failing that, water pistol!

evie2 · « **Reply #11 on:** August 16, 2010, 11:34 »

I'd go with the water pistol.

Our neighbour has 2 none neutered toms (can't afford to have them done although there both working) who terrorise our cats and fight with them all the time

Loki's sporting a swollen leg and cut ear as is Merlin

and there's nothing we can do about it; cats are classed as wild

One of them was trying to get at the Sablepoots yesterday and poor hobbling Merlin aided by 2 year old grand daughter was trying to chase it off, the only thing OH had to hand was half a brick......I'll let you fill in the rest

Caralou · « **Reply #12 on:** August 16, 2010, 11:42 »

I bet their house has a rather unpleasant odour to it

I truly hate people who have animals and fail to be responsible in the ownership

You'll often find that these people will sit there with everything THEY need and want but won't put �35 aside for a tom neuter

It really isn't fair on your pusstats

They only thing that ever works as a deterrent for mine is the water pistol, although Shia puss has to be contrary and plays when I spray it

animartco · « **Reply #13 on:** August 16, 2010, 13:00 »

Quote from: Taygator on August 13, 2010, 05:56

My hens have been very contented for many months in their stone built house with their own walled yard. Recently two of them have decided to sit on their eggs so I got some fertilized ones for them to hatch (I have no rooster). A new cat has come to the area and I have found it twice in the hen house. A couple of eggs from the nest were lying half way down the yard. There was also a brocken egg in the nest. It looks like the two hens who are nesting got covered in yolk and pulled their own matted feathers out of their chests. I have chased the cat away many times when I see it, but I am away at work all day and it obviously annoys the hens when I am out. Does anyone have any suggestions about how to deter this cat from the hen house/yard?

Could you manage a rooster without complaints? Any self respecting rooster ought to be able to deal with a cat. I take it your chickens are full size? If they're bantam you'd need a bantam cock. Most are fierce enough but you can't guarantee it. Make sure th one you get isn't a wallflower.

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Trouble with a cat!

Taygator

Trouble with a cat!

Zeb

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pigeonpie

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Caralou

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TheEnglishman

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tesni

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Bev

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Taygator

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Bev

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madcat

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gingerplant

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evie2

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Caralou

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animartco

Re: Trouble with a cat!

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