[kirstie1978]

I'm concerned as my neighbours have a new cat, it is part ferral i'd say... it has already devoured ALL my Koi and my vegetable patch is no more.... (i was blaming the chooks until i realised this time round it was being used as a cat litter tray! Grrr!)

Today i was happily stood watching all the birds playing in teh garden and noticed him sat on top of the fence above the chickens... i put the hose on it (it just stood there and stared and waited for me to do it!) and it disappeared quite quietly. I have garlic sprayed the fencing as that was supposed to keep them out... but appears not. I know larger chickens are ok with cats, but mine are bantams and according to the other neighbours, he's already had all the pigeons nests around my street.....

So i'm just a fraction concerned...Any ideas?

Thanks

[kirstie1978]

Hahaha! Thank you for the well needed chuckle!! If i didn't have a damaged shoulder still I'd be there! Can't reach it with one hand and a trowel!! Grrrr!!

[asd1]

You could try using a catnip plant to lure it away from the birds to a different part of the garden

[kirstie1978]

My garden isn't massive. It's large enough for the 2 chickens to roam free in all day though. It's surrounded by 6ft fencing all round apart from and arch gate I've reeded up so they can't escape. So I'd be worried a cat nip plant might encourage a cat in? Next stop is drop it in my nasty neighbours garden perhaps or apply something to the fencing. But can't on my neighbour I don't get on withs though :o(  grr!

[joyfull]

sensible ideas only please - there are a lot of cat owners on here and certainly none that involves causing pain to the cat..


We have been adopted by our neighbours feral cat which showed an interest in our chicks and after a couple of squirts with water it now doesn't bother with them (ours are bantam chicks so really tiny).

[kirstie1978]

Sorry :o( I have a cat and am an animal lover (i volunteer up an animal sanctuaru!) and would never hurt one. It seems from speaking to my neighbours that water squirts don't put it off too much. I will persevere though with garlic spray and water squirts when and if I see it.
Apologies if my comment upset anyone.

[Raven81]

I have 2 cats myself but my neighbours cat has started coming into our house. Just a stern "out!" and he will run off now, and if he doesn't then a squirt of water does it. Tho I realise its not a permanent cure.

[kirstie1978]

Luckily I'm around all day most of the time since the car accident 10 months ago. I'm just concerned what would happen if I wasn't. Especially if it jumped on them from the top of the fence :o(

[Ice]

Have you or your neighbours expressed this concern to the cat owners or let them know the extent of the mayhem it is causing?

[kirstie1978]

They're not the most obliging of people. It ate all my koi and were totally disinterested and just blamed me. Granted my fault for not putting netting over but they don't seem particularly animal friendly to be honest! Cats will be cats and all that!

[joyfull]

my terrier has killed 2 feral cats in the garden this year already so i dont have that problem!!!

Tom, my cat is a feral and does a great job, those that your dogs have killed could be somebody elses pets  .

[Lewjam]

Sad times but it is just natural behavior of the dog... I don’t think the dog was set on them on purpose..

[Caralou]

I can't see any justification for the dog killing the cats if it was well trained and really don't like the tone of pride in which it was posted. I would be thoroughly ashamed if one of my pets killed another persons pet. Same as I would be furious if a cat killed one of my chicks. I have (or at least feed on demand...) two semi-ferals who are both bantam and 6wk+ large fowl chick safe. A good shoot of water and a loud whistle tends to scare them off until they leave alone. The ferals keep the mice and rats at bay which is a benefit for poultry keepers.

Please, as was stated before, keep all suggestions legal and animal safe 

[DD.]

Sad times but it is just natural behavior of the dog... I don’t think the dog was set on them on purpose..

Unless you were directly involved in the incident, how can you say that?

[Kenilworth]

If its doing so much damage cant you report it to someone/somewhere official. As owners your lovely neighbours(cough) surely have a responsilbilty to ensure that their pet isnt a pest/risk to the neighbourhood.

Have you tried that tiger poo stuff? Would that work with cats?

To be honest If any cat had killed my koi, chickens, guinea pigs and wrecked my patch I'm not so sure i would have been as tolerant as you have been!