We all know that if you have chickens, then you should be a little bit wary of chicken predators, right? You will probably already be more than aware of just how important it is to keep predators at bay. You may have protections set up for foxes, raccoons, and other creatures that may befall your pet. What about cats, though? They may be cute and fluffy (in most cases) but they are still predators, right? Wondering whether a cat can attack and kill chickens? Or do cats eat chickens at all?
Let’s take a look.
Do Cats Eat Chickens?
Yes cats eat chickens. They do. In fact, there are some chicken and cat owners that claim that their chickens are at a greater risk of death from their cats than any other predator.
You have to remember that cats are predators. They hunt. They may seem incredibly friendly when they are in your home, but that is because you are their pack leader.
Once they are outside, then those hunting instincts are going to kick in, and your chickens will probably bear the brunt of them.
Cats will eat chickens of all sizes. So, while your chicks are going to be at risk inside of the chicken coop, the larger chickens will also have to fear the wrath of the cat too.
Although, some owners find that their larger chickens tend to be avoided by the larger cats. We suppose that a lot of it is going to be dependent on the cat and whether the chicken seems to be putting off a bit of aggression.
Cats are predators, but they certainly are not going to be stupid.
Do Cats Attack Chickens?
Cats will attack chickens if they have the opportunity to do so. There is very little that you can do about this. We have read stories of people claiming that they have the cutest and friendliest cats in the world, but as soon as their cat came close to another one, they seemingly took on a whole other personality.
Now, most cats are probably not going to be attacking chickens for the fun of it. Most of them are probably going to do it either in self-defense, or they are planning on going in for that kill.
This is perhaps because they are hungry, or because they want to bring you a nice treat. Cats do that, after all.
If you are a cat owner, we are sure that you have no doubt had your cats drop various birds and mice on your porch. Your chickens could be next.
Will Cats Kill Chickens?
If a cat does attack a chicken, then the majority of the time it is going to be going in for the kill. It is going to be one swift motion too.
Many people that have spotted their cats killing their chickens have noted that everything is over in a flash.
There is barely any time to stop them. The cats are just this brilliant at being able to kill chickens.
When a cat kills a chicken (and you do not spot it), the scene will look almost as if a fox has killed a chicken. You will think that a fox has managed to get into the chicken coop.
The cat will drag away the entire chicken carcasses, leaving behind nothing other than feathers and blood.
This means that unless you catch the chicken in the act, you won’t actually know what ended up happening in that coop.
Can You Raise Chickens While Having a Cat?
You can. In fact, farms often feature cats and chickens.
A lot of people note that their domestic cats never really seem to be the issue with the chickens. Instead, it is cats that belong to other people or wild cats.
We still wouldn’t trust your own cat around chickens in the majority of cases.
This is because you can never really trust what a cat is going to do next. Sometimes that inner instinct cannot be fought against, and they will just go for the chickens.
However, if you have a sealed-off area for your chickens, then you should be fine.
Some people will raise their cat around the chickens from the day that it is a kitten.
You can try this too. Just let your cat gradually interact with the chickens and it may get used to them.
We are not saying that it is going to be working in absolutely every situation, but a lot of the time, gradual introductions work. This is how cats are able to live in a home with other animals that they will normally prey upon.
Try to keep your cat well-fed too. Many cats will be attacking chickens because they are hungry, so a well-fed cat is less likely to do something to your chickens.
Of course, this is assuming that you have control over the cat.
You do have to be warier of cats that belong to other people or are wild. This means that your chickens should be sealed off from the world.
We recommend that you have a roof for your chicken run. You should also ensure that you use the best chicken wire that you can afford.
While cats are less likely to dig into the chicken coop than other predators, it is still worth having the fence extend a foot or so underground. It will make it easier to keep them out.
If you have a cat of your own, then that cat is likely to be able to keep other cats at bay. After all, cats are territorial animals, and if another cat senses that territory belongs to one cat, then they are far less likely to enter it.
If they do, then they will have your cat to answer to.
Of an evening, make sure that you put your chickens away in their home. Each day, we also recommend that you walk around your chicken coop to see whether there are any breaks in the fence or whether anything has tried to dig under the fence.
If they have, then try to fix the problem as soon as you possibly can!
You might want to check other related articles:
– Will possums kill and eat a chicken?
– Do skunks kill chickens?
– Do raccoons kill chickens?
