Cats are often unsuspected chicken predators with their most likely victims being baby chicks and small chicken breeds such as Bantams, Serama's, Silkies, or Cochins due to the fact that they are small and have jerky movements that trigger the cats natural hunting instincts. Not all cats will go after your chickens and a well behaved cat with predatory instincts can actually be good to have around because cats will kill mice and if there are no mice in your coop, snakes won't have a reason to come around unless you have a broody hen or baby chicks in there. Cats are considered Apex predators which means they are at the top of the food chain and have no predators which are specifically hunting them as food but as some cat owners can attest too, cats have become victims to predators such as hawks, raccoons, and foxes. Cat's won't protect your chickens from other predators but they will eliminate (or at the very least) keep the rodent population down in and around your coop.
My cat Gidget and Sprinkles the hen.
There are benefits to having a "coop cat" but there is a downside too. Cats who are raised around chickens usually will not bother adult birds, however, even the very best coop cat may not be able to resist snatching up a baby chick. Baby chicks have jerky movements which trigger a cats natural instinct to hunt prey.
Cats are good at keeping, mice, rats, snakes, and other kinds of rodents away. Male cats who have not been neutered spray their territory which makes rodents, snakes, and some other predators, not want to come around. Unfortunately, some male cats who are very territorial and have not been neutered, will also spray you, your chickens and their feed. From my experience, rodents were not deterred by the spray from neutered male cats.
Chicken feed served in feed pans can end up being used as a litter box by cats which can make your chickens very sick. If you have farm cats you should keep feed in a feeder at approximately chest height to your birds as this will deter cats from defecating in it or use feeders that your cat cannot get into. Female cats are well known for their prowess as great hunters, are excellent mousers, but they may also use feed pans for litter boxes and like any cat should never be left unattended with baby chicks.. Both male and female cats especially those who hunt have a few weaknesses, such as the inability to resist chasing a small chicken or a baby chick. If you do get a cat for mouse control in your coop, make sure they have no access to the baby chicks or smaller breeds. Observe your cats behavior around your chickens with a hidden camera because most cats will not attack your birds in front of humans. Don't be surprised if your cat brings you a dead baby chick as a trophy kill. Never leave your cat unsupervised around baby chicks or small bantam chickens and never leave your cats hungry. Even a well fed cat will usually hunt and kill mice and rodents which are a major attractant for snakes. Cats have been known to eat eggs if they are hungry. Once they start eating eggs it is hard to break them of this habit. If you find eggs with broken shells and the insides gone, a mouse or a cat may be the likely suspect.
Stray cats are sneaky and quick
Stray cats and other predators such as foxes, raccoons, and skunks may hang out around your coop, watching the chickens and letting them get a false sense of security before they attack. Cats are agile, quick and aggressive hunter's that will wait patiently for their prey. The best way to stop stray cats from harming your chickens is to feed them and then catch them in a live trap and take them to your local animal shelter or rescue sanctuary.
House cats
House cats that are raised around chickens and are well fed will rarely attack a full grown bird but young cats will sometimes become playful and hurt the birds unintentionally. House cats have been known to play with and kill baby chicks and eat them. A pet cat who is particularly proud of his or her hunting skills may even bring you the deceased bodies of your baby chicks. It is best to keep baby chicks and small chickens in a secure coop and run until they are big enough that your cat no longer considers them as prey.
One house cat owner reported that his house cat appeared to love his baby chicks. The cat allowed the chicks to climb on her and peck at her fur as if she loved the attention, even purring at times. A few days later the owner of the cat and chicks found his baby chicks laying in a row on his porch with the cat looking up at him as if he were proud of his accomplishment and had brought the chicks as a trophies, that showed the cats prowess as a hunter (Through a cat's eyes). A hen can and often will defend herself against such an attack but a baby chick can be snatched, carried off and eaten before anyone realizes what happened. Cats will very rarely attack when they can be seen by humans or if the hens are accompanied by a protective rooster.
How to protect your chickens from your cat:
If the cat that is preying on your chickens and/or eggs the only way you will be able to stop them is to keep them indoors, put them in an outdoor cat house with a run, or find them another home. Never allow your baby chicks to roam freely on your property whether you have cats or not. Even if the cat doesn't get them other predators, such as, weasels, snakes, hawks or other predators will if chicks are left unprotected.
How to protect your chickens from stray cats:
If you have stray cats roaming around you should set live traps for them. Use cat food or sardines for bait. Once captured you can bring them to your local animal shelter. If the cat appears feral you may want to call the animal shelter and ask if they can pick it up. Do not pick up the cage without heavy protection on your hands and arms. If you are unable to trap the cats or cannot afford a live trap, call your local animal shelter. Most shelters will either loan you a trap or come and set one up on your property to catch a cat, raccoons, skunks or other wild animals. Keep your chickens in a predator safe chicken coop and run which is covered top to bottom and reinforced at the bottom to prevent digging under.
Cat Repellents
You can purchase cat repellents and use them around your chicken coop or you can make your own. Cats do not care for strong smelling stuff like garlic, citronella, citrus oils, vinegar, and red pepper. Do not use ammonia based products as cats identify this smell as urine.
Best way to protect your chickens from cats or any other predator
If you have chickens it is your duty to protect them and the best way to do that is to keep them in a safe, predator proof coop and covered run. Free ranging birds sounds great and looks awesome in pictures but in reality, you have only to join a few chicken groups to see that free range chickens do not fare well. Every single day, I see multiple posts and videos of heartbroken chicken keepers who thought they were doing their best by their chickens by free ranging them. Free range birds who were attacked by a neighbors dog who got in their yard, chickens killed when they wandered out of their yard, baby chicks snatched up right in front of their owners, chickens snatched up by hawks right in front of their owners. It is in your chickens best interest to either build or buy a sturdy, secure, portable chicken tractor and run, deer cameras, motion detector lights. Move the chicken tractor weekly or monthly but never leave it in one spot for 2 months or more as feces become toxic at two months.
Cats are good at keeping, mice, rats, snakes, and other kinds of rodents away. Male cats who have not been neutered spray their territory which makes rodents, snakes, and some other predators, not want to come around. Unfortunately, some male cats who are very territorial and have not been neutered, will also spray you, your chickens and their feed. From my experience, rodents were not deterred by the spray from neutered male cats.
Chicken feed served in feed pans can end up being used as a litter box by cats which can make your chickens very sick. If you have farm cats you should keep feed in a feeder at approximately chest height to your birds as this will deter cats from defecating in it or use feeders that your cat cannot get into. Female cats are well known for their prowess as great hunters, are excellent mousers, but they may also use feed pans for litter boxes and like any cat should never be left unattended with baby chicks.. Both male and female cats especially those who hunt have a few weaknesses, such as the inability to resist chasing a small chicken or a baby chick. If you do get a cat for mouse control in your coop, make sure they have no access to the baby chicks or smaller breeds. Observe your cats behavior around your chickens with a hidden camera because most cats will not attack your birds in front of humans. Don't be surprised if your cat brings you a dead baby chick as a trophy kill. Never leave your cat unsupervised around baby chicks or small bantam chickens and never leave your cats hungry. Even a well fed cat will usually hunt and kill mice and rodents which are a major attractant for snakes. Cats have been known to eat eggs if they are hungry. Once they start eating eggs it is hard to break them of this habit. If you find eggs with broken shells and the insides gone, a mouse or a cat may be the likely suspect.
Stray cats are sneaky and quick
Stray cats and other predators such as foxes, raccoons, and skunks may hang out around your coop, watching the chickens and letting them get a false sense of security before they attack. Cats are agile, quick and aggressive hunter's that will wait patiently for their prey. The best way to stop stray cats from harming your chickens is to feed them and then catch them in a live trap and take them to your local animal shelter or rescue sanctuary.
House cats
House cats that are raised around chickens and are well fed will rarely attack a full grown bird but young cats will sometimes become playful and hurt the birds unintentionally. House cats have been known to play with and kill baby chicks and eat them. A pet cat who is particularly proud of his or her hunting skills may even bring you the deceased bodies of your baby chicks. It is best to keep baby chicks and small chickens in a secure coop and run until they are big enough that your cat no longer considers them as prey.
One house cat owner reported that his house cat appeared to love his baby chicks. The cat allowed the chicks to climb on her and peck at her fur as if she loved the attention, even purring at times. A few days later the owner of the cat and chicks found his baby chicks laying in a row on his porch with the cat looking up at him as if he were proud of his accomplishment and had brought the chicks as a trophies, that showed the cats prowess as a hunter (Through a cat's eyes). A hen can and often will defend herself against such an attack but a baby chick can be snatched, carried off and eaten before anyone realizes what happened. Cats will very rarely attack when they can be seen by humans or if the hens are accompanied by a protective rooster.
How to protect your chickens from your cat:
If the cat that is preying on your chickens and/or eggs the only way you will be able to stop them is to keep them indoors, put them in an outdoor cat house with a run, or find them another home. Never allow your baby chicks to roam freely on your property whether you have cats or not. Even if the cat doesn't get them other predators, such as, weasels, snakes, hawks or other predators will if chicks are left unprotected.
How to protect your chickens from stray cats:
If you have stray cats roaming around you should set live traps for them. Use cat food or sardines for bait. Once captured you can bring them to your local animal shelter. If the cat appears feral you may want to call the animal shelter and ask if they can pick it up. Do not pick up the cage without heavy protection on your hands and arms. If you are unable to trap the cats or cannot afford a live trap, call your local animal shelter. Most shelters will either loan you a trap or come and set one up on your property to catch a cat, raccoons, skunks or other wild animals. Keep your chickens in a predator safe chicken coop and run which is covered top to bottom and reinforced at the bottom to prevent digging under.
Cat Repellents
You can purchase cat repellents and use them around your chicken coop or you can make your own. Cats do not care for strong smelling stuff like garlic, citronella, citrus oils, vinegar, and red pepper. Do not use ammonia based products as cats identify this smell as urine.
Best way to protect your chickens from cats or any other predator
If you have chickens it is your duty to protect them and the best way to do that is to keep them in a safe, predator proof coop and covered run. Free ranging birds sounds great and looks awesome in pictures but in reality, you have only to join a few chicken groups to see that free range chickens do not fare well. Every single day, I see multiple posts and videos of heartbroken chicken keepers who thought they were doing their best by their chickens by free ranging them. Free range birds who were attacked by a neighbors dog who got in their yard, chickens killed when they wandered out of their yard, baby chicks snatched up right in front of their owners, chickens snatched up by hawks right in front of their owners. It is in your chickens best interest to either build or buy a sturdy, secure, portable chicken tractor and run, deer cameras, motion detector lights. Move the chicken tractor weekly or monthly but never leave it in one spot for 2 months or more as feces become toxic at two months.
Questions & Answers About Cats & Chickens
Q: Can I keep a cat in my chicken coop at night?
A: That depends on your cat. If your cat is good around your chickens and your chicken feed is in a feeder not a feed pan, and there are no baby chicks or small chickens in the chicken house then you most likely wouldn't have a problem. My cat "Gidget" who is spayed and was an adult cat when I got her who had never been around chickens, loves to sleep in the chicken coop at night, she keeps the coop rodent free, and does not bother my chickens. I have cameras in the coop so I can see what she is doing at night. It is not uncommon for me to open the coop door and find her "trophy kills" lined up by the coop door in the morning while Gidget proudly awaits my approval. Make sure your cat does not have fleas or worms. If you keep a litter box in the coop for her, make sure it is one that the chickens cannot get into or is in a place where the chickens cannot get at the litter because they will eat her feces if they get the chance which is not good for your chickens.
Note: As an Amazon Affiliate, I receive a small commission from eligible purchases on this site which is how I keep this site up and running.
A: That depends on your cat. If your cat is good around your chickens and your chicken feed is in a feeder not a feed pan, and there are no baby chicks or small chickens in the chicken house then you most likely wouldn't have a problem. My cat "Gidget" who is spayed and was an adult cat when I got her who had never been around chickens, loves to sleep in the chicken coop at night, she keeps the coop rodent free, and does not bother my chickens. I have cameras in the coop so I can see what she is doing at night. It is not uncommon for me to open the coop door and find her "trophy kills" lined up by the coop door in the morning while Gidget proudly awaits my approval. Make sure your cat does not have fleas or worms. If you keep a litter box in the coop for her, make sure it is one that the chickens cannot get into or is in a place where the chickens cannot get at the litter because they will eat her feces if they get the chance which is not good for your chickens.
Note: As an Amazon Affiliate, I receive a small commission from eligible purchases on this site which is how I keep this site up and running.
References:
1. Photo. Cat, Chicken, Chickens, Hen. (2018). Pixabay.com. Retrieved 18 July 2018, from https://pixabay.com/en/cat-chicken-chickens-hen-animals-2112627/
2. Photo. Cat with bay chick on it's head - Illustration, Color, Design. (2018). Pixabay.com. Retrieved 19 July 2018, from https://pixabay.com/en/illustration-color-design-freehand-1518342/
1. Photo. Cat, Chicken, Chickens, Hen. (2018). Pixabay.com. Retrieved 18 July 2018, from https://pixabay.com/en/cat-chicken-chickens-hen-animals-2112627/
2. Photo. Cat with bay chick on it's head - Illustration, Color, Design. (2018). Pixabay.com. Retrieved 19 July 2018, from https://pixabay.com/en/illustration-color-design-freehand-1518342/