Best Weapon Against Stray Cats?

[yearofthenick]

As some of you know, I got some chicks and have been building a chicken coop in my backyard. I started on Monday and have been building it on/off between work. It seems like every time I'm out there, a cat is watching. On the fence, on the roof, anywhere. On top of that, we hear cats fighting it out sometimes in the middle of the night.
I know cats can be deadly to chickens, and I intend to let my chickens roam the yard during the day. If there's a cat that becomes a nuisance, what's the best way to kill it? I know some of you are animal lovers, but with a redneck like me, it's about protecting the livestock here... and if the cat is a stray, then I'm putting it out of it's misery.
On top of that, it's a public nuisance to allow your animals to go into other people's yards, so I could even have the owners fined for the cats being in my yard... BUT I DON"T WANT TO BE "THAT" NEIGHBOR... you know, the one that everyone hates... the neighborhood nazi who is reporting broken down cars in someone's driveway to HOA or something.
I just want the damn cats to leave my chickens alone when they're roaming the yard. What's the best way to do that? No, I'm not covering my yard with chicken wire.
I'm thinking like a taser or something. Or a bow and arrows. I can't use my gun... it would make everyone call the cops when I fire it.

 

[geoj]

Well first you can put duct tape sticky side up all around the property the cats hate duct tape on there feet. Second remove all the birds feathers, a cats will not mess with a featherless bird.

 

[zman1]

I am listening - we a have stray cat issue. However, it's with a roaming cat, fighting with my wife's two cats. If we leave the front door open, both of her cats sit and wait at the screen door. When the stray shows up, all hell breaks loose. They even attack each other in the rumble. Not that it's not somewhat entertaining.

My wife's cats are neutered, the other spayed and both declawed. The rabble rouser is not declawed for sure and is tearing the screen up in the confrontation. We just had the screen replaced a month ago. I might try the duck tape option. Or keep the door closed -lol

 

[ibanez]

First of all no one can control a cat, and you can't just keep all cats inside. We used to have dozens here and I caught them in a cat cage one by one and took them into the pound. One was even part bobcat. One thing you can get at wally world is a paintball gun, a sling shot, an air soft gun, or a bb gun. Or you could get a rooster, they are mean as heck. You should be good once the chickens get full size.

 

[fishtaco]

Your more than likely going to lose more chickens to coons.
Fishtaco

 

[speg]

In my experience with raising chickens... I've only had problems with cats while the chickens were really young, when they're larger the cats aren't an issue. Like Fishtaco said, racoons are an issue.. and here we have possums that are also a major issue--dogs too.
While they're babies you should double-up the chicken wire along the coop only about a foot off the ground all the way around. I usually dig all the way around the coop and put the wire (or crushed bricks/rock/metal siding) down in the ground along the perimeter of the coop to keep out any possibility of things digging.
Secondly... you could get a dog for your yard that loves you+chickens but hates cats.
Thirdly... don't kill the cats... sheesh...

 

[al&burke]

I have had everything try to get into our chicken coop, when I made the fence I buried it about a 18", so far nothing has gotten into them, unfortunately I can't let them run free, would like too. +1 to the rooster as well Ibanez.

 

[stdreb27]

Are they neighbor's cats, who roam, or are they ferrel cats?
Chicken are pretty tough, I wouldn't worry about cats that much.

 

[ibanez]

A rooster we had as a kid used to go toe to toe with our german shepherd. It intimidated the dog enough that when we would throw the ball over by the rooster, the dog wouldn't go get it. Just be careful if you have any young kids over cause they will spur the crap out of ya. Here skunks are the problem. We had a couple of bad skunks out here a couple years ago so my dad set up a trap for them, and when he would catch one, he would use a 22 short round on it. One day, one of them got caught and pulled the trap about 20 feet from where it was and when dad came around the corner, he got blasted right in the face. I have never laughed so hard in all my life. Skunks will dig also.

 

[flower]

A rooster is no match for a cat. A cat’s saliva is poisonous to birds of any kind. A dog indeed is the best defense against cats, and even raccoons, however not against hawks. I would not plan to let chickens roam the yard free.

 

[mrdc]

A .22 would work pretty good!

 

[yearofthenick]

thanks for the advice guys.
The coop I've been building has a lockable roost which they can sleep in at night. I am not too concerned about anyone getting under the coop especially because we have clay-like dirt here that is very hard... it took me a while to get down one inch on the front right of the coop just so I could get it level.
Even still, I have boulders that I intend to line the coop with.
If I notice any digging I can set some traps. In the meantime, I might pick up a BB gun or slingshot - I like that idea.

 

[yearofthenick]

P.S. Roosters are not possible. Municipal code prohibits livestock that cause sound nuisances.

 

[ironeagle2006]

What works REAL good around here is real simple called get some Fox Urine from a Hunting store. Spray that around the area. Make them think something BIGGER and meaner than them lives here. Kinda like my dog found out when a long time ago at the old Tiger Truck Stop when he Barked at the Big Kitty cat there wel sucker Growled at him. Now imagine a daucshound leaping 6 feet into the cab of a truck. That was what he did that day. He also stopped chasing cats for some reason.

 

[reefraff]

Get a young dog and train it that chickens are it's friends and cats aren't. That would also cure the raccoon issue although I doubt one would make a raid during the day. Another option would be a goose or a Tom Turkey. Either of those raised with the chickens would kick the living dog snot out of most domestic cats.

 

[darthtang aw]

Empty milk jugs filled with water.....sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Just place them in a perimeter around where you don't want them. Sounds dumb, but I have seen this work. Just about 50% of the population in the south valley of albuquerque does this to keep animals off their property. The other half own a gun.

 

[fishtaco]

Originally Posted by YearOfTheNick
http:///forum/post/3268953
P.S. Roosters are not possible. Municipal code prohibits livestock that cause sound nuisances.
You know I always think that is kind of a stupid ordinance. When I lived in suburbia hell, 5 blocks from the fire station in a bad part of town, a rooster crowing no matter what time would have been a welcome noise compared to the sirens, both police and fire about on the hour, stupidly loud car stereos, barking dogs, loud neighbors and any other number of noises that where more annoying.
Fishtaco
F

 

[scottnlisa]

Moth Balls work wonders with animals. Just put them around the area where you don't want cats and the smell will detour them.

 

[reefraff]

IME you aren't going to deter a cat or any other animal looking at a buffet using passive measures. A cat looking for a nice place to take it's daily repose is a lot easier to keep away than one looking for lunch.

 

[handbanana]

I haven't read the whole thread yet but I wanted to throw this out there in case no one else did.
High powered airsoft gun. shoots plastic balls at a nice velocity. cats dont like them. non leathel and fun as hell. I caucht a stray pissing on my hibatchi and steaks and zapped him with my Mac-11 airsoft. jumped about 10 feet straight up and was gone like a rocket. hasn't come back since.
Just don't go running down the street with them cuz they look and feel real.