[Bywaters]

Our barn cats (ferals) wait for the clucks and then rush into the nest box to steal  eggs

In the past, we have blown and refilled with mustard (different cats)

What have others tried that has been effective ?

Cats get lots of adlib food esp as it's cold

Thanks in advance

[Fleecewife]

Sorry, we've never had egg-eating cats, just crows, stoats and dogs, occasionally the hens themselves.  When it's happening we just collect the eggs frequently and put up with the occasional egg loss. Keeping the hens in until they have mostly laid their eggs then collecting them when the hens are released might help a bit too.