[Womble]

I read somewhere that chickens have 250-350 taste buds, compared with our 9000. When you think about it, that explains quite a lot!

[sabrina]

All my cats were adults by the time we got the chickens and there has never been a problem. Hen puts the cat away when she has chicks. One has even pecked our Jack Russell on the nose for smelling her bum, should have seen his face 

[in the hills]

    Sabrina


Can't feed my big dog outdoors because the hens chase him from his food bowl.   


My cat was an adult when we took her in and seems to think of the hens as part of the crew .... even the tiny pekin hens. We do keep chicks in their runs for a while though because we have seen her stalking some that stray too far from mum.


Our cat regularly brings back nearly fully grown rabbits and yet she seems to see our house rabbit differently (though we never leave her alone with him just in case). She will walk up to him and touch noses and seems gentle around him.


Maybe cats sense that poultry and pet rabbits are different. 

[goosepimple]

Funny how they seem to know the livestock and pets are different from wildlife - must be a disney classic in there somewhere!

[NormandyMary]

Ive never had a problem with my birds and the moggies. I dont think Ive ever seen a cat chase one of my chooks even when I had them free ranging right up to the house. Henry does come with me to see the chooks when I feed and water them, but as soon as they see him, they make a right old din and he scarpers as fast as his paws will carry him. I dont know whether having Jethro helps, as he is quite a large cockerel.
Freddie and Henry are very keen hunters of everything normally, but I have never worried about the chooks.

[SteveHants]

I believe that having a cockerel helps - if the hens wont see the cat off, then the cock will.