My cat is showing bad behavior now!

Well, since she's not spayed, she certainly should be ASAP. She's 2 years old already!

But in answer to your question about training her to not go after the chickens....

I'd get her spayed first and see what happens after that.

But we've trained our cats not to go on the counters. They certainly don't when they know we're looking. The definitely do at times when they think we're not.

If you love the chickens so much, why would you risk their lives with a cat that apparently now sees them as prey - and that is something completely natural for a cat? I'm so unclear as to why building a fenced in area of your yard for the chickens is a problem. My grandfather raised chickens - not for eggs, not for meat, but for love of the breeds. He had many champions in many breeds. He loved them, and they were family. But they lived in the barn or a fenced in area of the yard. They were not unhappy. With just two chickens, they really do not need a very large area. It is beyond my comprehension that you would give away a cat because it is doing something natural to it - when there is a perfectly reasonable solution.

Originally Posted by LDG

It is beyond my comprehension that you would give away a cat because it is doing something natural to it - when there is a perfectly reasonable solution.

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People do all sorts of things that really make no sense. (declawing for example)
I have the feeling the threat to rehome the cat was partially a emotional one and not a threat to be taken too seriously if other options are available.

I actually have 3 chickens. And I just don't believe in cooping them up. They love having free-range of the property and I don't wan to coop them up when out of all my animals, only one is trying to hurt them. None of my animals do that but her. IDK... I just don't like the idea of fencing them to a section of the yard. They wouldn't understand why the heck I did that. I'll keep it in mind though... *sigh

And yeah, I'd probably Never get rid of my cat lol... this is a tough decision for me, even though it may be easy for everyone else... it's obvious to people to say hey, just coop up the chickens, what's the big deal?

But for me, it's a very personal decision because I don't agree with cooping them. I love my hens and I love my cats and dogs, and I want them all to get along. Sorry this is confusing... lol... but my cats don't go after the hens and my hens love the space they have. The whole yard is their coop. And then one cat tries to go after them and it's gotten me stressed out.

I understand that you're stressed. And you're actually very lucky to only be running into problems now. I think the reason most people are saying coop up the chickens is because they live in areas that free roaming chickens aren't very common.
I live in the rural midwest, you'd think that everyone around here would let their chickens roam but there's actually a lot of coyotes and lately a lot of red foxes. I've seen foxes from my back driveway so I'd never let something as defenseless as a chicken roam about.

Can Bella stay inside? She should really be spay and will, ideally, need some time inside after that anyways. Maybe later reintroducing her to the yard will go better. And if it doesn't, nothing says you have to fence the chickens, or cat, into a small area. If you have a large yard you can fence as much as you want.

Originally Posted by meminikitty

So because she MIGHT be pregnant, she would change her personality against the hens? That actually happens?

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Yes, and she can still like the other animals just all of a sudden not the hens anymore. I know it sounds weird but that's hormones for you.

Anyway, I understand about not wanting to coup the hens up. This is your choice and I respect that you love your animals so much. In the mean time, get the cat to the vet to see if she's preggers and if not get her fixed right away if you can. Then you can let us know if that changed her ways at all. If not, let us know and maybe someone can think of another solution so you don't have to coup up the hens.

Originally Posted by BABZ

...Anyway, I understand about not wanting to coup the hens up.

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I understand about not wanting to coop up the chickens either. I don't understand wanting to rehome the kitty rather than create a run for the chickens. They are smart animals with distinctive personalities - but having known a LOT of them, I'm also sure they wouldn't mind being restricted to a run. So what I don't understand is not doing what's best in order to keep all of the animals happy.

I mean - if I had three children, and one of them was mentally disabled in such a way that they kept attacking one of my other children - I would figure out a way to keep the children separated rather than adopt out the child with the problem.

The problem with this analogy, of course, is that the cat is not mentally disabled - just either affected by hormones or genes (or both) - doing something that actually comes naturally to it.

Around here you can't even keep chickens without confining them - foxes would eat them, and they'd likely attract the raccoons and skunks because of the eggs. Even on the farm, I was never there for two weeks or a month where at least at one point during my stay Grandpa was out with the shotgun after something that had gotten into the barn (usually a fox or skunk).

I don't know where Memini kitty lives - but in most places, cooping them up in some way or another is actually for their own protection!

Maybe this will help in understanding that disciplining a cat will not work.

http://www.thecatsite.com/Behavior/4...-Dont-Mix.html

I hope you can get her to the vet soon. Maybe you can let her be your inside companion.

Originally Posted by meminikitty

I love my hens and I love my cats and dogs, and I want them all to get along.

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I love my Mum & my Nana and I want them to get along too but we cannot always get what we want, especially when we are talking about animals here - whose instincts are to kill their prey.

I cannot fathom you shaking a cat and then coming on to a site of cat lovers and saying that. Sorry but that disgusts me. It is NATURAL for a cat to be chasing the chicken - it's in their blood.

I had pet rats growing up and although I wanted them all to get along. I could almost see some of the cats drooling as they watched them so I did the sensible thing and kept them separate.

You may not want to coop your chickens but I'd hate to see your reaction whn you come out and find one dead.

Thanks for the replies. I realized I shouldn't have shaken my cat, no matter how light and quickly I'd done it. It was wrong and I'll never even think of doing it again.

Although I can't have my hens pinned up (I just really don't like the idea) I'm going to keep Bella inside from now on. Her vet appointment is scheduled for this Friday, it's the earliest they had. I'll see if she's pregnant, if not, I'm going to see if there is anything wrong with her because she never went after then hens before. Like I mentioned earlier, she used to groom them and lol no, not in a tasty "I want to eat you" sort of way.

So Bella is inside with me now, luckily no hard feelings against what happened yesterday, although honestly, she wasn't shaken up very hard. I barely shook her, it was the NO! that did the most damage.

Sorry for causing tempers to flare up. Definitely did not mean to do that. I do love my animals, I really do. I just couldn't believe what my cat was doing, that's all.

Originally Posted by meminikitty

Although I can't have my hens pinned up (I just really don't like the idea) I'm going to keep Bella inside from now on. Her vet appointment is scheduled for this Friday, it's the earliest they had. I'll see if she's pregnant, if not, I'm going to see if there is anything wrong with her because she never went after then hens before.

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Good luck at the vet!

Originally Posted by meminikitty

Like I mentioned earlier, she used to groom them and lol no, not in a tasty "I want to eat you" sort of way.

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Thanks! I hope everything goes well there!
Yeah I guess that did sound pretty funny!

Originally Posted by meminikitty

Thanks for the replies. I realized I shouldn't have shaken my cat, no matter how light and quickly I'd done it. It was wrong and I'll never even think of doing it again.

Although I can't have my hens pinned up (I just really don't like the idea) I'm going to keep Bella inside from now on. Her vet appointment is scheduled for this Friday, it's the earliest they had. I'll see if she's pregnant, if not, I'm going to see if there is anything wrong with her because she never went after then hens before. Like I mentioned earlier, she used to groom them and lol no, not in a tasty "I want to eat you" sort of way.

So Bella is inside with me now, luckily no hard feelings against what happened yesterday, although honestly, she wasn't shaken up very hard. I barely shook her, it was the NO! that did the most damage.

Sorry for causing tempers to flare up. Definitely did not mean to do that. I do love my animals, I really do. I just couldn't believe what my cat was doing, that's all.

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I was wondering what happened, so came to check for an update I'd missed.

There was an update - but one I don't understand? You said Bella was going to be inside with you until you went to the vet. Yet just a couple of days ago - if that long - you said your mom doesn't allow cats inside at all. ???

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=205698

Originally Posted by meminikitty

....My mom doesn't allow cats indoors, especially Minnie since she has litterbox issues. Even if she didn't, she wouldn't be allowed. Our cats (all pets, actually) are strictly outdoor and usually do fine.

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Where was Bella? ...and what happened with Bella at the vet? Is she pregnant? Or was she spayed - or are there plans to spay her?

Originally Posted by LDG

I was wondering what happened, so came to check for an update I'd missed.

There was an update - but one I don't understand? You said Bella was going to be inside with you until you went to the vet. Yet just a couple of days ago - if that long - you said your mom doesn't allow cats inside at all. ???

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=205698



Where was Bella? ...and what happened with Bella at the vet? Is she pregnant? Or was she spayed - or are there plans to spay her?

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Bella wasn't pregnant so we got her spayed. It was the plan for Bella to stay inside, it was just one day my brother got a terrible rash, we took him to the doc, found out he was allergic. That was a bit after we let her live inside. It just suddenly happened. Bella is outdoors again with the other cats and we took the hens to my grandma's farm to make sure they were safe just in case Bella tried to strike again. I didn't want to risk it, and I didn't want to "discipline" her from doing something naturally, so that was the solution.

I'm glad the hens are safe and Bella's been spayed.

Originally Posted by LDG

I'm glad the hens are safe and Bella's been spayed.

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Thanks. I had to arrange all my pets so things could work out well, but it's all good now and I'm glad I can still see everyone and know they're happy. For instance, my little hen just had 4 little chicks hatch on Wednesday. I'm so happy for her because usually we just take her eggs and she ends up a bit sad afterwards.

Originally Posted by LDG

I'm glad the hens are safe and Bella's been spayed.

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Sounds like everything worked out for the best for everyone!

Yeah, it was a bit chaotic at first but it's great now. Everyone's happy.

I raced back outside, scuffed my cat, and shook her, yelling NO.

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Keep in mind, yelling at cats only makes them more fearful of you. And please, in the future, don't shake an animal.

Originally Posted by kittyxsasha12

Keep in mind, yelling at cats only makes them more fearful of you. And please, in the future, don't shake an animal.

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Oh yeah I feel really bad about doing that! I would never do it again.