How to raise Backyard Chickens: RE: [CHICKENS-101] Chickens and Cats

I have 3 cats all raised in the townhome, now in a house in the mountains( 3 months so far) I let them outside on leashes or a tie outs, with supervision, one cat killed a pigeon and a mouse in the house :) One of the others attempted to kill snakes (I had to pull a couple out his claws or mouth) and he loves to chase and eat flies n such. He also killed a gopher in the garage a couple weeks ago.
They are all domestic shorthairs and the later cat that I spoke of ( Monster) was born and raised indoors.
I don't know where he learned to kill and the other 2 cats I got as kittens but were also raised indoors. Maybe I got some unique kitties not quite sure.
I don't know an awful lot about cats having been a converted cat lover several years ago.I just figured I would throw out my experience with my recent fur kids :)
Not trying to say anyone is right or wrong here either, so please just take it as some imput
Samara
-----Original Message-----
Date: Thursday, March 31, 2011 2:04:21 pm
To: CHICKENS-101@yahoogroups.com
From: "Angie Whitehead" <ropen2win@ymail.com>
Subject: [CHICKENS-101] Chickens and Cats

I know someone disagreed with me in that Cats have to be taught to hunt, but
after 14 years of continued education in Veterinary Medicine, this is the advice
we are taught to give. I have 3 cats. One purebred, one ?Apartment kitty? and
one Barn Cat. The Purebred catches crickets, fly?s and pencils! The Apartment
kitty won?t get off the couch to catch a cool breeze. And the barn kitty, who
won Champion at the cat 4H show, brings things in from the desert that are ½ his
size!!! Big Hunter!

That being said, my big hunter doesn?t even look at the chicks. He plays with
one of the roosters in the yard. He?ll pounce and the rooster will run in fear,
then you see the rooster chasing the cat! He goes out and ?hunts? the neighbors
free running chicks, but when he see?s they are chicks, he shakes his tail and
walks away. Barns cats and a century of Ranch life must have taught them not to
touch the livestock. I don?t know.