Well Ollie's best friend and partner in crime is my hubby....but the men thing, if we are out on a walk he just walks past folk (mens) and sometimes he reacts to dogs other times he doesn't, he is protective of me on walks, but when hubby is along he is perfect and I would say there are few fear issues on walks it is possibly the opposite if we are out and another dog seem to bound over he will want to be picked up thankfully he is small. When he was young 7ths when we got him he had no recall, so we worked on that in the garden and in quiet areas when out, it is good now...but you can have a wobble when he picks up a sent and is off. I also moved to buying a harness as he pulls and the harness was a far better solution, but that is for the future.
What he doesn't like are men in those high viz yellow jackets...he goes mad barking if he sees someone in one....there is some trigger in his mind regarding this and I think it relates to his time as a puppy, seems the lady owner had probs with her partner and I think the dog might have seen things, plus we are certain he was beaten when small as the way he used to react when we would gentle scold him, it was awful seeing him cower away.
We have never got through the men thing, we have a new neighbour who Ollie will woof at and the man always says hello Oliver etc over the fence, if he was outside his home and we were coming in for a walk he would be fine but on his patch no, could he be aggressive well yes...we have had work men over the years who try to befriend him and he gets aggresive but also timid as he will pee alittle as scared too. We had a tree taken down last year and the bloke open the kitchen door to call be and Ollie darted at him - the guy threw his gloves at him and Ollie ran off with a dribble along the kitchen floor, I am afraid I can't answer the cat and chicken thing.
One thing I would say is Ollie would have been better socialised had I got sustained a neck and shoulder injury 5 weeks after I got him and could no longer take him to training class, hubby couldn't as works away...I think it would have helped alot, I do walk along sometimes with a neighbour and her scottie and he is fine.
I would say meet the dog at the rescue. Many Tear here in UK rehomes brreding cocker and most come from Ireland - ask questions etc they must have a knowledge of the dog, I am sure you have heard the horror stories of some ex breeding dogs that are held in awful conditions in remote farms, you need to have a bit of background on the dog, if it comes to you, if it cowers away, how timid it is and it's health - I would ask if it has any health problems, some can have awful eye problems, if you have a vet you use for you animals might be worth just calling in and speaking to the clinic staff
Wishing you luck