Question about barn cats

[Lynne360]

Hello Everyone,

I would really like to get a barn cat and am wondering if any of you have barn cats that are also pets. My husband is very allergic to cats, so I can not have a cat in the house. I would like to start out with a kitten or young cat but am worried that it will not stick around. I thought of putting a cat door in my tack room but worry about other critters getting in and I also hatch chicks in there in the spring so I don't think that would work. I don't want this cat to be wild. I love cats (actually all animals) so I want to be able to hold it etc.

If any of you have barn cats that are also pets, I would love to know how it works for you

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

Barn cat central here.. most were dumped most ok ALL were ferral cats at one point. A couple still are pretty wild most will let us pet them and come for attention and a few are total pets - they hang out with the horses, ride in the wheelbarrel when I feed hay, sit with me in the middle of the circle when I lunge a horse, they actually knock on the screen door if I am late coming out which of course sets the inside cats and dogs into a total tizzy

I would get 2 if you can that is just me though I think they would do better with a friend to hang out with. Mine not only kill mice and voles on a regular basis but have way earned there keep killing the snakes

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Get three or four- one is unlikely to stay- although if you were to get an older, neutered cat it might well.

Either way keep it in for a good while.

I am allergic to cats- so is Marty- just ask her about her love of cats

: but I can tolerate them well in the outside environment.

I love my Barn Kitties- I have two females, Mother and Daughter, and I feed them well.

When I was given my first box of kittens by a local farmer he told me to always feed them well, a hungry cat makes a poor hunter and a well fed one will reward you.

 

[Warpony]

I don't keep barn cats, but I've worked at several farms that did...

Most of them were really pets, who just lived in the barn and chased away mice. The ones who seemed to work out best were the ones who lived in pairs and were spayed/neutered. That gave them a friend to cuddle with and no hormonal reason to roam. Usually they started out as kittens living in the tack room and being let out during the day and locked in at night, then once they were spayed/neutered they were moved out of the tack room and lived in the barn full time. By then they had already come to associate the barn as their home and it was a rare thing for one of them to run off and not come back.

 

[wantminimore]

This fast fall I got 2 kittens and they were not to be house cats. I have a seperate building near the barn where I store some of my hay and that's where they lived until they got some size on them. My kids do bring them into the house sometimes but they sleep outside. They have since moved to the barn and can come and go as they please.

I think if you hold them and give them attention while you're in the barn that they'll be friendly cats.

I got 2 so 1 wouldn't be lonely out there and it has worked out good for me.

Leslie

 

[Lauralee]

I have 9 barn cats, all spayed and neutered.

Cats hunt for sport, not to live. If you will keep food for your cat in the barn, it will not leave. If you don't feed the cat, and expect it to survive on whatever it kills, it will not be healthy, and it will be less socialized towards humans, and may potentially leave.

You WANT the cat to be socialized to humans so that you can CATCH IT! Nothing is worse than trying to catch a feral cat that is pumping out litters of feral kittens season after season. Cat bites are terrible wounds.

Cats are very independent and easy to maintain. Start with a kitten from your local animal shelter. Raise it in the barn, around the chicks, and handle it regularly with love. It will most likely tolerate the chicks after it matures and will become a cherished companion as well.

We have learned that the FEMALES are the hunters....and the males are more sedentary.

Good luck with your kitty. We love all of ours.

 

[Warpony]

We have learned that the FEMALES are the hunters....and the males are more sedentary.

on the rare occasion a mouse ventures into our home the females catch the mouse, then the males steal the mouse and play with it. They could never be bothered to actually catch the thing themselves, that's what girl cats are for, lol. The ladies do the work and the guys get all the fun.

 

[sfmini]

BooBoo kitty was born here and will live out his life. He is a good hunter, and was a tireless companion to our colt when he got so sick and almost died. That cat was in the stall non stop for a month. He just last week left the stall and is back to bugging us for attention. He has never been a house cat, loves people and is an attention addict to the point of being a pest. He 'helps' the vet every time she comes and in return she gives him HARD back rubs that he goes nutty over. At Christmas we have to lock him in a crate so he doesn't get in one of our Christmas tree customer's cars and disappear.

One day Pete was hauling a flatbed full of trees to deliver and plant and looked in his side mirror and was suprised to see BooBoo hanging out on the flatbed! He stopped, put the cat in the truck and the poor cat spent the day in the truck while Pete worked planting. He sure was glad to get home!

This is BooBoo and his sick colt.

 

[HobbsFarm]

[SIZE=12pt]There is a lot of great advice here from everyone... [/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]We had one indoor/outdoor cat the we originally adopted from the shelter to catch the mice that had decided they wanted to share our new house with us. That didn't work as planned. I have actually seen her laying on the living room floor and WATCH a mouse run across the room, then go back to sleep.

: Our Australian cattle dog catches more creatures than the cat. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]One important point that has already been made is about feeding them good and feeding them in the barn. Those two things will help tremendously to keep them around. And always spay and neuter of course!! [/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Good luck! Shannon

[/SIZE]

 

[Lynne360]

Thanks to everyone for all the great ideas. I think I will get 2 instead of 1. That is a good idea that I had not thought of. Then I can keep them together in the tack room at first until they get used to where they live. I don't really need anymore chickens this year anyway so I could wait until the cats were out and about. I had always had house cats before I met my husband, but after my beloved Sabrina passed (she was 20 ) we agreed "no more house cats". I am a strong proponent of spaying/neutering pets so I will be sure to do that. I hope with good care and feeding they can help out with the mice and also the chipmunks. Those chipmunks chew everything in site and are a real problem.

I'm sure I can find someone that has a litter of kittens this spring and I will also try the local humane society.

Thanks again

 

[Pandora]

Along with feeding them, don't forget their shots! My mom's 2 barn cats always get their vaccines.

And they love to be petted also.

 

[HobbsFarm]

I'm sure I can find someone that has a litter of kittens this spring and I will also try the local humane society.
Thanks again

[SIZE=12pt]Something else to think about... Shelter vs. free kitties in the paper. Our shelter charges a $45 adoption fee per pet. So $90 might seem like a lot of money for the two kitties. But if you get two "free" kitties advertised in your paper, they are far from free. Chances are, they have never been to the vet which could mean numerous types of worms, exposure to feline luekemia, no vaccinations and propably tons of fleas. So, the shelter kitties will already be spayed or come with a certificate to do it when they are old enough, current on shots, luekemia testing, etc. The total vet bill for the "free" kittens will cost way more than rescuing some from your local shelter.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]I'm sure that you've already thought about this, but I just wanted to mention it.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]Good luck! Shannon[/SIZE]

 

[iluvwalkers]

[SIZE=14pt]we have 4 cats here and 2 are house/barn cats and the 2 boys are young and stay in the house full time for now. we had wanted barn cats and always fed them in the barn but somehow they ended up in the house

: . the 2 girls make their rounds and hang in the barn but go in and out of the house...i think they come into the house to use the litter box

: . we have them all "fixed" and they all get vaccinated.anyway, lots of good advice here and Shannon your right about the pound being a better option. i just had my 2 boys neutered and given shots and it cost me $157.00 :new_shocked: , ouch for them and ME! it would have been even more if they were females. good luck with your future kittys! Nikki [/SIZE]

 

[kaykay]

if you want a good barn cat never let it in the house. i got mine from the shetler for 10.00 and he was already neutered, had all his shots and testing! cant beat that. Hes awesome and just the friendliest cat i have ever owned. He has never run off etc and hes the only one i have. In fact he will not tolerate another cat in the barn and chases them off.

 

[iluvwalkers]

[SIZE=14pt]never heard that if you let them in the house they won't be good in the barn...mine are still great mousers but what ever works for you

: Nikki[/SIZE]

 

[RainSong]

We've had alot of cats... all house cats, all indoor/outdoor, and the males did as much hunting as the females. One of ours was 13 or 14, nearly toothless, belled... and caught a HUMMINGBIRD!

We've got one we're trying to find a barn home for right now. She's a sweetheart, but has it in for one of the cats we had before she showed up. She spent the summer catching snakes which I'd then sneak out to the back field before she killed them- they were garter snakes, nothing nasty- and before my step-dad could see them. He hates snakes!!

She's a solid black young'un, and showed up here about midsummer and just sorta made herself comfy (First on the porch, then eventually inside onces the dogs quit going after her). Quite the lover, but really doesn't fit in here- We're sure she's spayed, since she's been here plenty long enough and hasn't had a heat cycle yet. You're in Washington... so if you're interested, we may be able to figure something out

My step-sister is also in Washington, and may have cats/kittens she doesn't want- she gets a lot of strays!

A LOT of the barns I've been around have had barn cats... most have been lovey sweet things. I have to agree with the idea you have to feed them... because if they find anywhere with a better and easier to get food source, they'll happily decamp!

 

[PaintedPromiseRanch]

we've got two boys... were lucky to find someone with older kittens already raised in a barn that they hadn't found homes for. we put a litter box and their food in the barn and there they stay. we've had no problem with them being too lazy to catch mice (and even a baby bunny which i was not happy to find!) but do get them fixed, it helps tremendously keeping them home...

 

[wantminimore]

RainSong

I'd love to have that cat that catches snakes, i'm terrified of them but i'm way up here in Maine.

Leslie

 

[RainSong]

RainSong

I'd love to have that cat that catches snakes, i'm terrified of them but i'm way up here in Maine.

Leslie

LOL... we'll just send her via FedEx

We're all sick of her attacking the other cat. She'll actually lay in wait! We're not even sure WHY she's going after him, other then he's the only thing we have that passes for the ruling cat in the house now. He won't fight back for the most part though- he pulls a "Leave me alone, I'll leave you alone" stand on this.

She'd be a terrific barn cat, but NOT a good house cat- at least, not for anything but short visits. I guess she's about two or two and a half... but she's BIG! The cat we think came along with her is the same way- young, but big... and has the LARGEST ears! I can't advise he goes to a barn home- he was obviously abused before he came here, and is only just recently getting to the point where we don't scare him to death. Wouldn't be surprised if some of Midnight's bad behavior is from the same abuse-type stuff... she's just handled it all differently.

 

[Roxane Martin]

A few things that that worked for me (mostly), as our barn is open and they can always get in and out--

1. Get a litter of kittens (at least 2) and female (more territorial than males generally)

2. Keep them crated in the barn when very little (don't need them stepped on! I had big horses at that time.)

3. Keep them locked up at night until about 5-6 months (so owls and other predators don't get them--they are about the size of a rabbit until then.) With litter box--that way they are used to it if they ever need to go to vet.

4. How close is the barn to a road? Recognize that you will likely lose cats to the road even if fixed.

5. Socialize the kittens with several people and often, just like if it was going to be inside.

6. Vaccinations for sure, especially rabies and leukemia. Barn vet can do when they come out, but cats have to be ready and caged.

7. Keeping dry food available at all times, along with fresh water (that means heated water bowl in winter) is a good thing but know that it may also bring in other cats (or other animals!).

8. Put the food dishes up if possible to make it harder for possums (or horses or dogs) to reach them. (My minis LOVE dry cat food!)

9. To make sure we see them consistently, and to make sure we attain the rank of "food gods", we give some wet cat food every day (OK, twice a day). They get to know your routine and they associate you with goodies. That also assures you will see them to check for injuries etc.

I started in June 1999 with 3 female kittens. All fixed at 6 months. One hit by car at about 9 months of age. One hit by car (we think chased by something as she never went to road) at about 5 years of age. Last kitten still here--it is her barn! The other cats that have wandered in are there by her grace.

Other cats have come and gone--the last one I trapped and had fixed and now he pretty much sticks around at his "house".

Note also that although they kill mice, moles, etc. they will also catch and kill baby birds and adults too. If you will be upset if the cat kills a pretty songbird, then think about it. Have you threatened bird species in your area? Cats will hunt regardless and are the most efficient feline killers on the planet and are responsible for quite a few species extinction when introduced to areas where there were no such similar hunters.

I love my outdoor cats (thus I am never deprived of kitty love) but they have their price.

Good luck.

Roxane