? About Barn Cats

[Chirpy]

Go for it and give them a good home. Then, like the others said... feed them once a day so they know that they are home. Make sure they are spayed/neutered and current on, at least, their rabies shots.

Our barn kitties were all raised here from kittens so that makes a difference. They LOVE people attention but they live in the barn. We feed them every morning and they still do a fantastic job of killing (and eating) all mice and ground squirrels in sight. We see them trotting by the house (coming in from the fields) with their freshly caught meals in their mouths.

I would never trust one of them around chicks. I had to intervene twice when our momma hen had her new baby chick out to free range - which we only allowed to happen when we were sitting there helping to watch. Once our chicks are about 2 months old our cats have never shown any interest in them. Actually, our older chickens originally chased off all the cats when they came to check them out the first time we had chickens. That was enough to keep the cats away for months. Now, they walk near the chickens ... just not too near!

I have heard of feral cats taking out adult chickens though ... so you'll want to keep an eye on things for a while to see how they all react to each other.

 

[Katy]

Most of my barn cats don't pay much attention to the chickens, but there are a couple that would get them in a second if the opportunity presented itself.

 

[arlee453]

If the chicken is smaller than the cat, you may have an issue. Once the chicken is bigger than the cat, they usually ignore them.

And I vote for feeding the cats and spaying/neutering them.

I have two barn cats that are spayed and fed, but they still do OK at catching mice. Rats, on the other hand....forget it - they are scared of them...

 

[vicki2x2]

If you want them to stay, be healthy and productive hunters, you need to feed them. Cats prefer to hunt for fun and mine are excellent at it. I look at it like this, you have your chickens for eggs, but you feed them, not expect them to free range all their food, right? Because they produce better when well fed and healthy. Same with cats!

Ours love to watch the chicks but they are safe in their run and when loose, they have never bothered any of our animals. Wild animals are fair game, the rest are mine and they know it!

 

[sundance]

Cats, even barn cats live better and longer lives if they are well fed, spay/neuter, then they hunt and will bring the kill for you to praise them and tell them what great cats-they are, and rabies shots are a requirement to.

marrie

 

[ILoveJoe]

My cats eat chipmunks and I have no more chipmunks. I haven't seen a single one this summer, last year they were popping up in my face in the garden and giving me heart failure.

The cats are VERY interested in the 6 week old chicks I just put outside, but can't get to them. They stalk Hoss the rooster, but he ignores their shenanigans and has sent them running a time or two.

I have a neighbor who told me feeding cats ruins them and they won't hunt. HA!
I feed my cats and they are prolific hunters. If I see them after birds I scold them and chase them away, but mice, voles (they don't eat) and bugs are all fair game out here. I lock them up in the shed to protect them from coyotes and other night mauraders.

 

[Beekissed]

My cat eats chipmunks...

The one thing I don't want him to kill! (I like the little buggers!) I also feed him once a day, just in case the hunt isn't a success. That cat hunts so much its amazing to watch! I don't have any mice, moles, voles, rabbits, chipmunks

, praying mantis

left in my yard! He makes a few half-hearted attempts at a stray chicken here and there but I can tell he isn't serious. I think he does it for the entertainment factor...how many times can I make one run and squawk before the rooster comes after me?
I say feed 'em but not over feed.

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

Yes, please feed the cats!!! They will kill for fun but probably won't eat it. Ours get along fine with the chickens. The chickens actually let the chickens eat the cat food right out of their bowls. They get along fine.

 

[boilerjoe_96]

My chickens chase my two barn cats off when food is put out. Cats sit there and let the chickens eat the food.(I have put a stop to this)

My chickens are full grown...no issues...

Now the pheasants that are young...different story.... those are not free range, but should one get out.... cats, dogs.. first one gets dinner(much to my dismay)....

 

[Chick_a_dee]

If you get barn cats PLEASE have them fixed, the amount of kittens that come from barncats and are left to die, or just dont survive, dont find homes, etc. is appauling. There IS a program in which you can get fixed barncats from in Canada I believe, and in the US. They are relocated from another barn/farm, fixed, and sent on to a new farm/barn to keep the population moving.

My cat (Accio) was an abandonned by his mother barn kitten, who was very time when we got him, and if he hadn't been taken in he wouldn't have survived.