Barn Cats?

[mopalia]

Our local shelter has a category for "Barn Cats." These are cats that don't want to be indoor cats but who need a safe stable living situation. You provide food, shelter and health care as needed. There are semi-feral cats in my neighborhood, and usually one "adopts" me. They don't bother my full grown chickens, but I'm pretty sure that other feral cats were responsible for the demise of many of the unexpected chicks that one hen hatched under a tree. We don't have rats or mice, or, for that matter, any lizards anymore. Make sure that people in your neighborhood are not using rodent poisons - rodenticides - for pest control, because there is the danger that your cat will eat poisoned rodents and be poisoned herself. I learned yesterday that the reason I don't have squirrels damaging my vegetable garden is that the chickens chase them -I have never seen a squirrel move so fast, and there was one of my hens in hot pursuit, she treed the squirrel and the only way it could get away was by climbing the tree and leaping to a nearby wall. I guess everything has a nemesis!

 

[TitiLoca]

Cats are not trainable in a way that dogs are. They hunt by instinct. Basically, any breed will hunt. Mine are all house cats and they still go out to my coop and keep rodents in check. Some people may think that by not feeding them they will be better hunters but this is cruel and definitely a myth. Best regards.

 

[WhatsUpDuck]

Oh yes please feed them correctly! All of our kitties outdoor/indoor have been fed, and they still hunt A LOT! Also remember to worm your kitties!

 

[Vicker]

A cat that has been living as a stray will naturally be a good mouser (and birder, and cottontailer). You may have to confine it in the barn for a while and feed it there to keep it around. Mine just showed up on her own. She became friendly over time. We took her to be spayed and found out she'd already had it done. Now that she's around 9 years old, she comes inside during the coldest nights, but you can't get her to come in during warm months.

 

[CCsGarden]

Cats are not trainable in a way that dogs are. They hunt by instinct. Basically, any breed will hunt. Mine are all house cats and they still go out to my coop and keep rodents in check. Some people may think that by not feeding them they will be better hunters but this is cruel and definitely a myth. Best regards.

Oh, of course I'll not be cruel! I know I have to feed them.