Barn Cats?

[Debbie292d]

Our Humane Society has a separate adoption program for barn/"working" cats. I agree with the suggestion to reach out to any local Humane Society/animal rescues in your area.

I no longer have outdoor/barn cats (for various reasons), but there is a local stray who patrols my yard and keeps an eye on the rats.

One caution is that a barn cat might go after chicks, so take care if you have little ones running around.

I would never trust Stella or the other two cats near baby chicks but Stella for one walks among the chickens, even the young ones. Once chicks are a few weeks old, I trust them much better.

 

[Anon112]

I would never trust Stella or the other two cats near baby chicks but Stella for one walks among the chickens, even the young ones. Once chicks are a few weeks old, I trust them much better.

My outdoor cats never bothered my chickens. My one cat, Oliver (who was outdoor for ages but came inside about two years ago) LOVES hanging out with the chickens. Anytime he had a chance to go in their run, hang around them, etc.

I have a co-worker who had chicks disappearing and it turned out it was one of the barn cats picking them off.

 

[ABQ chicken keeper]

love my Bengals too, but too expensive for accidental predator food to leave them outside...

Bingo! There are no cats in our area because of predators, mainly coyotes. If someone does try to keep a barn cat do the responsible cat owner thing, spay or neuter the cat!

 

[McChooky]

The coyotes,bob cats and owls here eat every cat they can find.
Good luck with your barn cat to control mice and rats! I've found its easier to prevent rats and mice than replace the cats that get taken

 

[CCsGarden]

The coyotes,bob cats and owls here eat every cat they can find.
Good luck with your barn cat to control mice and rats! I've found its easier to prevent rats and mice than replace the cats that get taken

Good point.
We don't have too much wildlife just 1 coyote but lately I haven't seen him on the camera.

 

[CCsGarden]

I also, have another question!
I feed all the birds and I'm thinking the cat will go after those too? If she grew up with them do you think she would leave them alone?

 

[NotabitaiI]

I also, have another question!
I feed all the birds and I'm thinking the cat will go after those too? If she grew up with them do you think she would leave them alone?

Wild birds? Yes, 100% she will kill some birds.
I've never had a cat bother my chickens tho.

 

[CCsGarden]

Wild birds? Yes, 100% she will kill some birds.
I've never had a cat bother my chickens tho.

Yes and my pet dove

 

[NotabitaiI]

Yes and my pet dove

I'm sure if you're monitoring the dove situation it'll be fine but wild birds are a cat's kryptonite

 

[WhatsUpDuck]

Our cats love catching wild birds, but they accept our chickens as a part of their pack..now with that said just because they haven't doesn't mean they won't they are still a critter not a person. We have owls, coyotes, foxes, supposedly bob cats lots of predators, but they haven't attacked our cats or dogs in three years. Now if they get hungry that might change..
I would call your local animal shelter. At ours apart of the adoption fee covers the spay/neuter! That saves us a lot of money! And it is better for them. The only thing with spaying is ours had a rough recovery. I wouldn't want them living full time outside. So that is something to consider. Our boy kitties did great with their neuter. After the drugs wore off they pretty much bounced back after a good nap.