Ok so. My local animal shelter has a barn buddies program where they fix feral cats that are non agrssive just very people shy. They adopt them out right after being fixed for outdoor barn living. I am adopting one next week. My barn is filled with voles and mice yay. Anyways. I was just wondering if anyone has any advice on getting her to stay. The told me I should keep her in an enclosed part of the barn for a couple of weeks before I let her outside. I got a cat food for her that the first ingredient is chicken. (Not chcicken by product. Mu mom suggested I put raw egg on her food. The shelter suggested canned food. Does anyone have any experience with this. And if so what would your advice be for keeping her from roaming. Im picking her up Tuesday. She is getting spayed monday . Should I even try to keep her in an empty unused bathroom in the housr at first or is that a terrible idea. Ty for any advice in advance.
Congrats on the new cat!
Barn cats are awesome, they love to play out-doors and often they will begin to tame down to people with time and kindness. I know how fearful out-door cats can be, so the most important thing is to not stare right at them, not walk towards them in a straight line, don't grab for them, don't move fast. Do everything slow and with gentle talking, take a loop around them when walking by so they have their space. Sit down and offer some food near-by and then just sit and watch without touching them so they learn to trust you. With time they should begin to allow you nearer and nearer, though they may always be jumpy and skittish.
Keeping them in an enclosed area for a few weeks is VERY SMART. If you don't, they will try to return to their old territory and you likely will never find them again> I have heard this happen too many times. Keep that cat locked up for at least a few days before letting it out and it should realize tat its home is a place of warmth, safety and food. The more hiding places offered the safer it will feel and more likely it will be to want to stay. Keeping her in the bathroom would imprint her to indoors instead of to the barn, so if she was let out after that period of being indoors she might still run off because she wouldn't be sure where to go.
We feed our outdoor cats mainly dry food (because its less expensive), but they LOVE wet food too. You can also poor some chicken broth over the food to flavor it, offer pieces of meat, ect. We have never actually given our cats raw eggs or egg yolk, though I know our dogs enjoy having eggs as treats. I'm glad you're going with the better brand. I know its more expensive, but cats will live far longer, healthier lives if they aren't fed something where the main ingredient is corn (like most of the foods offered around here are). Corn is just a filler and is not a natural food for any carnivore. It is hard to digest with little nutritional value. Many animals also have allergies to soy, so real meat is the best source of protein.
Lastly, just wanted to say, if you have chickens, bee careful with a new cat. Cats that haven't been raised around chickens may hunt them. We had this happen with a stray tomcat we adopted. He would hunt the young birds and leave the older ones alone so for a while we didn't know it was him. It stopped as soon as he left though, and all the chickens reacted with fear towards him and not towards the other cats.
Best of luck with your new cat!
