Cats as Pest Control in Winter

[LeggyLeghorn]

Yep. He was the sweetest thing before we neutered him. Now he's just an a-hole.

jeez, it's usually the other way around! Every un-neutered male that I've had, or have known, was a total dick until I had "it" done.

 

[Taj_MaChicken]

jeez, it's usually the other way around! Every un-neutered male that I've had, or have known, was a total dick until I had "it" done.

His sweetness could've been an act. Someone abandoned him at my boyfriend's work, he brought him home after a week to see how he'd get along with our other two... then after I got him fixed he hisses at my boyfriend just for walking in the room. He's not big on men even being near him, so I don't know if something happened to him before we got him, but he was a sweet 8 month old before the vet trip. Go figure.

 

[aart]

He's not big on men even being near him, so I don't know if something happened to him before we got him, but he was a sweet 8 month old before the vet trip. Go figure.

Hard to say about 'before' but anesthesia during surgery can do weird things to cats and dogs.

 

[PirateGirl]

When I got what was supposed to be an outdoor cat I was going to get one of these...

https://www.chewy.com/kh-pet-products-heated-frame-cat/dp/148437

and tuck it up on the porch in a corner that isn't exposed to wind/snow load so that he'd always have a warm safe spot to hide out when he wanted/needed. In the end he made nice with the other animals so he sleeps in the house every night (I'm pretty sure my dog is his girlfriend) So I can't speak to how well they actually work or hold up. My cat never messes with the chickens or ducks and really focuses on the rodents, so it's worked out pretty well.

 

[MROO]

Maybe I give the cats their own section inside where they can come and go as they please?

You can add a separate, insulated nest box that only opens to the outside. Place your openings carefully, so they have as close to a southern exposure as possible. And make sure there are two escape routes, so they don't get trapped inside them by a predator. There are LOTS of good ideas on the Internet for building insulated cat boxes, especially if you look up "feral cat boxes."

I've never had an outdoor cat before so I worry! Right now they climb into my enclosed front porch at night or when it's raining, but that's getting refinished into living space and is still too cold in the winter. We're way up north in almost Canada so it gets pretty darn cold!

Can you build a cat box into the porch renovations, possibly under the porch, or even into the porch itself? I'm thinking "small closet-type box" - outside it's an insulated cat box. Inside, it's a reading bench or table. You could even put a cat door in it to allow them access to the porch whenever things are particularly nasty. Even if the porch isn't warm in the winter, a nice, warm basket and a bowl of unfrozen water would go a long way towards keeping them safe ... and people-friendly.

 

[Taj_MaChicken]

Hard to say about 'before' but anesthesia during surgery can do weird things to cats and dogs.

I had a couple abused animals growing up, so I know sometimes those behaviors can lay dormant until there's a trigger. Who knows. He acts sweet sometimes, and can turn around and be an a-hole.

 

[LeggyLeghorn]

When I got what was supposed to be an outdoor cat I was going to get one of these...

https://www.chewy.com/kh-pet-products-heated-frame-cat/dp/148437

and tuck it up on the porch in a corner that isn't exposed to wind/snow load so that he'd always have a warm safe spot to hide out when he wanted/needed. In the end he made nice with the other animals so he sleeps in the house every night (I'm pretty sure my dog is his girlfriend) So I can't speak to how well they actually work or hold up. My cat never messes with the chickens or ducks and really focuses on the rodents, so it's worked out pretty well.

Sweet! lucky kitty!
They do well with those-keeping in the heat. Might as well keep the cats happy...and healthy. But in tougher winter climates I'd say the cats would be looking for that.

 

[PittyLova]

And make sure there are two escape routes, so they don't get trapped inside them by a predator."

This is not something I thought of, thank you!

Can you build a cat box into the porch renovations, possibly under the porch, or even into the porch itself? I'm thinking "small closet-type box" - outside it's an insulated cat box. Inside, it's a reading bench or table. You could even put a cat door in it to allow them access to the porch whenever things are particularly nasty. Even if the porch isn't warm in the winter, a nice, warm basket and a bowl of unfrozen water would go a long way towards keeping them safe ... and people-friendly.

This is a good idea. I considered trying to do something like this but then they'd be away from the center of the rodent problem. The porch is being turned into loving space (bedroom and office/entry area). Can't have them in because 2 of the 4 dogs would potentially kill them. I definitely need to consider the hidden cat shelter though!

 

[NAA60512]

This is going sound pretty harsh, but if you live in the Midwest, USA, exposure to soil contaminated by poultry droppings may kill your barn cat(s).

We had barn cats live and overwinter in the barn/coop for years. The last one, Thomas, contracted histoplasmosis from the soil in and around the coop. He slowly went blind and eventually died from complications related to the infection. We came to believe that one before that, Caesar, also died from histoplasmosis.

Histoplasmosis, a fungal infection caused by the Histoplasma capsulatum fungus, used to be confined to the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys but has migrated west into the upper Missouri River basin. Histoplasma capsulatum spores are inhaled or ingested when contaminated soil is disturbed, such as when a cat scratches at dirt used to cover its own waste, or when the cat comes into contact with contaminated bird droppings, including poultry droppings. Treatment (itraconazole) can take 6 months, is very expensive. Testing and treatment is so expensive that few people are willing to treat a barn cat. In 25 years DW has seen a lot of histo cats come through the clinic but can only remember a couple that underwent treatment and survived.

We will not intentionally introduce another cat into the barn. We do not let our Aussies in the barn or in the field where the chickens free-range, and the chickens aren't allowed where our Aussies run. We try to be pretty careful when cleaning out the barn/coop. Although histoplasmosis in cats and dogs isn't tracked geographically (as far as I know), the Centers for Disease Control has identified histoplasmosis in humans in 12 states; Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. 57% of histo cases in humans end up in hospital, 7% die from it. If you do not live in one of the above-listed states it doesn't necessarily mean your soil does not harbor the Histoplasma capsulatum fungus, it just means that histoplasmosis in a human has not been reported to the CDC. Although neither state is on the CDC list we definitely have histoplasmosis in West Central Missouri and East Central Kansas. Ask your vet; if your vet hasn't seen it then it probably isn't in your area.

Please don't get me wrong, we are not anti-cat. We like cats. I grew up with barn cats. At one time DW & I had 5 house cats. We are fostering/rehabilitating a post-surgery 3-legged kitten from the clinic right now, my granddaughter is playing with it as I type. The reason we do not want another cat living in the barn with the chickens is because we like cats.

 

[Folly's place]

Histoplasmosis is a risk for all of us, which is one of the reasons we wear good face masks at least when cleaning out the coop and barn!
I do think it's relatively uncommon in cats, even barn cats, although many people don't value their cats enough to have them to the vet, even for rabies vaccinations. (A pet peeve of mine!)
It's more common along the Ohio River valley too. And often not diagnosed early, so much more difficult to manage.
I'm so sorry you lost your kitty!
Barn cat life is difficult, but helpful in rodent control, so a good thing too. Wild mice and rats aren't good in the barn or coop.
Mary