First time cat advice.

I've been allergic to cats since childhood, so I've never really gotten to know their behaviors and needs.

Now that I have chickens, I've noticed more mice coming in the house. I would like to control them, and the sparrows that are always raiding the chicken feed.

I have friends with a pretty little Calico that they brought in off the street a few weeks ago. She spent about 2 months as a feral, and is now quite tame. I have several questions

1) Will she retain her mousing instincts now that she's been brought inside? Will she help deter sparrows?
2) Can I safely maintain her outside year round, and if so, what kind of shelter does she need?
3) Do cats generally live well with chickens? I've seen lots of pics on BYC of cats and chickens, but I don't know if it's the exception or the rule.
4) Do I need to keep her inside or confine her initially so she learns where her new home is, or is food and shelter enough to keep her from running away?
5) Will an outdoor litter box discourage her from using my garden as a litter box, or is cat poop as much fact of life as chicken poop?

The cat will certainly get attention a few times a day, and may even get to come inside a bit depending on my allergies. I will certainly fix her and give her veterinary care. I assume since there is a large feral population in Philadelphia, they can survive just fine, but I want to make things easy for her.

Thanks for your advice!

 

Imp, thanks for your help.

She was born to a feral mother. My friends captured two of her kittens early on, and this one a few weeks later. She had a couple of months of "street" experience before she came inside. It would be fine if she moved in with the chickens! That would be kind of cool actually. She's semi-social now, and friendly to her foster dads, but evidently is showing a good dose of hunting instinct.

I have 15 bales of straw laying around actually. Maybe I can make her a cozy shelter for winter.

I will look into some rescue groups. I hadn't thought of that.

Thanks again. Looks like I'll soon have another project! Like a shelter dog and 12 aren't enough in the city!

 

Since I'm right downtown, I don't have troubles with the "traditional" predators of chickens or kittens.

I guess I'll get to building her a shelter, and prepare for a new member of the urban farm.

Here's the only picture I've seen. I think it was a taken a couple of weeks ago. I believe she's a dilute Calico? Like I said, I'm new with this cat thing.