What do you need to know about barn cats?
This is my indoor cat, Buddy, who is neutered. He was a rescue and clearly enjoys being ‘the boss’ of our house. The first thing you want to do when keeping a barn cat is to make sure that they are spayed or neutered. The reason is obvious as you don’t want a lot of cats running around your property.
Where did all the barn cats come from?
All of our cats come from other farms where they were born in barns. They’ve probably been eating dead rodents, which is how cats are usually infected, since their mother first killed a mouse for them and taught them to hunt, so they’ve probably already had the disease when they arrive here.
How old is the oldest barn cat in the world?
It hasn’t been perfect because when cats live outdoors, there is always the possibility of being killed by a predator, but because they’re neutered and well fed, they don’t tend to go far from home. Our oldest barn cat, Patches, lived to be 15 years old, and she spent almost all of her time in the house the last four or five years.
What should I do if my barn cat strays?
Get your cats spayed or neutered. If you have an intact female cat, she will stray when she is in heat, and she will attract males to your farm. If you have an intact male cat, he will go looking for girlfriends, and he will get into fights, which can wind up with one of the cats dead or nearly dead.
All of our cats come from other farms where they were born in barns. They’ve probably been eating dead rodents, which is how cats are usually infected, since their mother first killed a mouse for them and taught them to hunt, so they’ve probably already had the disease when they arrive here.
Is it worth it to have a barn kitten?
It’s true, barn kittens may be project pets in the beginning. They come with a lot more responsibility than buying a bag of cat food and bringing them home. However, if you take the necessary steps to ensure a smooth transition for yourself, your kitten and any other pets, it’s worth the hassle.
What should I do if I have a barn cat?
The first thing you want to do when keeping a barn cat is to make sure that they are spayed or neutered. The reason is obvious as you don’t want a lot of cats running around your property. Then you are adding to the issue of feral cats instead of taking a formerly feral cat and giving it a home.
Where can I Rehome a feral cat in a barn?
If you find yourself with a cat needing to be rehomed to an outbuilding or barn because it is feral and not suitable to living indoors with people, this is how you can go about finding a barn home for the cat. We suggest advertising at Farm Supply Stores, Grain Suppliers, Craigs List and Social Media.
