Barn cats in winter?

[cqaigy2]

Wow....thanks so much everyone for all of the suggestions and advice! I had thought about lining the box with pink foam but didn't think about getting it up off the ground -- that's a good idea. I do have power in the building so a heated pad would work, too.

I'm reluctant to neuter him though. He has only been hanging around for about a week. We'll see if he sticks around and then I'll think on it.

He seems quite content here! Tonight I was out by the pole building and he was hanging out near me. I picked him up and he stretched his neck out and laid his head on my shoulder like he was giving a hug. Took a few days before he let me pick him up or get close to him.

Oh oh, your in trouble now. :laughing: That's how i got my last cat, picked it up and it cuddled up to me. Man im a softy and i really like cats. I am torn though about all the birds and such that they kill. My cat was a prolific wildlife killer.

 

[Dirtball]

Got 3 free kitties last year. I put a cat door 3 feet off the ground in the barn wall with "patio" next to it - an old trash can, SO they can exit safety of the building and scout for enemies . Cat door goes to a work table top with a window, so they can see out. barn doors are shut to keep coyote out, cats know where to retreat hopefully if attacked. Put a 40-60 watt bulb in a trouble lamp > in an old metal toolbox- so it heats up, then built a box with bedding and put it over the toolbox.- all in front of the window.. Cats have window view, warm floor, and a heated water bowel in the winter( Tractor supply). After years of mouse damage in my barns, it's over. They turned out to all be real friendly too, keep my dog company, patrol the outside of the house. 3 brothers, got them fixed and shots. I keep them lean and athletic, no overfeeding.

 

[Soundguy]

yep.. no more feed losses once i got the barn cats.. as a side benefit.. once the mice were gone.. snakes left.. so i stopped haveing so many chicken losses. coon and dillo and possum went away too...

 

[QRTRHRS]

I have a heating pad that is hard plastic so it can be covered with an old sweater or whatever. The animal lying on it activates it somehow. For our somewhat mild winter temps, even a box with a small hole cut in and something to lay on will suffice with no auxillary heat. We too use a heated water bowl.

We used to have barn cats and garage cats. The attached garage while not heated stays a bit warmer than the barn. Now that "Scrapper" (nasty SOB) passed on, the barn cats have been discovering the garage. I expect that garage will have all five that we are "down" to this winter.

And please, nueter or spay as the case may be. Fat and lazy? I have one female that fits that description to a "T". Went from totally feral to totally laid back. We have another female that stays skinny and is the difinitive killer.

 

[Soundguy]

our barn cat is a mouser / ratter. never seen her kill a bird. in fact. she lets chickens eat out of the same bowl as her.. head to head. chicks too.

she's spayed.. was somebodies throw away....

 

[lockhaven]

barn cats= targets

 

[texasjohn]

the barn cat = target confuses me...why???

A barn cat is NOT a stray, it's a cat you want in the barn to keep vermin down and provide you enjoyment.

A feral stray harassing your house or barn cat might be a target...but not a barn cat.

 

[lockhaven]

sorry my bad we call strays barn cats because I guess all the farms have just about gone sorry

 

[Soundguy]

a barn cat is an owned cat and has a purpose.. a stray or feral are the problem ones.

All it takes is a bowl of food and a good person to turn a stray into an 'owned' cat.

Feral are harder to deal with. the older they are, the longer they have been wild.. most don't adapt to domestic liftstyle, some do.

I found a 6y old feral once ( judging by teeth, says vet ).. she was sooo small.. I thought she was more like 6m!!

poor thing was sooo hungry she came up on my moms porch to eat the cat food left out for the housecat. iw as over doing some plumbing work and saw the cat... beautiful grey... lured her into a carrier with ffod.. she was starving...

took a chance with her.. took her to the vet.. turned her into a house cat with some other strays i found. she's a bit scrappy and still a hair skittish.. but I've had her now 10ys.. so the grey is getting plenty of white in it... good cat.. glad I saved her ( and the other inmates around the property) from stravation...

soundguy