When Do You Pull the Trigger on a Pet?

[oosik]

I've been out here for 38+ years now. I've always had a dog. They have always been confined at night. Otherwise, the coyotes will eat them. These dogs have never been "free ranging". In the house when I'm in the house - outside when I'm outside.

Keeping cats is the big problem here. I will not have a cat in the house. So that means - adequate and secure shelter outside. Yes - the cats could be called free ranging. However - if they free range too far day or night - it's a meal for the hawks in the daytime or a meal for the owls at night. I have lost MANY cats this way. Some will learn - others, not so much.

I see a cat as a working partner out here. I will shelter, feed & water. They will be my front line defense against mice, pocket gophers and the like. Cats seldom grow old out here.

A good, smart barn cat is a definite advantage.

 

[Hay Dude]

I've been out here for 38+ years now. I've always had a dog. They have always been confined at night. Otherwise, the coyotes will eat them. These dogs have never been "free ranging". In the house when I'm in the house - outside when I'm outside.

Keeping cats is the big problem here. I will not have a cat in the house. So that means - adequate and secure shelter outside. Yes - the cats could be called free ranging. However - if they free range too far day or night - it's a meal for the hawks in the daytime or a meal for the owls at night. I have lost MANY cats this way. Some will learn - others, not so much.

I see a cat as a working partner out here. I will shelter, feed & water. They will be my front line defense against mice, pocket gophers and the like. Cats seldom grow old out here.

A good, smart barn cat is a definite advantage.

You have hawks that will kill a CAT? Wow, dems some big hawks!!!

 

[DieselnHooters]

We rescued a small female cat about 8 months old. It had already had a litter (teen pregnancy-out of wedlock :laughing: )
It痴 been a perfect cat. Quiet, uses litter box, very affectionate, sleeps at your feet on bed at night. Probably the nicest pet weve ever had.
Pets are a big risk, especially when they dont work out.

Same story here, young female showed at our door in the dead of winter, we started feeding her , she was skiittish at first but was soon willing to come inside. So pretty we couldnt resist, she is strictly an inside cat now, how much this creature loves us is unreal.
View attachment 657786

 

[riptides]

Sounds like the perfect barn cat.

Lock it up in a room with food, water and litter for a few days. They usually get the message that it is the new home. Then let it out.

 

[oosik]

We have two or three types of hawks here. The really large, aggressive ones are - Red Tailed hawks. I ALWAYS keep an eye on my young dog when we are out and about on the property. Hawks & coyotes. My dog - Brownie - is a 16 month old chocolate Cocker Spaniel - 22#. Then there is the ever present Bald Eagles. Never seen an eagle look twice at the dog. At a distance - and at first glance - a Red Tailed hawk & Bald Eagle are the same size. Second look will easily distinguish one or the other.

Several times I've seen hawks turn and start to make a move on the dog. I shout - they look elsewhere.

Nighttime it's owls - barn owl & great horned owl. Barn owls are, by and away, the largest of the two. At twilight the barn owl looks like a large round topped structure, perched in the pine trees. The great horned resembles Bat Man.

I don't think the owls could take Brownie down. But they could certainly deliver some nasty slashing cuts in an attempt. View attachment 657831

 

[Jstpssng]

When I was young we got two kittens from my grandfather's cat. Our friends who lived 1 1/4 miles away got another male from the same litter. It wasn't unusual to see one of the two cats visiting the other; and I doubt they were just out for a social call.

 

[Hay Dude]

We have two or three types of hawks here. The really large, aggressive ones are - Red Tailed hawks. I ALWAYS keep an eye on my young dog when we are out and about on the property. Hawks & coyotes. My dog - Brownie - is a 16 month old chocolate Cocker Spaniel - 22#. Then there is the ever present Bald Eagles. Never seen an eagle look twice at the dog. At a distance - and at first glance - a Red Tailed hawk & Bald Eagle are the same size. Second look will easily distinguish one or the other.

Several times I've seen hawks turn and start to make a move on the dog. I shout - they look elsewhere.

Nighttime it's owls - barn owl & great horned owl. Barn owls are, by and away, the largest of the two. At twilight the barn owl looks like a large round topped structure, perched in the pine trees. The great horned resembles Bat Man.

I don't think the owls could take Brownie down. But they could certainly deliver some nasty slashing cuts in an attempt. View attachment 657831

Our red tail hawks are too small to take anything much bigger than a kitten. They love mice, moles, voles, snakes, frogs, etc. Our bald eagles in my area are a lot bigger.....might consider a cat....I don’t really know. They tend to like easy prey.

 

[Hay Dude]

Same story here, young female showed at our door in the dead of winter, we started feeding her , she was skiittish at first but was soon willing to come inside. So pretty we couldnt resist, she is strictly an inside cat now, how much this creature loves us is unreal.
View attachment 657786

Awwww. Thats an adorable cat.
I used to kind of hate cats. Now I appreciate them a lot more. They’re so quiet and sophisticated. An amazing creature capable of hunting with incredible skill and retractable claws! How cool is that! They get rid of mice which are a terrible pest and dangerous to our health.

 

[Oaktree]

They’re so quiet and sophisticated. An amazing creature capable of hunting with incredible skill and retractable claws! How cool is that! They get rid of mice which are a terrible pest and dangerous to our health.

I've always liked cats. Way smarter than a dog, and a lot less maintenance. I've had a couple that weren't much in the way of hunters, but most of them kept the rodent population way down.

I've been out here for 38+ years now. I've always had a dog. They have always been confined at night. Otherwise, the coyotes will eat them. These dogs have never been "free ranging". In the house when I'm in the house - outside when I'm outside.

Keeping cats is the big problem here. I will not have a cat in the house. So that means - adequate and secure shelter outside. Yes - the cats could be called free ranging. However - if they free range too far day or night - it's a meal for the hawks in the daytime or a meal for the owls at night. I have lost MANY cats this way. Some will learn - others, not so much.

Yeah, outside cats don't last long around here either, especially males...I think they roam further when hunting (all were fixed so they weren't out tomcatting) than the females.
Curiously, why won't you let a cat in the house? I wouldn't want a dog in the house, but cats are clean & (generally) quiet.

I've only had one cat that was ill behaved...it would actually claw at a door, door frame or window sash if it wanted to get out and no one was home to let it out. Didn't really want to put it down, but just kind of wished it would go away. Got my wish...a stray followed me home a few weeks after the bad behavior started and it chased the other one off. Stray was the nicest cat you could ask for. One of the few that died of old age.

 

[Birdhunter1]

We have 2 cats, both are outside cats, both are good mouse/snake/bird/mole/chipmunk/frog and toad catchers. Each cat has its route that it roams on the farm, I don't see mice in my shop , horse barn or the house. I think they kill blacksnakes because the snakes try to infiltrate and poach their mouse supply. Both cats are friendly but neither likes to be held or petted, but they'll keep your feet warm if you're on the porch. Having them as outside cats they have made places in the hay in the barn to sleep or a few places on the porch that are warm.
Kind funny my wife saw a mouse in the house once last year, she yelled at the cats for slacking off, withheld cat food for a day and the next day there was a dead mouse on the porch. Never did see a mouse in the house again.