Thinking About Getting a Barn Cat

[DrPrepper1]

I live in a cookie cutter village in the suburbs. I have a postage stamp sized backyard (along with everyone else that lives here) mine is actually considered "large" but if you saw it, you would laugh.

Anyways, I have a lot of rats that come in the backyard. Our city has a rat problem as a whole...everyone complains. There are some open fields next to where I live, construction has stirred them up. They come over to the cookie cutter village and live off of dog food they find left out (and whatever else they can find) and multiply like rabbits...speaking of rabbits, there seems to be just as many rabbits as there are rats. ..along with tree rats a.k.a squirrels.

Last year I killed more than 9 rats outside in the backyard. 2 of them, I killed with a baseball bat. I hate rats..I mean I really hate rats. Lots of people in the community said they had a problem with the rats until they got a cat. I don't really like cats either. I defiantly don't want one in my house. I am a dog person for sure.

It seems my little slice of paradise always some some kind of rodent in it. I was thinking of getting a barn cat. I found one at the animal shelter on line.

My question is, do you think a barn cat would hang around my house to do anything? I could care less if it roams the neighborhood and eats rodents at my neighbors house. That just means less that will come to my house. I just keep thinking it is probably almost wild and might not want to hang around. If I let it lose it could be like Yellow dog from the movie, Funny Farm with Chevy Chase (the dog starts running and never comes back).

Do you think a barn cat would be successful in a cookie cutter village in the suburbs?

 

[DrHenley]

Put out a can of Fancy Feast once in a while and you'll have a friend for life, LOL.

I am NOT a cat person, but I have a couple of stray cats that hang out in my backyard that I tolerate because they are hunting all the time and keep the rats, chipmunks and squirrels terrorized.

 

[user 7704]

Cat urine keeps snakes away too.

 

[Proud Prepper]

Cat urine keeps snakes away too.

So does human urine. I pee all over my property. You have to mark your territory...

 

[Mountain trapper]

I'd rather use traps and poison than own a dam cat.

 

[DrPrepper1]

So does human urine. I pee all over my property. You have to mark your territory...

HAHAHA

 

[user 7704]

I'd rather use traps and poison than own a dam cat.

You are mean!!!!!! Cats are cool and aloof.

 

[user 7704]

So does human urine. I pee all over my property. You have to mark your territory...

We do too. My men have ruined certain parts of the yard for planting. Couldn't understand why the shrubs were dying until i saw their aim.

I put used cat litter around the perimeter of the gardens to keep away critters. Not so much now that I free range. Chickens eating clay litter is very bad for them.

 

[DrPrepper1]

I'd rather use traps and poison than own a dam cat.

That’s just it. I have used glue traps, traditional traps, electric traps ( they work the best) baseball bats, poison... and there are still rats. The neighbors cat comes over sometimes in the middle of the night. I got her on my security cam leaving my yard ( and jumping over the fence) with a live rabbit in her mouth. I was impressed.

 

[user 7704]

You do know that chickens are better mousers than cats? I don't know about rats though.

 

[DrPrepper1]

You do know that chickens are better mousers than cats? I don't know about rats though.

I wouldn’t mind a chicken or two, but home owner association rules prohibit livestock

 

[DrPrepper1]

I have had pest control companies come out to my house 3 times looking for small holes to plug so they can’t get in the attic. They still find their way in the attic. I got one a couple of days ago in an electric trap I keep up there.

 

[Proud Prepper]

I have had pest control companies come out to my house 3 times looking for small holes to plug so they can’t get in the attic. They still find their way in the attic. I got one a couple of days ago in an electric trap I keep up there.

What you can do is get rid of there access to food and water, keep trapping them.

 

[DrPrepper1]

What you can do is get rid of there access to food and water, keep trapping them.

They don't come in my house (thank the Lord). My house is pretty clean at all times.... I can be a little over the top at times with cleaning. No food outside..unless you count my small raised bed garden, but I had a rat problem long before that was installed. No food in the attic other than the 3 Cheetos that I put in the electric rat trap itself. I am not sure what they are after. There have been many discussions on the neighborhood chats and Facebook about it. It is a city wide problem. People mostly say it is people leaving dog food outside and the rats come in and eat it. I could see that. Then it becomes a problem all over the place the way they multiply. I have Texas native plants in my yard only. I know rabbits like to eat some plants, but I never see anything missing off of my plants. Squirrels? I am not sure what they are after. I have 2 Bradford Pear trees and one Texas Ash. I have no bird feeders with feed in them. I stopped that a long time ago. My neighbor does have several Purple Martin houses. Not sure if he feeds them anything. I do have a bird bath that gets water in it, if it rains. It has been raining for a few days right now. I will dump it as soon as it stops. I don't have anything else that stands or collects water.

I was taking a walk a few days ago and I saw some tiny little pink things squirming on the sidewalk. At first I thought they were newborn puppies..like a few minutes old..then I realized they were baby rats. I was standing under a large tree that hovered over the sidewalk. I think a bird might have taken them and dropped them. I am sure something came along after I left and got them.

 

[Gazrok]

Be sure you take the cat to a spay clinic, and get the ear notched. That way, as an outdoor cat, the dogcatcher won't take it away (the notch marks it as fixed). In many cases, you can call it a community or friendly feral cat, and get it done cheaper. (costs me like $25).

We have 4 barn cats, and like you, before that, I tried everything. The cats work. Simple as that. I have one of those auto-feeders. I fill it up every morning when I go out to feed the horses. (don't have feed in at night, as a) that's when they need to hunt, and b) you'll end up attracting raccoons.) I give them just enough each morning. Plenty of water around for them, so I don't usually have to worry about that. Of course, I put collars and tags on mine too, but they don't leave the property.

 

[Gazrok]

There have been many discussions on the neighborhood chats and Facebook about it. It is a city wide problem.

Are there a lot of unattended fruit trees? That seems to be one of the biggest causes of these kinds of infestations. It's like an all you can eat buffet for them.

 

[user 7704]

Be sure you take the cat to a spay clinic, and get the ear notched. That way, as an outdoor cat, the dogcatcher won't take it away (the notch marks it as fixed). In many cases, you can call it a community or friendly feral cat, and get it done cheaper. (costs me like $25).

We have 4 barn cats, and like you, before that, I tried everything. The cats work. Simple as that. I have one of those auto-feeders. I fill it up every morning when I go out to feed the horses. (don't have feed in at night, as a) that's when they need to hunt, and b) you'll end up attracting raccoons.) I give them just enough each morning. Plenty of water around for them, so I don't usually have to worry about that. Of course, I put collars and tags on mine too, but they don't leave the property.

The spay clinics here tattoo their stomach with a green line to show they are "fixed"

 

[Gazrok]

I guess different places may do different things. Terminology may change too. Basically, it's an outdoor cat that hangs around your place, that you want to get fixed. Personally, with two or more cats, less likely they will run off.

 

[DrPrepper1]

The spay clinics here tattoo their stomach with a green line to show they are "fixed"

They did that to my dog.

 

[user 7704]

Are there a lot of unattended fruit trees? That seems to be one of the biggest causes of these kinds of infestations. It's like an all you can eat buffet for them.

Last year my plum tree was loaded with fruit, but EVERY single plum was worm infested. This year they didn't make it to maturity because the wind blew them off.

 

[Gazrok]

Wouldn't deter the rats much....

 

[DrPrepper1]

I guess different places may do different things. Terminology may change too. Basically, it's an outdoor cat that hangs around your place, that you want to get fixed. Personally, with two or more cats, less likely they will run off.

I just got back from the animal shelter. I got the cat. They had 2 others that had gotten "hired" earlier this morning. This was the last one and the one I had my eye on. They said they did a clip out of the ear, but I haven't seen it yet. They put the cat in the kennel for me. I have it sitting out on the patio right now. I bout Fancy Feast just like Doc said to do. They also suggested I do a litter box. I put a make shift one together out of an aluminum pan.. kind of weird, but I guess it works. They also suggested that I keep the animal housed (in a barn) or locked up some kind of way for at least a week. Do you think this is really necessary?

 

[DrPrepper1]

Alice Capone

 

[user 7704]

Yes. They need to feel secure in their new surroundings. The more attention you give her, the better.

 

[user 7704]

When i fist looked, i thought it said Alice Cooper

 

[DrPrepper1]

Yeah well she’s gone I tried to transfer her from the kennel to the dog house. I had closed off the front of the dog house with some galvanized steel. I was trying to hold her and pull the steel back at the same time. I think that was probably a 2 man job. She darted off to some shrubs I have in the back yard... and probably went under the fence. I can’t find her anywhere.

 

[Silent Earth]

Cats are inherantly lazy and prone to wandering, get a real ratter or two a Jack Russel terrier they will live in the barn and take their role seriously, a cats focus of attention is measured in minutes, a dogs in hours.

 

[DrPrepper1]

Cats are inherantly lazy and prone to wandering, get a real ratter or two a Jack Russel terrier they will live in the barn and take their role seriously, a cats focus of attention is measured in minutes, a dogs in hours.

I had a Rat Terrier ( very close to a Jack Russel) for 16 years. That was my boy. He took home security very seriously.

 

[user 7704]

Yeah well she’s gone I tried to transfer her from the kennel to the dog house. I had closed off the front of the dog house with some galvanized steel. I was trying to hold her and pull the steel back at the same time. I think that was probably a 2 man job. She darted off to some shrubs I have in the back yard... and probably went under the fence. I can’t find her anywhere.

Leave out some food and water.

 

[user 7704]

I had a Rat Terrier ( very close to a Jack Russel) for 16 years. That was my boy. He took home security very seriously.

My mom has a Bijan/Poo digs up everything. She catches lots of moles, but gosh that high pitched bark is sooo annoying