Adopting a cat for the purpose of hunting mice and other unwanted critters is common, however, it is important to choose well when adopting a barn cat! In this post, I’m going to talk to you about pet cats vs working cats, and how to get the right cat for your needs.
Contrary to popular belief, not all cats are mousers. You’re right that cats have fairly strong predatory instincts. They haven’t been domesticated nearly as long as dogs, and a cat is pretty resourceful; if there is no human assistance, cats will often revert to semi-feral and hunt for survival. A point I’d like to make here is that not all of them are successful, and many cats who grew up in human environments will be afraid when left outdoors. Our housecats are not used to hunting for survival and may not possess the skills for hunting nor the survival skills to make them savvy to the dangers of the outside world.
How to find a barn cat
If you have determined that you would like a working cat and not a pet, the next question to ask yourself is if you want the cat to be sociable or not. Your expectations of the cat and the reality of your lifestyle are important considerations to finding the right cat because if your cat is not happy, it won’t stay. Cats bond to their territory, and if all the cat’s needs aren’t being met, your cat will seek out new territory.
A great place to start is with your local animal shelter. Often, they have contact with barn cat programs, TNR programs that have access to plenty of stray or feral cats, or they have been contacted by people who have outdoor cats that they want to have relocated.
Can I adopt a barn cat from a shelter?
You can go to the shelter, but if you walk in and ask to see the cats, the front staff will likely direct you to a cat team volunteer. The volunteer who is showing you the cats will likely be familiar with the cats in the shelter and not necessarily be aware of programs for the type of cat you are looking for. In one of the shelters I worked for, the worker would likely lose interest in adopting to you when you tell them that you want a cat to be a mouser or a barn cat. The reason for this is that cats in shelters are usually adopted as “indoors only.” These cats are usually born indoors and are unlikely to have the skills to survive outdoors. The shelter volunteer who introduces you to the shelter cats may not be aware of programs for barn cats, and as a result, you might leave without a cat and not really understand why they didn’t want to adopt a cat to you. Your best bet when approaching a shelter is to speak to the front staff about the type of cat you are looking for and ask for anyone who has contact with barn cats, TNR programs, or if they have any cats available that could live outdoors as a mouser. Being upfront and honest about what you are looking for will likely get you the cat you are looking for much faster.
How to keep a barn cat from running away
Adopting an outdoor cat sounds easy enough; you just go pick one, get it in a cage, and release it into your yard… right? Not quite- that cat will probably run away. Cats need approximately one month to acclimate to a new home. What this means is that just because you brought kitty home and fed it, doesn’t mean that the kitty will feel at home in the new place. It is essential that you confine the cat for a few weeks to a month so that it gets used to its new home. This should be in the barn where you plan to keep the cat, or in any location that provides shelter. Cats are very territorial. They may not bond to a human, but they bond to their homes and to their kitty friends. This period of confinement is also a great time for the cat to get used to seeing you come in to feed it. It will begin to realize that you mean it no harm and are only there to feed it.
To make the adoption of a feral cat more successful, adopt two that are already friends. They will build a relationship and enjoy their time together. This is particularly important if you don’t plan to spend much time with your cat. A solitary barn cat can also work out, but I personally like to have at least two. If you have a large farm with acreage, you will likely need multiple barn cats, anyway.
Feeding a barn cat
I’ve heard a lot of people say that they don’t feed their barn cats because they want them to kill mice. Trust me, your barn cat has a strong prey drive; they will kill mice out of their sheer joy of killing. Have you ever seen a cat stalking prey? They love it- they can seem like little sociopaths who hunt for the joy of killing! (there is a reason for the way they ‘play’ with their prey, I’ll talk about that in a minute.) If you don’t feed your cat, it will be forced to roam in search of food. You see, the presence of cats is a deterrent to their prey, and while when your cat arrives there may be quite a few mice, many will leave once they realize there is a resident cat. Over time, there just may not be enough mice around your barn to keep your cat fed. When a cat roams, it’s likely to encounter dangers. Feeding your cat is absolutely necessary if you want to keep your cat and also have a healthy cat. One tip- don’t put out more than your cat will eat. Leaving cat food out will attract rats, possums, raccoons, etc. You don’t want to start feeding the very critters you are trying to get rid of, and you don’t want the possums and raccoons to fight with your cat over food.
Housing a barn cat
It is essential that you provide your cat shelter and a safe place to get away from predators. Remember, wildlife poses dangers to your cat, including coyotes and even raccoons and possums. If you don’t have a barn that your cat can hide in, perhaps a cat door into an outdoor shed is a great solution. I recommend having two doors so that if a predator gets in through one door, the cat can escape through the other. You can also provide shelter on a porch. For cold months, it’s a good idea to provide a house with straw- not blankets as they can get wet and not dry out. You can also provide a heated bed for your cat- they do make heating pads for animals that are safe to use outdoors.
How much does a barn cat cost?
The cost of a barn cat will depend on where you get it and what veterinary care has been given to the cat. You can often find free barn cats through TNR programs and even through some animal shelters. If there is a fee, it is usually between $50 and $100 and that is to cover the cost of spay/neuter surgery and vaccinations given. It is well worth the cost to ensure that the cat you are taking in is healthy.
Spaying and neutering your barn cat
Another comment I hear from people with barn cats is that they don’t want to spay or neuter the cat because they welcome kittens as new mousers. They often say that the barn cats die or run off eventually, and they want to keep them around. The problem is, these kittens are prey. Those big, creepy birds that are scanning your property for chipmunks would be more than happy to have little kitten lunch, so it is a bit more work to keep them safe. The only reason the adult cats are running away is to hunt if there aren’t enough resources to keep them fed, or to mate. If you take away both of those situations, there is no reason for your barn cat to run away. If your female barn cat goes into heat multiple times per year and has multiple litters of kittens, this will be detrimental to her health. Also, when your adult cats are seeking out other cats to mate with, they will roam away from your property and this will take priority over working for you. Your cats will be exposed to so many more dangers if they are allowed to mate. There are so many homeless cats that you can just adopt another feral as yours begin to age.
General veterinary care for your barn cat
It is a good idea to keep your barn cat healthy. When you have your cat spayed or neutered, you should get your cat vaccinated as well. I do recommend vaccinating your cats every few years to keep them healthy- especially rabies and heartworm preventative. The last thing you want is to get bit or scratched by an unvaccinated cat. This is particularly important if you have kids who may try to pick up a cat that is used to being petted. This cat may react in fear if picked up.
Regular deworming is also important. Don’t worry, you don’t have to catch the cat! To do this, you can mix the deworming medicine into a milk replacer. Begin by getting the cat used to milk replacer without the deworming medicine for a few days (it may not know what it is at first and be suspicious of it!). Once the cat starts drinking the milk replacer, add the dewormer to it. For vaccinations, you will need to catch the cat. Contact your vet for an appointment, and if the cat is feral, you may need to trap your cat with a cat trap. You can probably contact a TNR program to help you or borrow a cat trap from your local animal control or animal shelter. If you explain why you’d like to borrow the trap, they will likely lend one to you for a couple of days. Vets are used to working with feral cats and they will be able to handle the cat with a bit of warning.
Can you tame a barn cat?
So if you have decided to go with a feral cat, but you would like the cat to at least acknowledge you, I want to tell you that yes, over time, this cat will get used to you. A truly feral cat will never be a lap cat, but it will learn that you aren’t trying to capture it. Over time, you may even be able to pet the cat if you regularly talk to the cat and feed it. I’ve known many feral cats that would rub up against my legs, it seemed like they were thanking me for their food. The degree to which you can tame this cat will depend on the amount of effort you put into it. This post is about tips to help you build trust with a shy cat. It isn’t directed towards barn cats, but you may find it helpful: https://toebeansandtales.com/shy-cats/
Do cats play with their prey for fun?
Your cat isn’t really a little sociopath- at least not for playing with its prey. The primary reason that cats seem to play with their prey is to tire it out. Once that little mouse gets tired, it’s easier to kill and there is less risk to the cat. Your cat instinctually tries not to get bit or clawed. It’s a natural behavior. We, humans, look at everything with a bit of empathy, so we see this behavior as cruel. The cat is thinking of its own safety.
Conclusion
Adopting a barn cat can be beneficial for you and the cat. If you give a cat that was forgotten a safe and loving home, the cat will thank you. With regular care, they can live long and healthy lives and will happily take care of your pests for you. Just make sure you follow the guidelines of allowing your cat to get used to its new home before releasing it so that it knows it’s home.
