Calling all outdoor / barn cat experts!

[story1267]

Once again I call upon my fellow Cathletes for help. Here's the story....

Many of you know I recently married my long-time love. In addition to an excellent man I have also acquired living arrangements that include some acreage and a big ol' empty barn.

I've had an apartment (no cats allowed ) and have been waiting for a chance to adopt and be of service to the enormous homeless kitty population.

Got in touch with the local organization and they had these three cats who'd been given up by, I guess, an old lady who couldn't care for them anymore. They'd always been barn cats (they're only 1 1/2 years old).

They've been in foster care since July and the foster-mom said that they are mostly just scared.

So, we've tried to make them comfortable. They are currently living in the tack room, fully enclosed, warm enough, with food, water, kitty litter, toys, hidey places, comfy places, and each other.

We're planning on just giving them plenty of time to get used to the change, plenty of quiet visits from us so they can get to know us and that we are cat lovers. I guess they would allow themselves to be petted so they aren't exactly feral.

I don't expect these guys to become lap cats but I do want to make them as happy as possible. They were very unhappy inside and since they were always barn cats I don't have any plans to try to "break" them to be indoor house kitties.

We will be trying to secure the big barn doors more tightly. The doors kept horses in just fine but a smart cat could slip out. Ideally, I'd like to keep them physically inside the barn - it's huge, a 6 stall barn with loft, they'd have plenty of room to roam.

So, what I'm looking for here is any words of wisdom you might have on the care of skittish outdoor types, any way we could help them be less scared and more happy.

 

[gettingfitmom]

I have currently around 22 barn cats. half are very friendly, the other half were born this spring where the moms hid them really well and we didn't know where they were. They ran from me everytime I came into the barn. What I did was sit in there and just talk to them to let them get use to my voice. I would feed them and wait near the food pan and when they came near I would just talk. I did this for a few weeks and now they don't run, and I can actually pet a few of them. Good luck!

 

[dreamyjeanie]

My mom recently dealt with some feral/barn cats. She did the same thing, just sitting by the food bowl. They wanted the food so they would come up to it. After a while she was able to keep her hand by the bowl and then eventually touch and pet them. They are now friendly to her, but not strangers. Good luck with yours. Hopefully they will get used to you and settle in.

 

[Connie07]

I live in the country on a farm, my oldest cat is one someone just dumped off...anyway we put food out and it didn't take long until she became very friendly and looked forward to our "visits". She had kittens and she loved showing them off to us. We kept one kittne and were able to find good homes for the others, we had mommy kitty and one kitten spayed and brought them home, this was around 10 yrs ago they are spoiled rotten!...since then more cats have been dropped at this barn (its close to the road) we always put out food and eventually the cats become friendly and except for a few (they disappeared) we've been able to find homes for them but they were well taken care of by us. With food and kindness it usually does not take long for them to become friendly. They keep the mice down too!

 

[kathryn]

Suzanne, first of all, on behalf of all homeless cats who aren't able to be 'house cats,' I thank you!

Most of my cats have been housecats, but several of them were strays before that, and one of them remained an outdoor cat for several months until I moved into my own house. She was a bit skittish around me at first, but became friendly and loved to be petted (though never became a lap cat or a snuggler).

My stepmother's family always had barn cats, and I have a couple of friends who have them.

As others have mentioned, feeding them and sticking around talking to them, allowing them to make the first move is a good idea.

If they are completely feral, there's not much chance you'll be able to pet them or snuggle, but if they're 'semi-feral,' they may warm up after a time.

It's always a good idea to get them friendly enough to be able to catch them to take them to the vet.

Also, once you start putting out food for them, don't be surprised if your barn cat population increases from other strays coming around. The friendlier ones may stick around (be sure to get them spayed and neutered!), and the more feral ones might just pass through for a meal. I recommend adding to your population that way (or my visiting the local shelter and seeing if there are some cats who might be on the euthanasia list because they are somehow not adoptable as house cats (litter box problems, for example) and who might adapt to barn life (make sure they are NOT declawed, as outdoor cats need this protection---though I don't think ANY cat should be declawed).

Also, the big danger to barn cats is predators like foxes, raccoons and even dogs. Try to have some safe areas that only the cats can access (difficult to do, especially with smaller predators).

ETA: rereading your post, I see this will be a barn exclusively for cats. What a great opportunity to build some kitty 'stairways' and other things for them to explore and play on.

Here are some ideas: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/01/house-for-cats.php
http://animal.discovery.com/videos/most-outrageous-the-cats-house.html
http://animal.discovery.com/videos/most-outrageous-the-cats-house.html
http://www.doityourself.com/stry/outdoor-cat-house-design-ideas

Any of these ideas would make kitties very happy, IMO.

 

[story1267]

Thanks everyone for your kind replies!

I definitely have been just making sure they know my voice and I try to be consistent with what I do when I do visit them. Today they seemed just a tiny bit less freaked out.

My husband had an old bottle of Feliway so I sprayed that around - maybe it'll help.

But, at least one of them has been out from under the chair because there was fur on the towel. They ate all the food that I left yesterday.

I'll just take it slow and hope for the best.

Kathryn, when you said "a barn exclusively for cats" I thought..... oh, we could have our own little Misfit Kitty Paradise right here!

I just mentioned it to my sweet DH who, at this very moment, is at Home Depot picking up plexiglas to cover some of the missing windows in the stalls. To his credit he did not freak out, just asked how many cats I'm planning on having...

I found it odd when going through this process how careful the nice ladies were to tell me what the cats looked like. It never occurred to me that someone would reject a cat based on it's looks. The foster-mom said that it's hard to place black cats, that kittens get adopted at a certain age and not others, and that folks really want orange cats.

These cats have been through the vet process, they were spayed / neutered and I actually had to sign something stating I would never have them de-clawed. (I wouldn't anyway - I think de-clawing is cruelty)

But, anyway, one thing at a time. I'll get these guys settled in and then I'm sure more opportunities will present themselves. Learning curve and all that.

Thanks again!

 

[kathryn]

I thought..... oh, we could have our own little Misfit Kitty Paradise right here!

I just mentioned it to my sweet DH who, at this very moment, is at Home Depot picking up plexiglas to cover some of the missing windows in the stalls. To his credit he did not freak out, just asked how many cats I'm planning on having...

IMO, you've got a winner there in DH!

 

[cataddict]

Suzanne,

It's a great thing you're doing! Lucky for you your DH is involved in it. My DH spent his day off yesterday building a feral cat shelter for our outdoor family of 4 since we don't have a lot of land or a barn for them. We've both become attached to them.

I had never heard of people choosing cats purely by looks either. We've chosen (or more properly we've BEEN chosen) by a variety of different cats of varying shapes, sizes, colors and temperaments. It wouldn't occur to me to not choose a cat based on color. Our feral mom is solid black with green eyes and one of her daughters is black with white markings and a stubby backside. The other two kittens are multicolored. They are all cute.

 

[kathryn]

I found it odd when going through this process how careful the nice ladies were to tell me what the cats looked like. It never occurred to me that someone would reject a cat based on it's looks. The foster-mom said that it's hard to place black cats, that kittens get adopted at a certain age and not others, and that folks really want orange cats.

I find it so sad that people reject black cats.

I remember one time when I was volunteering at my local shelter the adult room was full of black cats that hadn't been adopted. If I had the space, I would have taken them all! (I really love black cats and torties, but when I look for a cat, I'm not looking for a particular color or pattern, though I am not attracted to white cats for some reason).

As for people adopting kittens: with the exception of my last adoption, I go for the adults. That way, their personalities are already pretty well developed, and you know what they are like. (And after what a PITA Pete--my youngest--can be at times, I'm going back to adults next time I adopt!)

 

[gettingfitmom]

I live in the country on a farm, my oldest cat is one someone just dumped off...anyway we put food out and it didn't take long until she became very friendly and looked forward to our "visits". She had kittens and she loved showing them off to us. We kept one kittne and were able to find good homes for the others, we had mommy kitty and one kitten spayed and brought them home, this was around 10 yrs ago they are spoiled rotten!...since then more cats have been dropped at this barn (its close to the road) we always put out food and eventually the cats become friendly and except for a few (they disappeared) we've been able to find homes for them but they were well taken care of by us. With food and kindness it usually does not take long for them to become friendly. They keep the mice down too!

Why do some people think that if you have a barn, it's ok to drop off a cat? This has happened numerous times to use. Just a few weeks ago someone came down the lane and asked my son if the cat was ours. He didn't know but they pushed it out the door and left!!!! He is a very friendly cat, I'm sure he was their pet and they jusr didn't want him anymore Well, he has a home out in the barn with plenty of friends and food

 

[lori254]

You guys rock!!!

 

[story1267]

Kathryn, for years I have diligently avoided going to shelters and checking websites because I knew I'd have such a hard time with it. I want to scoop up all the crabby, litter-box issue, bite-y, furniture scratching, homely, broken, or otherwise unwanted cats and bring them home.

Now that I do have all this space it's going to be a challenge to take it easy. Well, I guess my wallet will provide a natural limiter......

This particular barn is well off the road so someone would have to be really committed to dumping a cat but I can see why folks would be tempted to do that. They see a bunch of cats and figure no one would notice one more.

I almost wish there were horses in the barn now. There would be more activity. I don't know if the fraidy-cats came from a place that had horses or if they were the only occupants of the barn.

I had mentioned the possibility of fostering farm animals to DH a while back. That did get a "not happening" look.