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Author Topic: outdoor cats  (Read 27914 times)

Bramblecot

  • Joined Jul 2008
Re: outdoor cats
« Reply #15 on: November 30, 2013, 02:22:55 pm »
I think it's worth taking the risk with adult feral cats. They don't have the chance of a life otherwise.
We currently have an adult stray semi-feral who is not handled at work. Her destiny is not good come tomorrow as we cannot take the risk of rehoming her to a 'pet' home. She has attacked all staff who get to close but she has no escape route in a cage. I'm sure she would be fine on a farm but we have filled all vacancies several times with past strays. Cat rescues are bursting with unwanted cats so if anybody has space for a feral, give them a chance.
jK it's worth keeping them locked in for 10-14 days so they get to know the sounds and smells of their surroundings and that they have a bed and regular meals so they know where home is. After that time if they are happy with the accommodation they will stay around.  :cat:
I'll second all that.  There is a place for semi-wild/'working' animals :cat: :dog: not suitable for pet homes, often a farm or rural home :fc: .  My stray was evil for the first 2 years but now she sits on my lap.  And our neighbour has fed  3 ferals for 8 years without ever touching them - still cheaper than rat poison.

doganjo

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Clackmannanshire
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Re: outdoor cats
« Reply #16 on: November 30, 2013, 02:27:57 pm »
Cats and sheep ? My boss had several ewes abort  in late pregnancy las year. Following tests it was suspected to be cat poo related
As an aside to the main topic, I believe this is backed up by scientific research.  There is sometimes something in cat and dog poo that can cause abortion in sheep and cattle.  I rarely take my dogs in fields anyway but if I do i lift any messes for that very reason.
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

Dans

  • Joined Jun 2012
  • Spalding
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Re: outdoor cats
« Reply #17 on: November 30, 2013, 02:48:25 pm »
As an aside to the main topic, I believe this is backed up by scientific research.  There is sometimes something in cat and dog poo that can cause abortion in sheep and cattle.  I rarely take my dogs in fields anyway but if I do i lift any messes for that very reason.

Toxoplasma. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxoplasmosis#Transmission

Cats only shed for a short while after infection and the cysts in the faeces are only contagious after they have been sitting for a while. Cats are the only animals that shed the infectious cysts though pretty much all mammals can be infected.

With dogs it's echinoccocus (tapeworm) that makes thier faeces dangerous to sheep (and humans).

Dans
9 sheep, 24 chickens, 3 cats, a toddler and a baby on the way

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jaykay

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Cumbria/N Yorks border
Re: outdoor cats
« Reply #18 on: November 30, 2013, 02:51:30 pm »
Going to meet three wild cats tomorrow - sounds like she's wanting all three to come together, so I'd better get some organising doing.

So - I have two outbuildings available. One houses the goats, and is insulated and is much the warmer and drier of the two places to live. But cats and goats?

Decision made, in with the goats. As well as the (very big) cage they'll live in to begin with, I've built a high sleeping platform, so they can get out of the way if they want to.
« Last Edit: November 30, 2013, 04:32:51 pm by jaykay »

lord flynn

  • Joined Mar 2012
Re: outdoor cats
« Reply #19 on: November 30, 2013, 03:23:51 pm »
Cats and sheep ? My boss had several ewes abort  in late pregnancy las year. Following tests it was suspected to be cat poo related
As an aside to the main topic, I believe this is backed up by scientific research.  There is sometimes something in cat and dog poo that can cause abortion in sheep and cattle.  I rarely take my dogs in fields anyway but if I do i lift any messes for that very reason.


this is my main concern. My house sits within a 100 acre field that houses the neighbours cattle and/or sheep. All of the surrounding area is cattle and sheep grazing.

Marches Farmer

  • Joined Dec 2012
  • Herefordshire
Re: outdoor cats
« Reply #20 on: November 30, 2013, 04:36:22 pm »
We don't keep cats for precisely that reason.  Toxoplasmosis is just too big a risk.  Also, we've done everything we can to encourage wild birds, bank voles and so on over the years.  A cat, even a well fed one, will wipe out that hard work in a single season.

jaykay

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Cumbria/N Yorks border
Re: outdoor cats
« Reply #21 on: November 30, 2013, 04:47:47 pm »
I think even three cats would struggle to wipe out all the voles on my land!

Thought about the bird tables, think I'll wrap them in wire mesh so the birds can still get in but the cats can't.

And although I'll be adding to the cat population, there are feral cats around anyway, so I don't know that I'm bringing in toxoplasma where it wasn't before.

I wonder why no-one has created a vaccine against it?

What I do know is that I'd rather have cats sorting out the rat population about the place, than put down poison.

lord flynn

  • Joined Mar 2012
Re: outdoor cats
« Reply #22 on: November 30, 2013, 05:01:16 pm »


I wonder why no-one has created a vaccine against it?




its really not always that easy lol.


re the birds-I would never have had a cat at the last place, even if the roads weren't a problem as the bird life was amazing. out here, there really isn't that much, its pretty bleak. I am worried about the toxo though, don't want to affect anyone's livelihood or obviously, upset the local land owner. hmmm.

jaykay

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Cumbria/N Yorks border
Re: outdoor cats
« Reply #23 on: November 30, 2013, 05:06:01 pm »
Quote
I wonder why no-one has created a vaccine against it.

It's really not always that easy, lol

It's an intra-cellular protozoan - why not easy?

ETA: The Moredun Foundation info says there's an effective vaccination to prevent toxoplasmosis in sheep. I wonder why you can't vaccinate your cats so they don't shed the stuff in the first place?

ETA2: It seems there are experimental vaccines that do the job in cats, but they aren't easy to scale up to commercial production. Plus they're live vaccines so not considered safe for use in people. Work continues to find something cheaper and easier to produce.
« Last Edit: November 30, 2013, 05:20:54 pm by jaykay »

shygirl

  • Joined May 2013
Re: outdoor cats
« Reply #24 on: November 30, 2013, 05:32:27 pm »
i wasnt really aware of the risk of toxoplasmosis with dogs and cats ref - sheep.

my cats do however also poop close to the house, either in the garage amongst the sawdust or outside on the gravel. iv always cursed them for not pooping further away but maybe it was a blessing if their is a health risk.

lord flynn

  • Joined Mar 2012
Re: outdoor cats
« Reply #25 on: November 30, 2013, 05:34:14 pm »
Quote
I wonder why no-one has created a vaccine against it.

It's really not always that easy, lol

It's an intra-cellular protozoan - why not easy?

ETA: The Moredun Foundation info says there's an effective vaccination to prevent toxoplasmosis in sheep. I wonder why you can't vaccinate your cats so they don't shed the stuff in the first place?

ETA2: It seems there are experimental vaccines that do the job in cats, but they aren't easy to scale up to commercial production. Plus they're live vaccines so not considered safe for use in people. Work continues to find something cheaper and easier to produce.


like I said, not always that easy.

Dans

  • Joined Jun 2012
  • Spalding
    • Six Oaks
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Re: outdoor cats
« Reply #26 on: November 30, 2013, 05:37:23 pm »
Generally the cats will only shed when they are first infected, after that it isn't really an issue.

Just googling and this came up on here a while back. May be worth a read.

http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=1391.0

Dans
9 sheep, 24 chickens, 3 cats, a toddler and a baby on the way

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lord flynn

  • Joined Mar 2012
Re: outdoor cats
« Reply #27 on: November 30, 2013, 05:49:27 pm »
thanks Dans, will do a little research before I decide. The cottage is odd as it is literally a sort of island in a huge field-there's no other place for the cats to go if/when they go off of my property-which really isn't all that big.

Dans

  • Joined Jun 2012
  • Spalding
    • Six Oaks
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Re: outdoor cats
« Reply #28 on: November 30, 2013, 06:00:24 pm »
It's when they first get it that they are infectious, so a feral that has already spent some time out hunting should be well past the stage of shedding. There's some information here on when they shed. http://www.vet.cornell.edu/FHC/health_resources/toxoplasmosis.cfm

If I remember rightly they can start to shed again if they become immuosupressed, but a healthy cat, once it's been exposed and shed cysts, shouldn't shed again even though it will be continually infected through the prey it eats.

Dans
9 sheep, 24 chickens, 3 cats, a toddler and a baby on the way

www.sixoaks.co.uk

www.facebook.com/pg/sixoakssmallholding

www.goodlife.sixoaks.co.uk

silkiechick

  • Joined Apr 2011
Re: outdoor cats
« Reply #29 on: December 01, 2013, 12:46:01 pm »
If anyone is looking for some ferals I know a lovely lady that runs a small rescue in Cardiff & is always looking for homes for ferals & semi ferals.They are always neutered wormed etc she never asks for a donation just glad to get safe homes for them

 

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