Author Topic: Cats and abortion in sheep (Read 7152 times)

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #15 on:** January 18, 2016, 09:07:35 am »

Quote from: Marches Farmer on January 18, 2016, 08:54:41 am

Quote from: SallyintNorth on January 17, 2016, 03:21:10 pm
Vaccinate your sheep, Linda. And warn your neighbours, so that they can vaccinate theirs too, if they wish.

... and be prepared to be unpopular as they add another cost to keeping their sheep ....?

Farms have cats. Cats have kittens. It's life.

Womble · « **Reply #16 on:** January 18, 2016, 09:41:38 am »

One great way to stop cats from cr@pping in your hay is to get your neighbour to spend £15K on an outdoor riding arena. The cats will then think that this is the greatest litter tray the world has ever seen, and will never soil your fields or hay again!

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #17 on:** January 19, 2016, 05:25:26 pm »

Farms have cats. Cats have kittens. It's life.

We didn't replace our cats when they died of old age and now have well baited feed stores, no toxo and lots of wild birds - 17 nest sites within 10 metres of the farmhouse last year.

Womble · « **Reply #18 on:** October 14, 2016, 11:56:18 am »

So, a while ago, I wrote:

Quote from: Womble on January 18, 2016, 07:10:08 am

Does anybody know if there is a way of testing prospective cats to make sure they have already been exposed (and hence have immunity)?

I've now found out a bit more. Yes there is indeed a test, but it costs £95 (or £120 to include Felv and FIV feline immunodeficiency tests as well).

So that's quite a dilemma. Say we went to a shelter and found a new adult cat, there's every chance it will already have been exposed to toxoplasma and will hence now not be shedding occysts, so therefore will pose no threat to the sheep. However, is it really worth a hundred quid to find that out? I really don't know $:-\$ .

Maybe we could keep it indoors for six months and force feed it field voles?

Backinwellies · « **Reply #19 on:** October 14, 2016, 03:18:32 pm »

Feral kitten solved my dilemma by turning up and insisting on moving in .... and no I wont be warning my neighbour ... came from the feral in his shed anyway!!!

Cats don't have to have kittens ... get them done!!

TheSmilingSheep · « **Reply #20 on:** October 14, 2016, 03:47:37 pm »

I'm sure the vaccine didn't cost that much - £90 maybe - can't remember how many sheep that covered, but if you've a small flock then that might address the issue. Only vaccinate the younger sheep, and enjoy the new kittens!

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #21 on:** October 14, 2016, 07:44:22 pm »

Our vet recommended getting only adult cats - neutered of course - and not worrying about it.

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #22 on:** October 16, 2016, 09:13:28 am »

A study carried out in 997 estimated that the UK cat population of approximately 9 million felines brought home in the period 1 April to 31 August that year 95 million prey animals and birds, including 57 million mammals, 27 million birds and 5 million reptiles and amphibians. Funny how only the farming community continues to be blamed for declining numbers in all species ......