The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Pets & Working Animals => Cats => Topic started by: Baois Glas on November 09, 2014, 11:33:13 am
-
We are thinking of getting 2 or 3 cats for the yard (pref feral/semi feral but can't seem to find any here). We are doing up one of the outbuildings for them, they will have a cat flap on the door so they can come and go, have their beds and bowls in there and we are thinking about moving an old sofa up there for them.
Is there anything else they will need that I've overlooked?
-
Cats are very contrary creatures! I wouldn't go overboard in finding things for them, a bed, a sofa and food and water sound fine. You may find they chose to sleep somewhere entirely different though!
-
Ours has a bed in the shed but she never uses it, she curls up anywhere and everywhere, often found in with sheep, ponies but equally loves being curled up with the dogs in front of the fire, farm cat my arris lol x
-
you may find they want to come in the house, 4 out of 5 of ours are in like a shot, but still hunt a lot.
ours have beds in the garage too, but do enjoy it when the straw is there.
-
mine hunts a lot but now comes into the main house-as well as sleeping in the utility room. Despite buying him beds, his favourite in the house is an empty cardboard box which I've now stuck a blanket in. He does love hay though, and will happily sleep on any loose hay/hay bale available outside.
-
Well hopefully my new arrivals are coming tomorrow :fc:
They have the hayloft, which has been cleared out for them, with some beds and branches and some cardboard boxes so they can occupy themselves till they are allowed out.
The rescue they are coming from have been fab, they have neutered and chipped them for us and even told us we don't have to pay a rehoming fee for them, as they want a good home for them. I'm excited about getting them now, although the day is a little tinged with sadness as we lost one of our horses yesterday.
-
Sorry to hear about your horse :'( :bouquet:
Hope you get on well with the new cats. Sounds like they're coming to a veritable farmcat heaven!
-
They arrived about 5pm, looked all calm and peaceful whilst the fosters from the rescue were here, waved them off and went to get the food for them sorted, took their food in and they were up on the roof beams and shimming up the wall :o
I'm having a little bit of a 'what have I done' moment, I've barricaded the door and hoping they are still in there in the morning!
-
From what I hear, that's entirely par for the course! I'm sure they'll be fine after a few days of you being the person who brings food ;)
-
Mind your back as you open the door in the morning :innocent: - they'll be waiting to shoot out and give you a heart attack - and pretend to be lost till they are hungry and realise you're the best source of instant food :excited: Pictures if you catch them :eyelashes:
-
I have one cat which just adopted us, she prefers to sleep in the buildings and hunts for her food, plus I do give her a bit of food every day, but she certainly keeps the rat population down. Strangely enough she has never attacked a chicken, she sometimes accompanies me to let them out, but never tries eating them.
-
Well they were still in there this morning, after a moment of panic when I couldn't find Noah (boy cat) and he was sat on the ledge over the door. Macie (mum cat) was still sat on the roof beam giving me the evil eye. I put their food in, sorted their litter tray and have left them to it.
Here are a couple of pics their fosterer sent me till they settle and come down off the roof so I can get some more pics, Macie is the tortie and white, Noah is the tabby and white.
-
Here they are this morning, sitting on the roof beams
(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b242/madams_walk/MacieandNoah_zps79cb9edf.jpg) (http://s20.photobucket.com/user/madams_walk/media/MacieandNoah_zps79cb9edf.jpg.html)
-
Well Macie and Noah have been in the hayloft for 6 weeks. I put the cat flap in and propped it open for them on Monday and they stayed inside! Tried to bribe Noah out with food but he came out, ate and went back in.
Yesterday morning Macie was gone, leaving Noah on his own, poor boy looked a bit lost without his mum.
I had just fed Noah last night and came into the kitchen to wash my hands and spotted Macie outside, I went back out and she was sat in the trees behind the house, I put some food out for her and went back to fetch it later and most of it had gone, so either she came down to eat it or Noah came down to eat it and then went back up. I left the food in the outbuilding under their hayloft on top of a freezer, it has a window that she can get through if she wants to get the food.
How do I know if she is eating? And how long do I leave it without seeing her before I start to panic?
-
Mum will be well used to fending for herself. She knows where there is shelter and a regular supply of food should she have a day of not finding her own so try not to worry. Little boy is obviously happier in the safety of his new home. Just keep placing food in their usual feeding place so they know where to get it.They will both be fine, you have done a good job settling them and for long enough for them to know where they now belong :thumbsup: Well done :trophy: :cat: :cat:
-
Two very lucky cats :trophy: . They will soon get used to you as their food source and may even deign to become your friends (maybe :huff: :cat: ).
-
Thank you, I will try not to worry too much! I was so happy to see her last night, I thought she would go and not be seen again. Noah forgets himself sometimes and lets me touch him :D
-
Very happy again tonight, Macie came back :excited:
I'd just popped some food out for her around the back, then walked round and went in to feed Noah. Noah then went through the cat flap and down, I looked through the cat flap and there was Macie ;D They ate their food then I put out some more for them. Hopefully it will be routine now that she comes back at dinner time and I can check and make sure she is ok ;D
-
My two cats have a bed in the barn but never seem to use it. I often find the sleeping on top of the round straw bales. They always appear at breakfast and tea time. In the summer Jacs the female lives on rabbits and she can be gone for days. Barnaby on the other hand stays around most of the time always trying to tell me I have not fed him :innocent: