All about owning barn cats

Do you have mice in your barn? Are they getting into your animal’s feed? Barn cats might be perfect for you!

By reading this article you will know how to take care of barn cats, where to get a cat,

plus the answers to commonly ask questions.

hopefully, if you are reading this article you like cats, and so do I.

Having had close to 20 barn cats at once I have learned a thing or two about owning cats.

maybe you already have cats around your barn and you just want to learn how to take better care of them

with minimal costs then you have come to the right place.

barn cats really don’t need a lot of care they are quite hardy creatures have adapted to most places on earth, and are found on 118 of the 131 island groups.

most if not all barn cats are a mix of different domesticated cat breeds so they can be any color or size.

let’s talk all about taking care of barn cats!

What Do Barn Cats Need To Live A Happy Healthy Life?

They need fresh water daily and food they might eat mice or small birds

but will still need some kind of kibble to ensure they are getting enough nutrients.

I have tried a lot of different cat foods, some of them just don’t have what your cat needs and actually do more harm than good

I will link some of the ones that I like to feed below.

• Purina one cat food – it is affordable and gives your cat the nutrients they need
• Wholesome Cat food – this one is a bit more expensive but the quality is also better
• Taste of the wild cat food – is another great one

cats also have some kind of shelter like a shed or barn that they can get in and out of, with hay or straw for them to sleep in.

parasites are also quite common in barn cats so regular deworming is necessary for optimal health here is a link to the one that I use for my cats.

Do barn cats need a litter box?

no… they will use stalls with shavings or hay or straw although whenever I keep my cats confined to a small area I give them a litter box for easy cleanup.

Where Do You Get A Barn Cat?

cats will sometimes just come and start living in your barn but if you do not have a cat yet

a great option would be to ask someone you know that might have barn cats

because there is an abundance of cats so you should not have a hard time finding one.

the next option is to adopt a cat from a rescue,

adopting is a really great thing to do because the cats will most likely be spayed or neutered

I will talk more about the importance of this in a minute.

you can also look for one on Facebook or a website that has pets for sale.

Do Cats Need To Be Spayed Or Neutered?

I would recommend getting them fixed, this can help keep your males from running away.

even if you only have a female it is a good idea to get her fixed because she will attract nearby males, this will prevent unwanted litters.

getting your cats fixed will also prevent inbreeding which happens when the parents are too closely related

this can cause deformity and lower their immunity increasing the chances of them getting sick.

you can either have it done by your local vet or by a humane society (likely cheaper).

What Problems Can Having A Barn Cat Eliminate?

Barn cats help keep the mice population under control so if you have mice getting into your feed a cat might be able to help get rid of them.

with that said some cats are better at hunting them others some just don’t have the desire to kill while others do,

if you get your cat from a farm and they grow up outside and their parents are good hunters they will likely teach the kittens how to hunt making the chances higher that they will kill mice.

Also note: if you are getting a cat for the purpose of eliminating mice make sure not to use mice bait because this can poison your cat

even if a mouse eats the bait and then your cat eats that mouse it could potentially harm your cat.

What Is The Average Lifespan Of A Barn Cat?

the average lifespan of a barn cat is about 10 years, I had a cat that lived 13 years.

How To Keep A Barn Cat From Running Away?

To help make sure your cat stays at your barn make sure to feed them decent quality cat food (it doesn’t need to be the most expensive one)

When you first get your cat keep it in a smaller area for a few days and make sure to feed it

that way your cat knows that it will get fed at your place and is more likely to stay.

Make sure there are plenty of spots for your cat to hide especially if it is a bit skittish, this will help it feel more secure and safe in your barn.