Anyone got a yard cat?

[No_Angel]

We are thinking of getting 2 or 3 yard cats. We are doing up an outbuilding for them to live in, which will have a cat flap on the door, and they will have beds in and such (food and water bowls).

What else do you have for your yard cats?

 

[Chrisnscully]

Lol - we have yard dogs - they are good ratters and take on the foxes too

 

[Gimp]

My cat stalks the stables and barns and seems to be sadly killing lots of starlings :/ but he has brought a couple of mice in to so hes earning his keep, however Im to soft to have him outside living My terrier is excellent at hunting out polecats and alougth she thinks herself as an excellent rabbiter in the field she has never actually caught one ! I would contact the local rescues they often have semi ferals/ferals looking for somewhere dry to lay their head I think what you are offering for them sounds perfect

 

[Trewsers]

I would love a yard cat but OH is very allergic and ended up in hospital last time we visited a house with cats roaming about. My mum has to keep them away from him whenever we go there! I know a yard cat could live out, but we are both softies and it would end up indoors making him ill! Plus I daren't risk one sleeping amongst the rugs etc in the tack room for fear of dander.
Tbh the rats here are so big I don't think a kitty would do the trick! The mice are downright cheeky too!!

 

[No_Angel]

Ive looked around the local rescues for outdoor cats but they all seem to be indoor cats in this area. There's someone at the other end of the country that rehomes feral cats to farms, I've been in contact with them but we are too far away.
It seems that most places here just TNR the cats around here rather then rehome them. There is a feral cat group that I have asked to see if there's anyone in the local are but no replies so far.
I'm going to keep my eye out for people rehoming cats, and put a wanted ad up, but we need to do a bit of work to the barn first to make sure it's all set up for them, as they will need to be kept in for a few weeks to start with.

Does anyone have scratching poles for outdoor cats? Or I'm wondering whether I should put an old sofa up there for them for an extra place to sleep. And a litter tray?

 

[No_Angel]

I've only seen a couple of mice here, we don't seem to have rabbits either, but we will be getting chickens again in the spring so no doubt the rodents may make an appearance then!

 

[ponylover88]

I have 2, both neutered to prevent unwanted babies. I have a barn with 4 stables in, a further 2 blocks of 2 stables and a hay barn. They each have a food bowl split into two (the double bowls) which gets filled with biscuits on one side and once a day they get a packet of felix meat. It's not enough to fill them, but it's enough to keep them coming home in the evening for the most. They're brilliant hunters.

They don't get water provided - we have water troughs, a pond and half an old wooden barrel with water in they can drink from, which they always preferred over their water bowl. They don't have anywhere particularly safe as such to hide like yours will have, but it sounds lovely.

 

[Gimp]

Im not sure where you are but have you tried these My friend has had dealings with them http://www.catactiontrust1977leeds.co.uk/?view=featured

they have branches over the UK

 

[No_Angel]

Just had a quick google but couldn't see any branches in Ireland/Northern Ireland, but will have a proper google.

I would prefer to rehome some needy cats (pref already neutered) but if I can't find any there are tons of kittens free to good home advertised.

I was hoping there would be rescues happy to rehome any outdoor cats that were hard to home, but they just don't seem to have any here. I could always get my sister to rehome some for me and bring them over at xmas when they come to visit I suppose,lol.

 

[Gimp]

sorry I didnt realise you were in Ireland.

 

[No_Angel]

I'm really close to Northern Ireland, so if anyone knows any rehoming centres that branches that rehome feral/semi feral cats in Northern Ireland let me know!

 

[Wally]

Deffo have a yard cat, they keep the birds out of the stables and stop them crapping on everything. At the farm when we lived south the cats had the granary, they had cardboard boxes with blankets and we fed them daily, they still caught mice and rabbits and pigeons. We had Wiwyum in the indoor school and he kept the birds out of the indoor school. He had a cardboard box with a Poly pad bed

 

[squidsin]

We are thinking of getting 2 or 3 yard cats. We are doing up an outbuilding for them to live in, which will have a cat flap on the door, and they will have beds in and such (food and water bowls).

What else do you have for your yard cats?

There are 3 on my yard living the life of riley in the feed/hay room. They have a cat flap and I sometimes envy their life!

 

[No_Angel]

I've got 4 dogs and we hear the hounds a lot and had a couple of hounds on the yard at one point, so I want them to have a safe place to have as their own that they can escape to.

 

[No_Angel]

I didn't know it would be so hard finding a cat! Have been keeping my eyes open but nothing yet, lots of kittens free to good home but was really hoping to give a home to a couple of adults.

 

[Cortrasna]

NA I have the number of a lady in the Cavan area who rescues and rehomes semi feral cats. She was all set up to take some of the 30 odd that my disgusting neighbour was allowing to breed and over run the townland, but unfortunately someone got there before her and poisoned nearly two thirds of them! I hated having them in all my outbuildings and shite'ing everywhere, and trying to stop my terriers killing them, but I didnt want them murdered so!

I will see if I can find the number and pm you with it tomorrow if you think it isn't too far to come down and get a couple from her?

 

[Jayne]

We have 3 or 4 cats can't remember. They sleep wherever they find comfortable. I've just bought some spray as one keeps spraying in my bit in the barn. Stinks awful. I know they keep mice , rats and whatever down, but I don't personally like them. We also have 4 labs, 1 collie, 2 ducks, 5 chickens. I wanted a couple of pig's, but haven't managed to convince YO yet. [emoji6]

 

[No_Angel]

I may have a couple of cats coming to live with me in a few weeks If it doesn't work out I will be in touch Cortrasna

 

[joosie]

We've got 2 yard cats and they live outdoors 24/7. They turn up for breakfast when we're doing the morning feeds, and then wander off and spend most of the day hunting. If we do see them around the yard they're usually fast asleep in the hay barn or on any rugs, numnahs or human clothing they find lying around. They are both fab hunters and bring us a lot of goodies!

 

[No_Angel]

I hope these 2 are good hunters! They are mother and son, both feral/semi-feral so hoping they take to the life. Just doing up their 'house' at the moment.