# Effectiveness of barn cats for rodent control?



## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

I use mouse traps...and a few friendly snakes who come visit when mice arrive on scene...
When evidence of snakes is in my barn...my barn has pests needing gone.
I don't like snakes, tolerate till they move, then_ I move_ usually with a scream, shriek and much yelling. :icon_rolleyes:
Snakes by you this time of the year would freeze to death... :|

You have mice problems because your fields have suddenly become uninhabitable...frozen and snow on them has mice seeking easier, warmer habitats and easy food to eat.

So, a kitty cat...
If you want a cat that hunts, you really can't feed it or feed it much or it has no need to catch and eat what it hunted...
Feral cats...tough one.
No guarantees your cat is going to be a good mouser nor that it will stick around...
Cat could be great at mouse tasting...bird catching...but may also not do their appointed job well either.
When I worked the barns we had feral cats...truly feral cats...
When no one knew they were around but the workers seeing them when we arrived early mornings they did a good job mousing.
Once a few boarders saw them and started feeding them, our mouse population went crazy since no longer did they need to hunt to eat...
Be careful if you take on a cat or two you not give them a happy home where loafing is encouraged.

Also found if we had mice you not have rats...have rats your mice problem is gone...
In its place is a much larger problem. :frown_color:

Make sure all your "feed", regardless of what it is you feed, is in rodent proof containers, supplements too.
I store my feed and cubes in steel garbage cans with snug fitting "tight" lids...my food is never left in bags, on shelves or where a critter can get into and contaminate it....just not going down that path of misery!
:runninghorse2:...


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

It depends, LoL

1. It is a rare cat that will hunt rats.

Cat hunting attitudes vary and in my experience, it doesn’t matter how hungry they are or are not.

I kept cat food in front on my barn cats 24/7. Some of the cats were hunting machines, while a couple of them literally watched mice eat from the cat food bowl.

Meaning if the cat has a big killer instinct, it’s worth it to have one but that isn’t something you will know in advance.

Barn cats, as a rule, have a short life span or sometimes they run off and can sometimes be seen camping out on someone else’s farm.

By and large, unless the family loves cats, it’s not the best solution after you pay all the vet bills for neutering, vaccinations, then the cat might go missing.

My current rodent control are boxes with what I call “quick kill” poison bars in them. I buy the rat size and stick them under the pallets where the shavings are stored. I can’t remember the brand name.

We seem to go in spurts with rodent issues. We haven’t had problems in 3-4 years but this fall I am seeing some really pretty/shiny coated field mice skittering about the barn, so I guess it’s time to do something about them. We have an array of natural predators who aren’t doing such a good job at rodent control


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

The barn where I board at has two indoor/outdoor pet cats and one little (used to be feral) guy that was born on the farm and then mama got hit by a car. All three of those cats catch (and eat) rodents. I've sat in my truck in the evenings and watched them do it. The other day, the young one had such a swollen abdomen that I first thought that something was wrong with him. He wasn't acting funny in any way though. Come to find out, he had eaten a huge rat, the whole thing!!

There are going to be certain cats that couldn't be bothered but I think you would be more apt to have luck on your side with a feral as they are used to catching their own food. I would definitely go for it. An acquaintance had a HUGE vet bill when her filly got salmonella from rodent urine/droppings getting on something that she ingested. The filly was lucky to make it she was so sick.

If they are truly feral, I would get a couple of them. Contain them (separately) and feed them for a couple of weeks so they won't take off before they are used the the area and then turn them loose.

Edit: Feed them minimal. You can't just not feed them at all or they will leave once there is not enough food to sustain them.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Thanks all. 

To be clear, the cat will be spayed or neutered and vaccinated before he comes to my barn. There is no adoption fee. These cats are unadoptable to the usual homes as they are not human-friendly. This is not a pet nor will it be treated as such. However, I cannot have an animal and not feed it. I was worried that a well-fed cat might not catch mice, but I'm thinking that if it learned to hunt, it may still do so even though it's not necessary. But will it leave dead mice in the hay? That's just as bad as having droppings isn't it? 

No rats here by the way. They can be a problem in the cities, but not out here in the country. Not enough food I guess? Just really tiny mice. They're pretty cute really, if they weren't such a nuisance. They have proven smart, and very hard to catch. I spent weeks trying to catch this one mouse with a mouse trap. It managed to steal the bait from the trap every time. Hubby ended up catching it with a sticky trap which I hate. Don't want to do that again. 

And the only thing they have to eat in my barn is hay. I keep everything else in the house. There isn't a shred of food. I think they just come in because it's dry and safe, and they do eat some of the timothy heads in the hay (I see the scattered seeds). It's not a full-scale invasion, but there's always a mouse or two around. 

I also thought perhaps having a barn cat would serve as a deterrent to these mice. Maybe they wouldn't feel quite so safe nesting in the barn if there's a feline around. 

Still, it is another responsibility to take on... I wouldn't treat it as a pet, but I will still feel responsible for it as I would for any living creature under my care.


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## rambo99 (Nov 29, 2016)

I have a feral tomcat that lives in my hay barn. I keep dry cat food out for him along with water. 

He leaves the mice at entrance of hay barn,only partially eaten. Some are untouched but dead. The wild rabbits no longer take up residents in hay barn. 

He's an excellent Hunter and well fed. He's been living in my hay barn for last 2 years. Took him to have him vaccinated this summer. 

He seems to stay around always in one of the barns. Will probably lock him up in tack/ feed room tonight, weathers going to get nasty.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

rambo99 said:


> I have a feral tomcat that lives in my hay barn. I keep dry cat food out for him along with water.
> 
> He leaves the mice at entrance of hay barn,only partially eaten. Some are untouched but dead. The wild rabbits no longer take up residents in hay barn.
> 
> ...


Isn't there a risk of botulism if a cat is leaving half eaten mice in the hay loft? I worry that I wouldn't see them. And my daughter is completely grossed out at the idea.


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## SwissMiss (Aug 1, 2014)

> Cat hunting attitudes vary and in my experience, it doesn’t matter how hungry they are or are not.
> 
> I kept cat food in front on my barn cats 24/7. Some of the cats were hunting machines, while a couple of them literally watched mice eat from the cat food bowl.


This! Our cat used to be a hunting machine! Despite being well fed, he was the bane of the local fauna, including possums :shock: Luckily in his senior years he has slowed down considerably and now just watches birds...

There is a theory that a hungry cat makes for a bad mouser, as hungry cats have less patience and rather try to steal some food somewhere else...


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## ApuetsoT (Aug 22, 2014)

Cats will hunt just to kill stuff, so no need to not feed them. You just need one with a good hunting instinct which I'd expect them to have if they were feral. You will find mouse bodies though.



If these cats are scared of humans, I would wonder how inclined they would be to stick around the barn if you guys are out there often. It's not a very large building, irrc. If you have other seldom used outbuildings, they'd probably take to hiding in there, otherwise they might go find a quieter home.


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

Our chickens do a better job. Feral cats are great if you don't get attached and they actually stick around. Those I know that went that route have had them run off or die through accident. Those I know that have cats to control rodents don't have them fixed or selectively fix so there is always a litter at some point during the year. There seems to be a high mortality rate on a working farm. Either way they are not selective and any population they can catch is effected.



We encourage the natural predators like birds, snakes, fox, coyote and bob cats. As long as there is a rodent population to support the numbers then no problems. For decades the uncle would selectively reduce the population to keep everything balanced but when the neighbors took out most of the predators we were over run by rodents of all kinds until the population recovered.


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## cbar (Nov 27, 2015)

We don't have barn cats, but I do have two house cats. One is ungodly overweight (has been since I adopted her) and she is now a semi-outside cat due to her bad habit of peeing on the basement floor. 

We made her an insulated cat house, but now that it is really cold out she essentially lives in my heated garage. This is where i store my horse feed as well - and so far, not a single mouse. 

She is a well fed cat, but still likes to hunt. I don't think she eats what she catches, but she will kill little voles and mice. Unfortunately the cats will also kill a bird or two (that can't be helped). 

My only concerns with adopting the cat would be:
- would it stick around - you might have to keep it locked in your barn for a while so it learns where home is. 
- hopefully it wouldn't pee on your stuff. My fat cat was really bad for peeing on the basement floor. Oddly enough, now that she is in the garage she will use the litter box. Sad to say, but she would be gone if she started peeing on the horse blankets in the garage. 

Overall I think it isn't a bad idea though - your mouse population would get under control and you would be providing a home for a cat that would likely be euthanized. And it isn't really costing you much except a bag of cat food.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

The saying here is that you want a cat with big ears for a hunter. 

I have usually had feral cats for the barns, they do keep the rodent problem down significantly.

They always had food available. They then hunt for fun and not just because they are hungry. 

Ginger cats, I have found will suddenly disappear and be found somewhere else. I don't know why but they just pack their bags and find somewhere new. 

Don't your dogs help with the mousing?


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

I have an anti social feral cat that arrived her a few years ago and announced that from henceforth he owned us!
He lives in the loft above the barn , I do feed him, he lets the mice steal his food.
The only dead rat I’ve ever found up there appeared to be untouched. My DH is convinced that it just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time when the cat jumped down off the bales and landed on it!


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Foxhunter said:


> Don't your dogs help with the mousing?


The dogs rarely go in the barn (too risky to have them underfoot) and when they do, they don't appear interested in mice. They can't climb, so it's too easy for a mouse to get away by scurrying up the rafters. I often see them way up high.


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## rambo99 (Nov 29, 2016)

Acadianartist said:


> Isn't there a risk of botulism if a cat is leaving half eaten mice in the hay loft? I worry that I wouldn't see them. And my daughter is completely grossed out at the idea.


I suppose but we have never had an issue. I just take pitch fork an throw them over fence.
This cat always leaves his mice ,where I'll be sure to see his accomplishments.
Of course I don't have a hay loft,my hay is in a separate building.

I've had other barn cats who were worthless for hunting mice. My current barn cat is well fed and still hunts.

Finding dead half eaten mice doesn't bother me. As long as he doesn't leave them on hay bales I'm good. 

Right now we have shrews ,cat just kills them but won't eat them. 

There is the option of using a live trap to catch mice. I have one I use in house, because I don't want cats in my house. I use a five gallon bucket to drown the mice trap catches.


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

Ultimately, it depends on the cat. 



My parents have always been fortunate to have really good farm cats. One day, I watched one that we called the "Mamma Kitty" catch at least 9 gophers in less than 2 hours. She just kept coming back into the yard with them, would leave it, then go out and get another one. Needless to say, most years we did NOT have any kind of rodent problem!


Correct that cats won't usually touch rats (seems to me I was told they don't like the taste??) but you don't have a rat problem. 



We've had our cats also catch small rabbits and baby weasels (which are MEAN!). 



And we've always had lazy cats that did NOT catch anything (mostly the males, honestly) and just waited for the good ones to bring things home to share. So It just depends on the cat! In our experience, the females have been the better mousers.


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

I have fixed, tame barn cats that have dry food available at all times and they keep the barns rodent free. I don't think I've ever seen dead carcasses up in the hay mow but the floor of the barn gets littered with them. Especially if they are shrews like @rambo99 mentioned, they must taste bad. We also have a population of barn swallows that nest in the barns every year and unless a nestling falls out of the nest the cats seem to leave them alone. Actually the swallows terrorize the cats by swooping down at them. LOL They do get other birds on occasion along with rabbits and chipmunks. 

Not every cat is equal in it's hunting abilities but the good thing is the ones that are also hunt for the ones who aren't so they are not just on the job when they are hungry. Our oldest barn cat will be 19 in a few months and we lost her sister last year. Of course she no longer hunts because she's lost her hearing but she's earned the right to hang around and be useless and still get fed and babied (I give her canned cat food).

I think your biggest issue would be getting an adult feral cat to stick around like others have mentioned unless they move in of their own accord. We've always had better luck starting with kittens.


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## mkmurphy81 (May 8, 2015)

We got really lucky with the barn cat that adopted us. I rarely see a mouse in my barn. We feed the cat a little bit every night, but we don't leave food out. That can attract other pests. She mostly feeds herself by hunting mice, birds, rabbits, etc. I don't know how she does it, since she's a solid white little 5 pound cat. I don't have a problem with her leaving dead mice around. If she kills it, she eats it. (Well, in the case of the rabbits, it took her a couple of days, but she did eat them.) She's even gotten to be really friendly with her people even though she's still skittish with strangers.
If you have a chance to adopt a feral cat for free, go for it. What do you have to loose? Even if the cat runs away or doesn't live long, it will probably be happier than it would be stuck at the rescue. It might be a great solution to your problem.


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## Chevaux (Jun 27, 2012)

I have barn cats. They are socialized, fixed, vaccinated and have food out 24/7. They hunt for sport which means they kill more than they need to eat - I believe that if the cats do not get human presented food they would still hunt but they would also conserve their energy and hunt only when hungry which in the long run means less mice killed.

I try to set up everything in the barn to allow the cats room to scout around looking for the next victim and that in itself seems to discourage the mice from coming in.. We also have cat entrances into all the out buildings so they can go in those places as well.

With regard to the barn swallow situation, it has been my observation that 1) the cats prefer beef to chicken in their diet😀; 2) if a bird does take a hit it’s not likely to be premium specimen material; 3) we have swallows nest in the old barn successfully each year plus my husband made some swallow friendly nest boxes that were placed under the eaves of the outbuildings (we googled the plan) and the swallows safely use them.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Ok, you're reassured me on the swallow front. Thanks! I do really like my barn swallows because they eat so many mosquitoes and they're just lovely birds to have around. I can cope with finding dead mice (no different than finding them in a mouse trap). Would rather dispose of a dead mouse than a live one, to be honest. 
@mkmurphy81 that's kind of how I feel... these cats are otherwise unadoptable or they would be offering them to barns. It may not have a long life, but there is really not much in the way of alternatives for these kitties. Best case scenario, we have a new friend, Rusty the ADD horse gets entertained, and there are less mice in the barn. 

Now to convince hubby this is a good idea...


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## 4horses (Nov 26, 2012)

My indoor cats all hunt mice if one is ever unfortunate enough to make it into the house. Usually the cats leave either the head or the tail for me to find. I think cats are highly effective but keep in mind, if there are small burrows, the mice will be out of reach. The mice in my barn were living under the stall mats. 

Also in a cold environment, they will need a warm shelter because a cold or wet cat can freeze to death. Here's a video on how to make a simple insulated shelter. If you get multiple cats, you will need multiple shelters. 






I feed my horses out in the pasture because I don't like grain in the stalls. It reduces the mouse population if they don't have free meals.


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## knightrider (Jun 27, 2014)

> Also found if we had mice you not have rats...have rats your mice problem is gone...


Hmmm. Tell this to the mice and rats in our barn. We have both. The cats get some of them, but we still have lots. We have a terrier that somebody dumped and she gets rats, but we still have more rats. I've gotten 3 snakes, but we still have rats and mice. If we didn't have these pets, I'd put out traps and poison. I keep all my feed in metal cans with tight lids and sweep up any spilled feed immediately. 

A naturalist told me a few years back that the true secret to rodent control is to get an owl. Cats are a lot easier to adopt than owls, and so far, I haven't convinced any owls to nest around our barn. I understand that owls are amazing rodent killers. Wish I had one!


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

@knightrider there are plans for owl nesting boxes that you can get off the internet. We built them as a project one year in Ag. Several of the kids reported that they worked for attracting them. You do have to have trees appropriate for them as an attractant as well. Leave large branches and keep some unpruned close to where you want them. The taller the tree the better. If you have outdoor lights put them on a timer or only turn them on when you need them. Don't put them where they'll startle a hunting bird if they are motion detected. Make sure you have a bird bath available and leave grass in some areas taller. Screech owls are typically easy to attract.


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## evilamc (Sep 22, 2011)

I swore I'd never get cats. Then mice were trying to take over my barn and already were in our house apparently when we moved in.

I now have 3 cats.

1 is fat and lazy....male...doesn't do much hunting, but is super friendly.

My other 2....They LIVE to hunt! Sure they lounge around and enjoy cuddles too but they are hunting machines. I can't imagine NOT having cats now. I'd never have indoor cats, I hate litter boxes, but I will for sure be adopting more females when the time comes that I need more!

In my 4 years here I've lost 1 cat. Not sure if she jsut ran off or got eaten. I went to the shelter and adopted a new cat 2 weeks later and shes way sweeter haha! I'm pretty lucky my cats are very sweet and friendly. A feral cat would make me a tad nervous. I have 1 or 2 feral cats that hang out....I'm sure they help with the hunting but they're TERRIFIED of me!

Maybe just tell your husband the cat randomly showed up? I mean it is feral after all.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

evilamc said:


> Maybe just tell your husband the cat randomly showed up? I mean it is feral after all.


Can't say I haven't thought of it... though I think he'd be a tad suspicious of the timing, LOL

I brought it up with him again last night. He promptly went out to the barn and set 4 mouse traps. We caught one this morning. I guess he's going to be our feral cat for now. 

Either way, Mr. mouse is dead so I got what I wanted, hehehe


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## 4horses (Nov 26, 2012)

I think i am lucky. As soon as the mice showed up, the 2 owls, and the 2 hawks moved in. I was out there last night because the horses got spooked by the fox that was yapping out there. The owl was in the tree over the horse pen. 

My neighbor has wild guinea hens. I'm guessing that was what the fox was going after for supper.


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## avjudge (Feb 1, 2011)

4horses said:


> Also in a cold environment, they will need a warm shelter because a cold or wet cat can freeze to death. Here's a video on how to make a simple insulated shelter. If you get multiple cats, you will need multiple shelters.


I think if it's inside you don't need the outer (plastic storage container) layer as its purpose appears to be to make it weatherproof. In our loft I have two shelters for my barn cat*: one is a styrofoam cooler with a front door cut in it (and the lid will easily pop off if she needs to make a quick exit, unlikely as that is in the loft); the other is a plastic tote (uninsulated) with front and back doorways and a heated pad in it. She spends much of her time on her heated bed! It's a 20-watt one made for cold settings rather than the 4-watt ones made to keep an elderly cat more comfortable in a warm house. 

You can also get 1-quart heated water bowls.

Though it sounds like AA is maybe moving away from the cat idea?

I will say, mine catches mice in the winter (not usually the red squirrels, and I still find stashes of seeds in many a crevice) but in summer it's primarily chipmunks and birds - both of which I'm very sad to see killed. When we lived in the city (Somerville MA, residential city, 1-2-3-family homes on small lots but most with postage-stamp yards) she was an in/out cat with her own cat door to the basement and would bring her catch in; she got birds there too, but also rats, and she did eat them - at least their shoulders. She didn't get full-grown, large rats, but rather younger (and dumber??) rats that were usually just above the size of a large mouse.

------------------
*Not feral, and would much prefer to be a house cat - but hates/fears all other cats and sprays all the walls when forced to live with one (or more). Calming items & drugs have all failed to overcome her neuroses. That's another class of cats adopted out to be barn cats: those that won't reliably use a litter box in spite of all interventions. I know the MSPCA (Mass.) advertises those.


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

Acadianartist said:


> Isn't there a risk of botulism if a cat is leaving half eaten mice in the hay loft? I worry that I wouldn't see them. And my daughter is completely grossed out at the idea.


If you don't want half eaten mice here and there don't get cats.

A feral cat adopted us a couple of years ago. He is a hunting, killing machine. He also now comes into the house and sleeps on the bed. He is well-fed. He is neutered and is vaccinated for his and our safety, especially for rabies. We have a small dog and a pet door. Sometimes Tim brings us presents and some of them are still "active" which is of great interest to the dog. It can get exciting at times.

Cats will stay where they want to stay. You might be better off with rodent bait. Just be sure the dogs don"t eat the dead ones.


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

Acadianartist said:


> I brought it up with him again last night. He promptly went out to the barn and set 4 mouse traps. We caught one this morning. I guess he's going to be our feral cat for now.
> 
> Either way, Mr. mouse is dead so I got what I wanted, hehehe


Problem solved!!!!!!!! :thumbsup:


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## evilamc (Sep 22, 2011)

Acadianartist said:


> Can't say I haven't thought of it... though I think he'd be a tad suspicious of the timing, LOL
> 
> I brought it up with him again last night. He promptly went out to the barn and set 4 mouse traps. We caught one this morning. I guess he's going to be our feral cat for now.
> 
> Either way, Mr. mouse is dead so I got what I wanted, hehehe



LOL nice! Nah just be like...."Well it is getting pretty cold!! Must of found its way here!"


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## Fuddyduddy1952 (Jun 26, 2019)

Cats are great. We have four. We have a double gazebo, two 12ft x 12ft ones 3ft apart. Litter boxes one side. Lots of things they climb on, chain link fence walls , metal roofs so at night 3 cats can go up, protected from coyote, foxes, dogs. I made a well insulated room top of one with heat lamp on a thermostat set to 60 degrees. Lots of beds. They're spoiled rotten!
Heated water I made one better than you can buy. I used a plastic box, about 12"x18"x8". Cut hole in top for a metal bundt cake pan. Screwed/caulk in place. I used a ceramic lamp holder and 25 watt bulb strapped in place, this goes inside middle of bundt pan inside box, box is translucent so serves as a night light.
Fill pan water...water won't freeze.
For mice you can buy or make this with a 5 gallon bucket. Uses peanut butter...






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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

That mouse trap is brilliant. I might just do that since hubby is clearly not inclined to let me have a cat. Not that I would normally let him dictate what I do, but I have two dogs and three horses, none of which he wanted. He's been supportive so far. Perhaps I shouldn't push my luck.


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## Fuddyduddy1952 (Jun 26, 2019)

Acadianartist said:


> That mouse trap is brilliant. I might just do that since hubby is clearly not inclined to let me have a cat. Not that I would normally let him dictate what I do, but I have two dogs and three horses, none of which he wanted. He's been supportive so far. Perhaps I shouldn't push my luck.


There are different designs. A similar one they used a wooden dowel, about 1/2" diameter, maybe 2 inches longer than across bucket. Then an empty soda can with hole drilled center each end (holes a little bigger than 1/2"). Then 1/2" hole drilled either side bucket top.
Dowel started through...then drink can...dowel out other side. Can in center, and so it can spin. A little peanut butter on can, bucket half full water. Wood ramps up to dowel. 

That's it!

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## mkmurphy81 (May 8, 2015)

I have that bucket trap too. There's no water in mine, so it doesn't kill the mouse. I've only caught one mouse in my feed room with it. The cat enjoyed it.


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## gottaquarter (Jun 8, 2012)

I would say go for it..... unless your husband wants to take dead mice out of a trap or you want to take a chance with poison.....

Every barn I have ever been to has had cats around..... currently there are 5 at my barn (one was a catch and release “drop off” I found coming down the long driveway, one was a stray momma who had a litter and we kept two of the kittens, now grown, and one was my contribution from home before any cats were in residence because the barn had been empty of boarders). The momma was quite skittish initially but she came around pretty quickly. We leave food out during the day and put it away at night
(or else you will also have possums) and they always have fresh water as well as their preference to drink out of troughs or puddles(!). I agree you need to have some sort of dry food out if you want them to stick around..... even feral cats would appreciate being fed. Our barn cats love to sleep on the hay bales and are able to climb to upper rafters for safety from predators or if neighboring dogs pay a visit. 

In my experience most cats I’ve known or owned are instinctively interested in anything that’s small and moves regardless of wether or not they eat it; we have not had a rodent problem so to speak, and I have even seen a couple of the cats go off in neighboring fields to hunt. 

It helps if you are a cat person, barn cats usually become just as much part of a barn family as the horses or dogs. I love that each has its own personality and I throughly enjoy having a cat jump in my lap when I sit down. In your case I say go for the feral cat, and even suggest 2 if you can convince your husband because cats really do enjoy a buddy most times. They will already be spayed and vaccinated, and like someone mentioned you will be providing a home to an animal who might otherwise be euthanized so you would really be doing a good thing. For minimal care you would most likely find your mouse population decline just by having them live in and around your barn. I would not take in the cat to just ignore it.....at the very least make sure water, a small bowl of kibbles and a dry barn with a place to hide from predators is available. Even if you don’t end up bonding with a truly feral kitty, it’s really a win win to help with your rodent population while giving a homeless animal a safe haven.


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## its lbs not miles (Sep 1, 2011)

Acadianartist said:


> Like most of you I imagine, I have persistent mice in my barn that multiply faster than I can catch them. It's annoying. I have an opportunity to adopt a feral cat from a local rescue. They have cats that are not friendly to humans, have never lived with humans, that are up for adoption as barn cats only. They are vaccinated and spayed or neutered. All I have to do is feed it and give it a safe home. I told them my barn is not heated - not a problem. These cats have lived semi-wild all their lives. Seems like a good idea. I like cats, but hubby says no more pets and honestly, I don't want a cat in the house. I have two dachshunds that have a high prey drive and I don't want the cat hair or litter box. But a barn cat that looks after my rodent problem and that I only have to feed (I assume they'll drink out of the horses' heated buckets), that might be a good solution. The rescue is very keen on helping me adopt one at no cost to me.
> 
> But I have to ask the question: is it really an effective way to control the rodent population or will the cat just ignore the mice? And will it put an end to my nesting barn swallows? The swallows nest up high, of course, but I imagine that an agile cat used to surviving on its own might be able to reach the nest? They'd have to literally climb the wall... but I used to have a cat who could do that just to swat a fly so I'm guessing they could if they really wanted to.
> 
> Thoughts?


I want to qualify my comment. I can only speak of my experience or first hand knowledge, which should not be taken as a definitive answer. Basically like looking at an experiment that had a very small control group.

Because the cat is feral you probably do have significantly better odds that it will be a better "mouser". Most pet cats are pitiful (at best) mousers. In fact, your dachshunds would likely be better at getting mice than most cats I've known (at least more enthusiastic about it). Being feral the cat is going to have a stronger "hunt to survive" drive so if you don't over feed it then it's hunting drive will continue to keep it's stomach full (they can become lazy feral cats and just live on the "handouts"). As for your birds....all domestic cats are going to kill birds if the chance arises. The domestic cat (both feral and non feral) is the number one killer of wildlife in the world. They have driven some species of animals to the brink of (and in some case into) extinction. Cats are among natures most successful predators and one of the few creatures (as with man) who will kill when it has not need to eat purely for the sake of killing.

Of course there is a plus side to all cats if things don't work out (don't read the following if you really have an attachment to cats....) The do actually taste like rabbit so if things don't work out....try a "roof ribbit" pie, "roof rabbit" curry, Alpine rabbit (a good recipe), and of course there is always the option of using it as a substitute in making hasenpfeffer.


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## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

This video reminded me of this thread:


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## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

Effectiveness will vary cat to cat.... our experience has been that the lazy barn cats will watch a mouse walk right by them, but eat the pretty-colored songbirds we want to keep around. They ignored the swallows and sparrows and black birds in favor of orioles and wrens :-(

Our shelter has the 'feral cat adoption' thing, too. Kitties adopted out for rodent control in barns/warehouses. If nothing else, a cat gets a home. Consider adopting 2-- a male and a female who get along. While not a 'social' animal per se, most cats really seem to enjoy company, and if they get along, will snuggle up together in the hay to sleep and stay warm on cold winter nights.


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## WildestDandelion (Apr 4, 2019)

with the feral cats barn cats, you start off feeding them and keep them locked inside the barn for a period so they recognize that place as home. 

Like others have said, the hunting instinct varies from cat to cat. Typically, females have a stronger hunting drive than males. A good friend kept getting barn cats, and they were all killed by cars or her dogs  So I would prepare myself not to get attached.


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## carshon (Apr 7, 2015)

Coming in late this thread. I have 2 cats. Both were feral kittens that my daughter brought home. They are both great mousers - even though they get wet catfood twice a day and dry cat food whenever they want. Almost every morning I walk out my back door to find little kidneys etc on the sidewalk. A non-hungry cat will hunt more than a hungry one. My mouse problem is not 100% gone but is much better. That being said we also put out poison stations. In reality it would take a cate eating a HUGE amount of poisoned mice to make themselves sick.

If husband is that against a cat poison will do. Your mice are probably coming into the barn not for food but for water.


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## Fuddyduddy1952 (Jun 26, 2019)

We've had many cats, over 100, over the years. Our understanding is the mother teaches kittens to hunt.
One of the best mousers we had was a gray striped tom cat "Reggie". When he was a kitten I tied a cat toy mouse on end of a fishing line and cast it out in the yard.
Apparently he got the idea and kept the place clear of everything, not birds so much. The only downside was him killing chipmonks and rabbits. Neighbors liked him, he would go out a half-mile in every direction killing mostly mice, rats and moles. He lived to be 21.
They are different which ones like to hunt.

Sent from my SM-S320VL using Tapatalk


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## rambo99 (Nov 29, 2016)

WildestDandelion said:


> with the feral cats barn cats, you start off feeding them and keep them locked inside the barn for a period so they recognize that place as home.
> 
> Like others have said, the hunting instinct varies from cat to cat. Typically, females have a stronger hunting drive than males. A good friend kept getting barn cats, and they were all killed by cars or her dogs  So I would prepare myself not to get attached.


Any dog I own better not kill my cats,if they do so twice .Dog will be finding a new home or be put to sleep. I will not tolerate a cat killing dog.


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## WildestDandelion (Apr 4, 2019)

rambo99 said:


> Any dog I own better not kill my cats,if they do so twice .Dog will be finding a new home or be put to sleep. I will not tolerate a cat killing dog.


From what the husband says (the wife doesn't actually know this happened, she thinks the cats ran away or became prey etc) the kittens got into the dog yard, and the dogs were playing too rough with it.


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## Captain Evil (Apr 18, 2012)

Many years ago my sister and I leased a barn, and a two feral cats showed up. One (Amadeus) was actually frozen to the road, but we were able to save al of him but his ears. He came home with us. The other cat was wild wild wild, but we made a bed in the loft and put out bowl of premium cat food. After a while we stopped seeing her, but we knew she was around as the cat food was always gone. 

Then the barn owner asked us if we had seen her lately. When we said no, she said, "She is gone, but you have some of the healthiest rats I have ever seen." 

And they were: really big and glossy. We didn't know quite what to do, but the problem was solved unexpectedly when my little 20 pound pit bull caught sight of the rat. Before I even realized what was happening, she was on it, shook it, and dropped the limp, dead body, all in a heartbeat. 

And that was the last we saw of any mouse or rat. 

It was the little one Pooka.


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## AtokaGhosthorse (Oct 17, 2016)

Slightly stale thread but do not starve your cats to try to force them to hunt. My cats have free choice food out at all times, as do our dogs. The cats are all muscle, heavy heavy heavy, and healthy... and savage hunters of mice, rats, gophers, shrews, bullfrogs, birds.


Also - our chickens do bad bad things to rodents.


They also are big enough now they whip up on the tom cats.


But yes, the myth of starving a cat or they won't hunt is both a myth and an egregious error. 



Please don't starve the cats... what a crappy reward for hunting, which individual cats either have the instinct for, or they don't.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Don't worry, I could never intentionally starve an animal. If I got a barn cat, it would have access to food and water, and a shelter. 

However, hubby is adamant that we do not need a barn cat. He's set a number of traps throughout the barn and we've caught two mice so far. I'm not seeing any more mice or evidence of them, but we'll have to remain vigilant. Peanut butter is good bait, it turns out. 

I'd love to give a cat a place to live, but I also think my husband has been pretty patient with my two dogs and three horses, none of which he wanted, so for the time being, I'll let him win this one.


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