# Tips wanted for barn kittens!



## cbrossard (Oct 4, 2014)

I am going to be getting a couple of barn kittens from a mama barn cat that is pregnant. I am hoping that since mama is a barn cat she will be able to teach the kittens about hunting, and avoiding predators before they come to me. However, they will still be young kittens, so I want to make sure that they are safe out in the barn. I don't have any other barn cats and have never had barn cats before. I am planning to provide them with food and water and they will be able to get to the hay loft to escape predators or snuggle in the hay when they are older. For the first few weeks I will keep them enclosed either in a cage or a stall and then after that I figured I will let them out during the day and close them in at night... I know a lot of people recommend closing them in at night throughout their life, but I really don't want to do that since I would like them to be out hunting at night. I have enquired to several of my friends in the area that have barn cats as well as a feral cat program in my area and they all said that once the cats are older, they usually are able to live a long life span in this area...

So on to my questions: Has anyone ever introduced kittens to their barn? At what age do you let them out? Are there any techniques/precautions that you use to make sure that they stay safe?


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## Ranger1 (Sep 1, 2014)

I've had several kittens that I acquired at about eight weeks of age. I generally keep them in a cage with supervised time out of it for a week and then just let them out. Locking them up at night would certainly cut down a lot on dangers, including having owls take them off, but I don't do that. You do have to prepare yourself for the fact that barn cats don't live as long as other cats because there is so much danger out there. I haven't lost cats before three years yet, but the oldest two barn cats I've had were 7 and 6 years old, and they both disappeared last summer. That's what usually happens to mine-they just disappear, and we assume that a coyote or owl got them.


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## alicejane (Jan 15, 2014)

*tips barn kitten*

Altho I would recommend getting some adult cats from that need homes for your kittens to attach to. I have introduced kittens to the outside by making a bed or cage where they can hide from the dogs but still have a place to feed. They slowly move out onto their own. The only thing to keep them to the barn will.be their feed & water.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

While they are confined be sure to handle them as often as you can. Wild barn kitties are no fun when it comes to spay/neuter time.


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## cbrossard (Oct 4, 2014)

I forgot another question I had... Do you have any tips for keeping them from killing baby chicks?


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## Ranger1 (Sep 1, 2014)

cbrossard said:


> I forgot another question I had... Do you have any tips for keeping them from killing baby chicks?


No, except keep the chicks locked up. If a hen hatched them, there's a good chance she'll keep the cats away from her babies.


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## Blueyes132 (Mar 26, 2016)

I've had baby chicks 8 week outside and baby kittens outside and have never had a problem with them killing them. Barn cats are predators and if hungry they will eat them. But I've never lost any chicken yet to a cat.


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## cbrossard (Oct 4, 2014)

Thanks everyone!

Ranger, our chicks are always hen-raised, so hopefully you are right and she would be able to fend off the cats. 

And Blueeyes, the cats will be fed cat food, so they shouldn't be "hungry."


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

We always have barn kittens but they come from our cats who teach them. I have never introduced a kitten and tried to make them a barn cat. (The attraction of a little goat milk in the parlor works wonders.)
We often have cats and chicks around and the cats have never eaten a chick. We have, however, had them develop a taste for baby rabbit and had to put a roof on the rabbit warren.


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## Blueyes132 (Mar 26, 2016)

I yell at my cats when they come close to chicks. That helps


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Let the mama hen take care of that! She will nip it in the butt real fast! The only time I've had a issue is when I had chicks with no mom and after being squirted with water or yelled at they knock it off.


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## JK_Farms (Nov 12, 2016)

I have a barn cat though he was older when I introduced him to the barn I kept him locked up for one night and he hasn't left my barn since. He loves my chickens and the chicks! He gives them kisses and that's it! He's even some how trained my goats to give him kisses!!


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## cbrossard (Oct 4, 2014)

That's adorable! Hopefully I get good kitties like that!


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## SeventeenFarms (Dec 10, 2013)

my advice is to not bring them inside even for a night because its cold or whatever and you feel sorry for them. I think I have posted before that my wife, who wanted barn cats, and we got two from the shelter, brought them in for what was to be one night after about two months in the stable, and they never left the house. Smart cats. Back to mouse traps.


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## JK_Farms (Nov 12, 2016)

SeventeenFarms said:


> my advice is to not bring them inside even for a night because its cold or whatever and you feel sorry for them. I think I have posted before that my wife, who wanted barn cats, and we got two from the shelter, brought them in for what was to be one night after about two months in the stable, and they never left the house. Smart cats. Back to mouse traps.


Actually that's not 100% true that they'll do that! My cat was at and in my house (rescue too) for several years. He started being a bad boy (pooping in the garden) so my mom said he has to go to the barn. He stays down there 24/7 and hasn't came back since!


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## LibertysBoerGoatRanch (Aug 26, 2016)

JK_Farms said:


> Actually that's not 100% true that they'll do that! My cat was at and in my house (rescue too) for several years. He started being a bad boy (pooping in the garden) so my mom said he has to go to the barn. He stays down there 24/7 and hasn't came back since!


I think he meant his wife fell in love with them being in the house and couldn't send them back out. Lol Same happened with my cat she was only supposed to come inside at night then back out in the morning. Even before I found out she was pregnant she ended up being an inside cat lol


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## JK_Farms (Nov 12, 2016)

Oh haha that's what I wanted to do to but my mom and dad hates cats so it was either the barn or selling him. So he us at my barn


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## eqstrnathlete (Mar 16, 2013)

I locked kittens in a stall and once they were big and strong enough to escape it by scaling the walls they'd earned their freedom. My only problem is MY dogs. I had a barn cat die of old age. I put out food at night and they drink out of the troughs. They've cut down on snakes etc. they never mess with my chickens.


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## cbrossard (Oct 4, 2014)

SeventeenFarms said:


> my advice is to not bring them inside even for a night because its cold or whatever and you feel sorry for them. I think I have posted before that my wife, who wanted barn cats, and we got two from the shelter, brought them in for what was to be one night after about two months in the stable, and they never left the house. Smart cats. Back to mouse traps.


Haha! When I finally got my husband on board with the barn cat plan I had to promise that they will NEVER come inside! (He is really allergic to cats) So that won't be a problem


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## cbrossard (Oct 4, 2014)

eqstrnathlete said:


> I locked kittens in a stall and once they were big and strong enough to escape it by scaling the walls they'd earned their freedom. My only problem is MY dogs. I had a barn cat die of old age. I put out food at night and they drink out of the troughs. They've cut down on snakes etc. they never mess with my chickens.


Great idea. I was thinking of sticking them in a stall, but wasn't sure how long to confine them. I like your idea about "earning their freedom" haha! Did you give them a litter box in the mean time?


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## Steampunked (Mar 23, 2015)

One of the big things that stops injuries is neutering, as they won't seek mates or get into random fights. In addition, even if they are 'only' barn cats they are working animals, so they deserve to get their shots and regular worming - remember that cats that kill rodents more frequently are in danger of transmitted parasites, so if you want them in tip top shape they need care.

Plenty of barn cats have a sort of casual friendliness - when you're in the barn, they'll want a cuddle and some attention, but afterwards they're fairly self managing. Getting two was a great idea - that way they have someone to play with. Like any animal, a bored cat is a destructive cat


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## eqstrnathlete (Mar 16, 2013)

cbrossard said:


> Great idea. I was thinking of sticking them in a stall, but wasn't sure how long to confine them. I like your idea about "earning their freedom" haha! Did you give them a litter box in the mean time?


No litter box. My barn cats just dog in the shavings and go wherever.


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## JK_Farms (Nov 12, 2016)

My cat isn't fixed and it's a boy so no kittens for me at least! He's getting to old to fix and I've not had any problems with him leaving and getting into fights. I only have him but my neighbor has female cats and I'm 99.9% sure that my cat Bubba has fathered a few of those kittens! My neighbor won't fix them either! Bubba doesn't leave the barn or my 5 acres the girls come to him lol. But if I had a chance to fix him I probably would. So I could get another cat. Tho I say he would be ok if I got another cat that was fixed.


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