# Keeping barn cat safe from sick feral cats



## pinefarm (Jan 9, 2013)

Someone dropped a cat at our place and it found our wood pile and had kittens. We caught the mom,had her fixed,vaccinated etc and rehomed her. Kept kittens (at ween stage) and started working with them. They were infested with lice,worms and cocci. We have several indoor cats so they have to stay barn cats. No concern of them getting hit by a car we are way off the road,and they are locked up at night in a kitty hut for safety. Here is the problem...my neighbor has about 20 sickly,skinny,parasite infested inbred cats. Some are blind,they breath out if their mouth because their nose are gunked up. My kittens dont leave home,his occasionally do. How in the world do I keep them from getting reinfested and sick. The neglected situation is hopeless,he is just not going to deal with the problem. And won't sink money into them. He has mentioned getting a few males neutered...sigh.... One of his cats came over and dyed in my hay shed last week!!!!! I'm ready to start trapping them and dealing with it myself. I am so disgusted and frustrated


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

Ugh, sorry for you having that neighbor!

I would recommend: keeping your kittens on monthly parasite preventative, feeding them a healthy diet so they have strong immune systems, and obviously you will be having them altered when they are of age which will help prevent fights. 

For food, I would recommend canned food once or twice a day depending on your schedule and not leaving it out all the time, just enough for them to eat in 15 minutes or however much time you spend in the barn - you don't want them sharing a big bowl of dry kibble with the neighbors cats. (and canned food is way better for cats anyhow.) 

Even with this, if his cats are Feline Leukemia or Feline Aids positive and they fight with yours, there is a chance they could be infected. 

Our state recently had a state-funded push for Trap/Neuter/Release (TNR) of feral colonies - any chance there are any programs like this in your state? Usually they need help with the trapping part (which seems like you are capable of!) and then they do vaccines and alteration and re-release them as long as someone is feeding them.


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

Not free, and more work for you than some programs, but possible an option: https://www.wpahumane.org/trap-neuter-release

Some rescues will rent/loan out live traps (have a heart traps) for this purpose.


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## pinefarm (Jan 9, 2013)

Hmmm have to look into the state funded program wonder who to contact to check? That's an amazing idea

Yes we are scheduled already for neuter and spay! We feed 2x a day and the second is at night when they are penned up, so no other animals can get it. We started on a really great grain free diet and they would only eat the cheap crappy stuff. We've started mixing the good stuff in to switch them gradually. I don't know why some of these outside cats prefer the worst food. I was almost a shamed to buy it in the store, but it was the last thing we could think to try. Hopefully they start to like it better, it's really expensive but it's good stuff, we feed our indoor cats the same stuff. And you're right, you can really see the difference when they are fed good quality food. We even have them litter trained now. At my neighbors barn there's cat droppings everywhere including in the hay loft! I don't know how you think you can get rid of parasites If their droppings are everywhere. 

Thank you for the great advice, it's really sad to see his cats suffer like that. If he can get some help from the state that would be a blessing


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## pinefarm (Jan 9, 2013)

I just saw that link, sorry! That's awesome I'm totally going to look into that and see if he'll do it. We have a bunch of traps that we could use to help him catch them!


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## pinefarm (Jan 9, 2013)

Sent him the info,really hope he considers it and our help


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

If they are that bad, you may want to catch them and put them out of their misery yourself. Certain cat diseases they can't recover from and so sick they can't breathe out of their nose is a very bad sign.


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## pinefarm (Jan 9, 2013)

I did think of that but wasn't sure it was my place to make that decision. A bit of a grey area I guess. I was hoping if the HS or another organization got involved they would make that call . It's a shame people don't value cats much. Dime a dozen they think. Sad.....


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Wow , sorry about the neighbor  
I agree with Karen , i know its really not your decision or right , but if he isn't going to do anything and allow them to infects others with deadly diseases , you do have a choice and a right to take matters into your own hands. They sound like his cats need to be put down IMO.
Im all for helping them get healthy and into homes , but the likelihood of that is small..But if you can find help with that , GREAT !!!

Have the kittens vaccinated when old enough , and try to keep them away from the others. If i were you , i would rather turn the kittens over to someone who can take them away and adopt them out then have them chance coming in contact with neighbors cats… I know you probably want to keep them , but it might be in their best interest till your neighbor gets his act together or the cats are euthanized. What a sad situation


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

If they are coming on your property, I would do something about them.


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

You would be doing the feral cat population in your area a huge favor by putting those cats out of their misery if the situation can't be taken care of in another way. JMHO.


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