I need another barn cat or 2

[appendixqh]

I only have one barn cat left and I am fairly certain the foxes are to blame for several disapearences...and now I am starting to see mice. I would like another barn cat or two to get these mice back under control! PM me if you have some extra cats you need to find a home for.

 

[DoWhat]

I only have one barn cat left and I am fairly certain the foxes are to blame for several disapearences...and now I am starting to see mice. I would like another barn cat or two to get these mice back under control! PM me if you have some extra cats you need to find a home for.

Do you have a trap?

 

[appendixqh]

Do you have a trap?

I have one that I catch the raccoons and groundhogs with...but not big enough for foxes.

 

[DoWhat]

I have one that I catch the raccoons and groundhogs with...but not big enough for foxes.

We have a feral cat roaming our neighborhood (mainly around my house) that needs to be trapped and taken away.

 

[CountryLady]

I only have one barn cat left and I am fairly certain the foxes are to blame for several disapearences...and now I am starting to see mice. I would like another barn cat or two to get these mice back under control! PM me if you have some extra cats you need to find a home for.

Contact Diane with Feral Cat Rescue
email address moonandhunt@hotmail.com

I believe they have vetted Adult Cats to be placed in safe Barn homes for free. They usually like to place them in pairs.

I believe they have a feral coloney that are in need of being moved. ...Trying to get these guys to a safer location.

DoWhat: You might want to contact them as well. Animal Control has traps for loaning out. FCR may also be able to lend a trap if you monitor it and return it to them. THey usually like to trap on mondays so the cats can be vetted on Tue at Charles county humane. If you only have one or two ferals it is a good time to trap them or else you will have 10 or 20 before you know it.



Also any donations to FCR are tax deductable and greatly appreciated. They are currently having a raffle for a 200.00 gift card from Lowes.

From Diane Harris: Hello All, You can mail donations or raffle money to Feral Cat Rescue, PO Box 623, Great Mills Md 20634. Please designate if it is a donation or if you want raffle tickets. You could win a $200 Lowes gift card. Chances are $1 or 6 tickets for $5. Drawing will probably be in May. We can mail you the $200 card. All $ go to vet ferals. Thanks, Diane

 

[vraiblonde]

I only have one barn cat left and I am fairly certain the foxes are to blame for several disapearences...and now I am starting to see mice. I would like another barn cat or two to get these mice back under control! PM me if you have some extra cats you need to find a home for.

Okay, you want people to send cats your way so foxes can kill them??

 

[CountryLady]

The fox website | Urban foxes | Conflict

 

[huntr1]

We have a feral cat roaming our neighborhood (mainly around my house) that needs to be trapped and taken away.

I have a trap I can loan you.

 

[ArkRescue]

I only have one barn cat left and I am fairly certain the foxes are to blame for several disapearences...and now I am starting to see mice. I would like another barn cat or two to get these mice back under control! PM me if you have some extra cats you need to find a home for.

How many barn cats did you have before?

I agree with checking with the Feral Cat folks. I think the work they do to help feral cats is awesome.

Something that can be helpful is having a wooden structure with several small entrances that cats can get into (but foxes can't) in/near the barn area to hide from the foxes. They also tend to use it for sleeping when it's cold if you put in some old towels or other bedding inside. Basically you want it to be big enough that a fox can't stick its nose in there and pull out a cat. The purpose of multiple entrances is so the cat doesn't feel trapped inside and can get out another way IF something does get in.

We've got two 6 month old feral spayed female kittens right now, but 1 is capable of becoming a house cat (seems very sweet), so we are working with her. I'm hoping her hissing/growling buddy will see the light and be more civilized LOL. For now, all they have is each other, so we are keeping them together until we figure out if we can tame Miss Hissy Girl, and if not, we will separate them and let Hissy Girl be a barn cat somewhere.

 

[Katelin]

Okay, you want people to send cats your way so foxes can kill them??

I agree with Vrai...and foxes eat mice...a lot of them.
What is attracting the mice?
Clean up your food source (as best as you can) and your mice will go elsewhere...or the foxes will eat them instead of yet more free barn cats.


And for those who want to trap foxes, give DNR a quick call...there may be some guidelines or perhaps a trapper who would love some nice winter fox pelts.

 

[Katelin]

How many barn cats did you have before?

I agree with checking with the Feral Cat folks. I think the work they do to help feral cats is awesome.

Something that can be helpful is having a wooden structure with several small entrances that cats can get into (but foxes can't) in/near the barn area to hide from the foxes. They also tend to use it for sleeping when it's cold if you put in some old towels or other bedding inside. Basically you want it to be big enough that a fox can't stick its nose in there and pull out a cat. The purpose of multiple entrances is so the cat doesn't feel trapped inside and can get out another way IF something does get in.

We've got two 6 month old feral spayed female kittens right now, but 1 is capable of becoming a house cat (seems very sweet), so we are working with her. I'm hoping her hissing/growling buddy will see the light and be more civilized LOL. For now, all they have is each other, so we are keeping them together until we figure out if we can tame Miss Hissy Girl, and if not, we will separate them and let Hissy Girl be a barn cat somewhere.

FYI: Gray foxes are basically the same size as a large cat and can get into small openings. Reds are bigger and normally, can't.
We have both species in this area.
Reds will capture and eat kittens, same size as a rabbit. Owls also capture and eat cats, both adult and kitten. The great horned owl is huge. Red tail hawks will hunt cats, as will eagles.
Outdoor, free ranging cats and kittens are food for many other animals in Maryland. Protein is protein, no matter how cute.

 

[bcp]

I agree with Vrai...and foxes eat mice...a lot of them.
What is attracting the mice?
Clean up your food source (as best as you can) and your mice will go elsewhere...or the foxes will eat them instead of yet more free barn cats.


And for those who want to trap foxes, give DNR a quick call...there may be some guidelines or perhaps a trapper who would love some nice winter fox pelts.

Just so Im clear on this.
you think we should save an invasive speices like the feral cat, yet its ok to kill a natural to the area Fox for its pelt?

You really are sort of warped.

 

[Katelin]

Just so Im clear on this.
you think we should save an invasive speices like the feral cat, yet its ok to kill a natural to the area Fox for its pelt?

You really are sort of warped.

No you are not clear on any of this, as usual.

I do not advocate the saving of feral cats.
I advocate the reduction of feral cats thru spay and neuter.
I advocate the keeping of cats indoors 100% of the time.
I do not support the concept that a maintained feral cat colony will reduce rodents. You free feed feral/outdoor cats and other animals will show up to eat the scraps...and before long you end up with a bigger problem.


Red foxes were introduced here by the British for fox hunting as the native gray fox was too small.
(According to the Masters of Foxhounds Association of America, Englishman Robert Brooke was the first man to import hunting hounds to America, bringing his pack to Maryland in 1650 when he imported his horses and a pack of foxhounds. Also around this time, numbers of European red foxes were introduced into the Eastern seaboard of North America for hunting.)

And since day one, man has hunted animals for their food and their fur.
Nothing new there.
As a matter of fact, it was the beaver fur trade that caused a lot of western expansion by trappers, ie: mountain men, to provide pelts for the European fur fashion craze.

 

[CountryLady]

How many barn cats did you have before?

I agree with checking with the Feral Cat folks. I think the work they do to help feral cats is awesome.

Something that can be helpful is having a wooden structure with several small entrances that cats can get into (but foxes can't) in/near the barn area to hide from the foxes. They also tend to use it for sleeping when it's cold if you put in some old towels or other bedding inside. Basically you want it to be big enough that a fox can't stick its nose in there and pull out a cat. The purpose of multiple entrances is so the cat doesn't feel trapped inside and can get out another way IF something does get in.

We've got two 6 month old feral spayed female kittens right now, but 1 is capable of becoming a house cat (seems very sweet), so we are working with her. I'm hoping her hissing/growling buddy will see the light and be more civilized LOL. For now, all they have is each other, so we are keeping them together until we figure out if we can tame Miss Hissy Girl, and if not, we will separate them and let Hissy Girl be a barn cat somewhere.

It is best to have adult cats for mousing or at least 7-9 months old.

 

[CountryLady]

I agree with Vrai...and foxes eat mice...a lot of them.
What is attracting the mice?
Clean up your food source (as best as you can) and your mice will go elsewhere...or the foxes will eat them instead of yet more free barn cats.



And for those who want to trap foxes, give DNR a quick call...there may be some guidelines or perhaps a trapper who would love some nice winter fox pelts.

mow the grass low near the barns, no cluttered wood piles or junk piles, turn compost heaps often, etc... then the birds of prey can help keep down the mice too.

 

[CountryLady]

No you are not clear on any of this, as usual.

I do not advocate the saving of feral cats.
I advocate the reduction of feral cats thru spay and neuter.
I advocate the keeping of cats indoors 100% of the time.
I do not support the concept that a maintained feral cat colony will reduce rodents. You free feed feral/outdoor cats and other animals will show up to eat the scraps...and before long you end up with a bigger problem.


Red foxes were introduced here by the British for fox hunting as the native gray fox was too small.
(According to the Masters of Foxhounds Association of America, Englishman Robert Brooke was the first man to import hunting hounds to America, bringing his pack to Maryland in 1650 when he imported his horses and a pack of foxhounds. Also around this time, numbers of European red foxes were introduced into the Eastern seaboard of North America for hunting.)

And since day one, man has hunted animals for their food and their fur.
Nothing new there.
As a matter of fact, it was the beaver fur trade that caused a lot of western expansion by trappers, ie: mountain men, to provide pelts for the European fur fashion craze.

intresting but true. lol

 

[appendixqh]

Lol! Vrai...I know...it sounds bad! I have a hay shed and a barn where my cats typically stayed. I know my one girl was getting old, so age may have done her in. But my one boy cat "Sharkie" was always around...and so was his brother. Sharkie went missing, and his brother showed up with a wound on his face. These two always hung around, were great mousers and were sweet and healthy as could be. Unfortunately, this year has brought an insane amount of foxes out (I see them at night when I feed, the problem foxes are grey foxes, and I have come face to face with the little bastards...they are kinda cute but need to stay out of my barn) AND yes...there is a hawk that goes after my chickens who can definatly wreak havoc. Because of this I definately don't want kittens, and would like something fairly friendly. the grass is always mowed, everything is maintained. My fear is mice = snakes...so when summer rolls around I need to get my mousers rolling...never had a snake in the barn when we had 3 or 4 cats.

 

[Loper]

Lol! Vrai...I know...it sounds bad! I have a hay shed and a barn where my cats typically stayed. I know my one girl was getting old, so age may have done her in. But my one boy cat "Sharkie" was always around...and so was his brother. Sharkie went missing, and his brother showed up with a wound on his face. These two always hung around, were great mousers and were sweet and healthy as could be. Unfortunately, this year has brought an insane amount of foxes out (I see them at night when I feed, the problem foxes are grey foxes, and I have come face to face with the little bastards...they are kinda cute but need to stay out of my barn) AND yes...there is a hawk that goes after my chickens who can definatly wreak havoc. Because of this I definately don't want kittens, and would like something fairly friendly. the grass is always mowed, everything is maintained. My fear is mice = snakes...so when summer rolls around I need to get my mousers rolling...never had a snake in the barn when we had 3 or 4 cats.

 

[ArkRescue]

Lol! Vrai...I know...it sounds bad! I have a hay shed and a barn where my cats typically stayed. I know my one girl was getting old, so age may have done her in. But my one boy cat "Sharkie" was always around...and so was his brother. Sharkie went missing, and his brother showed up with a wound on his face. These two always hung around, were great mousers and were sweet and healthy as could be. Unfortunately, this year has brought an insane amount of foxes out (I see them at night when I feed, the problem foxes are grey foxes, and I have come face to face with the little bastards...they are kinda cute but need to stay out of my barn) AND yes...there is a hawk that goes after my chickens who can definatly wreak havoc. Because of this I definately don't want kittens, and would like something fairly friendly. the grass is always mowed, everything is maintained. My fear is mice = snakes...so when summer rolls around I need to get my mousers rolling...never had a snake in the barn when we had 3 or 4 cats.

Wow that barn I was trapping/fixing ferals at in 2010 had hundreds of mice and about 30 feral cats there. Snakes were known to come and go in the barn regularly also. Apparently those cats didn't mouse much.

Nice to hear about more males that mouse.

 

[CountryLady]

Lol! Vrai...I know...it sounds bad! I have a hay shed and a barn where my cats typically stayed. I know my one girl was getting old, so age may have done her in. But my one boy cat "Sharkie" was always around...and so was his brother. Sharkie went missing, and his brother showed up with a wound on his face. These two always hung around, were great mousers and were sweet and healthy as could be. Unfortunately, this year has brought an insane amount of foxes out (I see them at night when I feed, the problem foxes are grey foxes, and I have come face to face with the little bastards...they are kinda cute but need to stay out of my barn) AND yes...there is a hawk that goes after my chickens who can definatly wreak havoc. Because of this I definately don't want kittens, and would like something fairly friendly. the grass is always mowed, everything is maintained. My fear is mice = snakes...so when summer rolls around I need to get my mousers rolling...never had a snake in the barn when we had 3 or 4 cats.

I stilll hope you give FCR a call. Don't let the name fool ya. They have plenty of semi ferals that are freindly but are still a bit skittish that may not otherwise have a chance at a good home. See what they can do for you.

If you have snakes, usually you wont have mice. Im not crazy about snakes but detest mice even more. BLECH!

GOOD LUCK!!!