Barn cats

[phylodog]

So I mowed an acre or so of my overgrown pasture yesterday and probably saw close to 70 mice running for their lives. While I piddled in the barn today I saw a mouse run acorss one of the horizontal beams and into one of my backpacks I had hanging in there (I assume it's toast now). I put a trail camera in the barn a few weeks ago and I've got what appears to be a pretty large black tom cat who shows up every three days or so in the barn but one cat isn't going to make a dent in the mouse population.

I'm looking for info on the pro's and con's of having a few barn cats around the mini farm here. Having not lived in a rural area before this is new territory and while it seems to make sense to have a few cats roaming around I don't want to do something I'll end up regretting later. My wife and daughter are over the top animal lovers (I spent a few hours with a young roost hangin out in my bed yesterday evening as an example) and I don't want to end up having to bring "barn cats" inside during the winter so I'll have to ensure they are comfortable enough out there to cinvince the wife they aren't suffering.

Can they hunt enough to eat to stay healthy? Do you need to provide some food for them? Is it possible to have them socialized toward people yet still effective at keeping rodent populations in check?

 

[natdscott]

I recommend a nice teriyaki. Barbeque is good also, but keep the sugar off until it's done or it will burn.


Lolz... eta: but yeah, anything to keep the mice population down is probably good. Food will be required in the winter, and maybe a LITTLE in the summer...basically enough to keep them around.

Use the carpentering skills, some thermoblocks, and a heat tape or lamp or something to make a decent warm area for them in the barn...like 40 degrees or so...during the winter. That will help with mom and daughter.

The cats though? They're fine. Straw bales are all they really want.

 

[patience0830]

Shoot the cats. Or not. Bird and rabbit killers. Put a couple walk the plank style bucket traps in the barn if you're anti poison. Other wise you're just pissing into the wind with rodent control. You will have some mice regardless of the steps you take. Put your packs in trash cans with snap on lids or metal lockers if you gotta keep the rodents out.

https://mousetrapmonday.com

Lots of ideas here.

 

[nra4ever]

Buy mothball packs and put them on the stuff u don’t want ruined like the wiring of a tractor. Lots and lots of mothballs. Lol

 

[Tactically Fat]

Yeah - do the bucket of water trap that was mentioned.

And I say that as a "cat guy". Outdoor cats (Which is what barn cats are) will also decimate the things that you don't want killed. They get sick more often. They are prey for other animals. Lead much much shorter lives. AND they'll need supplemental food.

Look in to what you can do about building something to attract barn owls. https://www.thespruce.com/barn-owl-boxes-nesting-owls-386640 Unfortunately, though, that's unlikely here in IN as they're QUITE rare here.

Maybe also look into attracting American Kestrels or other, more plentiful raptors to frequent the property.

And don't kill the snakes. Black rat snakes are quite adept at keeping mice populations low.

 

[gmcttr]

...And don't kill the snakes. Black rat snakes are quite adept at keeping mice populations low.

^^^ First thing I thought of.

 

[spencer rifle]

Yeah - do the bucket of water trap that was mentioned.

And I say that as a "cat guy". Outdoor cats (Which is what barn cats are) will also decimate the things that you don't want killed. They get sick more often. They are prey for other animals. Lead much much shorter lives. AND they'll need supplemental food.

Look in to what you can do about building something to attract barn owls. https://www.thespruce.com/barn-owl-boxes-nesting-owls-386640 Unfortunately, though, that's unlikely here in IN as they're QUITE rare here.

Maybe also look into attracting American Kestrels or other, more plentiful raptors to frequent the property.

And don't kill the snakes. Black rat snakes are quite adept at keeping mice populations low.

All of this^^
Outdoor cats live short, brutal lives, and take local wildlife with them. Want to live in a wildlife desert? Outdoor cats are a good start.

 

[KLB]

Interesting. I have some unknown number of cats around my property. Yet we have rabbits, opossums, mice, birds(more damned barn swallows than I can count), moles, etc etc around as well. Most importantly, there is seldom a mouse in my barn getting into our animal feed.

We feed them, supply water for them, and let them sleep in the barn. Some are friendly, some will not run when we are around, some we probably never see.

 

[phylodog]

Appreciate the insights. I think I’ll not bring any into the property but won’t do anything to those who show up unless they become a problem. Snakes are safe on my place as well.

 

[natdscott]

Put out a birdfeeder and a camera, somewhat near a shrubbery or other cover for the cat. That will let you know how much issue you have, if any.

 

[spencer rifle]

Controlling cat population | Living | The Journal Gazette

This may be a more extreme situation, but a few barn cats can expand into a lot of barn cats.

Significant quote:
"Mary Doyle laughs as she points out that they have no mice, chipmunks or other critters because of all the cats."

 

[KLB]

There must not be any coyotes around there. Cars and coyotes keep the cat population in check around here.

 

[Leadeye]

Growing up agricultural my experience is that cats aren't worth the trouble as far as rodent control goes. Traps and poison inside the structure are your solution here.

 

[sht4brnz]

I find this guys approach pretty interesting
[video=youtube_share;RjebAlfrexA]https://youtu.be/RjebAlfrexA[/video]

 

[femurphy77]

Keeping the field mowed down will help some with the small rodent population. You'd be surprised what good mousers and anti-mole operatives a couple of good labs can be. We've suffered a glut of moles this year for the first time in the 10 years at our current residence but the girls have done a pretty good job of eliminating them. Of course this does come at a cost to the yard. I believe that there may have been an INGO member that was admonished by his better half for hunting moles with his AR at one time.

Side note, when I first mowed the 3 acres on our property that had originally been horse pasture I was kicking up voles and mice left and right. After the first couple I went and got my Benjamin pellet pistol and had a ball mowing the rest of the field. The GF just shook her head as I rode around on the tractor with that pistol tucked in my belt!

 

[TB1999]

While I piddled in the barn today I saw a mouse run acorss one of the horizontal beams and into one of my backpacks I had hanging in there

Be careful, they can swim up your urine stream and get lodged in there.

 

[BobDaniels]

We HAD barn cats but they now live in the house because the wife thought it was too cold in the barn for fur bearing cats. Something something happy wife something happy life something something.

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

If any of your feline friends hang around, have them fixed. Avoid lots of cats at all costs. Do not let barn cats in the house. Do make sure, if any stay in the barn, that there is water in the winter. A few bales of straw really is all they need.
When all is said and done, though, poison is your friend.

 

[NKBJ]

Do they still sell that wonderful stuff that makes mice hemorrhage to death?
But don't let puppies or kitties find it.

 

[gunsisgood]

Interesting. I have some unknown number of cats around my property. Yet we have rabbits, opossums, mice, birds(more damned barn swallows than I can count), moles, etc etc around as well. Most importantly, there is seldom a mouse in my barn getting into our animal feed.

We feed them, supply water for them, and let them sleep in the barn. Some are friendly, some will not run when we are around, some we probably never see.

^^This right here