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| Myk, protecting my greenhouse |
Ever since our barn cat, Myk, disappeared a year and a half ago, I have become more and more aware of all the work he did for us on our farm. When Myk lived with us, I never went into the greenhouse to pull a red beet to find only the beet greens with a half eaten beet on the end. I seldom found carrots uprooted and eaten or lettuce plants wilting because their roots had been chewed on. I hardly ever went to the compost bin to dump more compost in only to find that the compost I had put in the day before had been half eaten. I also never heard the scurry of little feet in my ceiling. I have decided that every farm must own a barn cat and our farm has been without for too long. I want to actually EAT my beets and carrots this growing season and not just watch as someone else feasts on them!
Warning! Before you read any further, you must swear to secrecy! My husband must NOT hear one word of what you are about to read!!
My friend has two barn cats who just happened to have kittens! Both of her female cats had kittens within days of each other and are “co-parenting”. They take turns tending to the kittens and nurse each others babies when they are on duty. These cats claim to come from a long line of barn cats and my friend says they catch moles and mice every day. It sounds like a perfect match to me. So my daughter and I went over to take a peek at them even though it will be a few more weeks before they can leave their moms. We had our hearts set on an orange one…so what do you think?
Will this little kitty make a nice barn cat for Grand View Farm?? Of course my daughter thinks that barn cats should only come in pairs and so she also wants this gray tiger stripped one….
Thank you to all those concerned about the over population of cats. All of our cats are spayed and neutered. My friend is going to have the moms fixed as soon as she can. These were not intentional liters of kittens but a case of the cats beating her to the punch, so to speak.
Pam Ladds
Your daughter is correct, and both should be spayed/neutered as soon as they are old enough. I have 7 cats, all rescues, and am currently trying to clean up a neglected, abandoned small cat who is basically a fur mat!I have found a home for her. Too many cats out there that don’t have homes. And the semi-feral who make SUPERB barn cats are particularly hard to place. Encourage all barn owners to provide jobs for cats. And feed them too!
Rogata Owca
Of course that the barn cats should only come in pairs. This is why we have 4 cats. Beautiful kittens. Greetings and best wishes for You and Your farm animals
choirgirl
They’re gorgeous! I grew up with several adopted stray cats, and one pair, a striped tabby female and ginger male we named Bronte and Shakespeare became my special pets. Bronte is convinced that she is human, and becomes quite indignant if she is not also served tea when we drink it. And she likes to drink it out of up cup, please, not a saucer. She sticks her little paw in the cup and licks the milky tea off the pad. She is the mouser in our house. Shakespeare was a love sponge, and cuddled anyone, anywhere. He could get along with even the most anti-social of the adopted strays, cuddling them and sleeping beside a different buddy every night. He had to be put to sleep last year after a life-long battle with snuffles, and I miss him terribly. Bronte remains my cuddle baby.
kristi
Yes you have to have two! Goodness, one will never work esp when it comes to picking names & two cats can double team the mice! My barn cats are named jingles & jangles! Chelsea & Danby send hugs!
RMK
Yes you need 2 cats 🙂 They keep each other company & in our case it keeps them in the barn & not following us to the house & closer to the road! Easiest to have 2 males neutered so that’s what we’ve done.
Chuck
Ok…Ok…your husband too agrees with the overwhelming majority that we DO need a barn cat (note the absence of an “s”). Myk did an awesome job of keeping certain undesirables in check, and is sorely missed. All animals on the farm must have a job to do….and as long as this is a cat that can earn his/her keep, I’m in!!