Ot: cat question?

JayinNY · Mar 25, 2012

I had to part with my best little friend the beginning of march,
my 15 year old cat, she and I had a connection that I never
had with any other cat i had in the past. Well my friend has a
bunch of cats in his barn, I have made friends with
A few of them, one was a kitten in 09 when I started working
for him, she is still there and comes to me every morning! She
must take a few days to remember me, because I looked for
her when I went back this past February and she ran away
from me,a few days later she always runs to me when I show
up. My question is if I took one or two of them home, would
the like being indoor cats after being outside cats? I can't let
them out anymore because of the road. I know cats are very
adaptable, but I don't want to take them from what there used
to. Any ideas , thanks. Jay

Spook · Mar 25, 2012

We have turned 4 strays to house cats. 3 were barn cats, they are great companions. After being out in Michigan winters, they really like the heat registers in the winter....

Sammy in Kansas · Mar 25, 2012

I have a calico cat that when the former owner passed away 4 years ago. she had 17 cats in her house that they only one they would let get close to them was the elderly lady. The people handeling the estate, trapped them and turned them loose outside. I was out that way and this old cat was the only one I seen around but sure could not get close to her. I trapped her and she about tore that trap apart on the way home, and I have never let her inside but she is now the most loving cat I have ever seen. she is waiting for me ever morning and also comes outside my bedroom window at 530 each morning for a wake up call.

37chief · Mar 25, 2012

Sorry to hear of your loss. I had to put one of my old cats down a few months back. It's kind of hard to do. I would think if you take the cats and put them in a room with food, and water for a few days, they will adjust. Don't forget the litter box. We don't let our remaining cat outside, because of the road traffic also. stan

Tom in TN · Mar 26, 2012

Jay,

I don't think that there is a rule about the adaptability of cats concerning changing their environment. It seems to me that animals are like people in that they each have their own unique personality.

I've had very mixed success with having cats for pets. Some of them seemed psychotic and never did socialize well. Others were fine.

It seems to me that the success of changing the cats from outside cats to inside cats is going to rest on their individual personalities.

Good luck,

Tom in TN

sammydwm · Mar 26, 2012

I've had barn cats go either way.
One of my earliest recollections of cats involves my mother, a can of tuna, a burlap bag and several totally wild cats from an abandoned barn that she wanted to relocate to our place....It was better than the cartoons.....

Best to get them pretty young I think. Even better if they come from a barn that has kids running around since the kids will have them tamed down a bit.

Stephen Newell · Mar 26, 2012

It probably will take them a few weeks to adjust to being indoor cats but they adjust very well. I have one that a neighbor shot with a pellet rifle and lost a leg. He was 10 years old at the time and has been kept indoors ever since. Then we have another we started keeping in to keep him away from the neighbors. They both are doing fine.

GeneMO · Mar 26, 2012

Me, I always had the other problem. I would want them to be outdoor cats, but would let them in occasionally. Then, every time the door was opened they would shoot in, almost tripping me.

I have had several bad experiences with keeping cats indoors. They get jealous, or mad and start misbehaving. Pissing in the kitchen sink. and finally the last one was jealous of the new grand baby and got up on the bed while Tammy was sleeping and ------ on her, through the comforter and sheets.

The next morning that cat died from lead poisoning.

We probably will never have another house cat.

Good luck, Gene

GVSII · Mar 26, 2012

Almost all of them will adjust to indoor liveing
but there will always be exceptions to the rule.Had one barn/outside cat that would come in every night,grab a bite to eat,sleep for an hour or two and absolutely have to leave.

Anonymous-0 · Mar 26, 2012

Barn cats can be very wild and sickly.A litter of kittens can have some very wild ones in it.I had a female kitten show up in the barn years ago.She liked my grand son but was afraid of me for a while.She lived in the barn for many years never into the house.One day she came in the house and had a litter of kittens on the couch.She never went back to the barn.Barn cats may not be box trained.I would take them right to the vet for rabies and distemper shots.

Anonymous-0 · Mar 26, 2012

We had a wild barn cat hide kittens near the house last summer. We couldn't get within 20 yds of her. We started handling the kittens when they were tiny, much to her displeasure but she didn't move them. We started bringing them in the house at night and she cautiously followed to stay with her brood. Now she is a committed house cat. She is hard to put outside.
Go for it.

old · Mar 26, 2012

ALL our indoor cats started out in the barn and they seem to do just fine. I do have one that once in a while thinks she need to go out side but she is easy to catch and bring back in. So go for it and I bet they will do just fine

JayinNY · Mar 26, 2012

Thank for the advice guys. Most of the cats he has are people friendly, I can pick them up and pet them, they follow me around the place ect. Only 2 or 3 of them don't want anything to do with me, so I don't bother with them. One I was thinking of taking is about a year old the other is 3 years old. I would take them to vet for check up and make sure they don't have fleas ect, I'm not sure yet what I'm gonna do, thanks, J

paul · Mar 26, 2012

We've got 15 or so barn cats, due to a few being born in fall in Minnesota we have 3 of those that have spent a little time in the house.

All 3 of them like to come in the hous for an hour or 3.

Two of those really like being in the house.

One really really wants to be a house kitty, she prefers her coulpe hours in the house, always wants to stay in longer, quietly sneaks to a quiet place out of the way when we head for the door. Kinda cute.

--->Paul

Nancy Howell · Mar 26, 2012

We had 3 barn cats at the farm in E. Tx. Even though they had grown up outside, wiley coyote got 2 of them. We brought the 3rd into the house full time. She is quite happy there.

You can get a cat scratcher from Wally world, Dollar General, etc. for about $5.00. They're made from corrugated cardboard and the cats love them. Keeps them from going after the furniture and woodwork. When one side is worn, turn it over.

The used ones make good kindling.

GordoSD · Mar 26, 2012

Have it checked for heartworm first. If it has them euthanize. If not rabies and other shot, spay or neuter and voile, house kitty.

Ot: cat question?

JayinNY

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Spook

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Sammy in Kansas

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37chief

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Tom in TN

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sammydwm

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Stephen Newell

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GeneMO

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GVSII

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Anonymous-0

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Anonymous-0

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old

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JayinNY

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paul

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Nancy Howell

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GordoSD

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