I wouldn't mind barn cats for the rats and mice but they keep going after my rabbits. I lost another netherland, litter, and I believe part of a litter (a doe that normally has 10 ended up with 3). Most of the kills are just left on the floor, sometimes they are piled in a corner, and some kits are actually fully eaten. I've decided it's not weasels but stray and feral cats. We scare one off every time it happens. I'm going to have to go find another possessive tom to take over the place. We had a grey neutered male who chased off all but pregnant females for most of my life but he was put down while suffering heart failure 2 years back. The current male cat just rolls over and plays dead. He's always getting himself beaten up and has been on antibiotics 5 times in the past 2 years. He just stands there making pathetic mews while the puppy chews on him until I yell at her.
cats and colonies do not mix
- Thread starter akane
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phillinley
Well-known member
Your dogs don't go after the stray cats? Ours go after every cat that runs. Our two cats are used to the dogs bluff charges and they just sit still. But cats from outside the yard get chased far away or up a tree until we can kick them out and scare them away.
The full time farm dog only half heartedly runs after cats and he is up at night due to coyotes. The other 2 are only there every 3 days for a couple hours and one is never allowed off leash outside an enclosed area and the other couldn't care less about a cat. We've had cats as pets so cats are to be ignored in her mind unless I tell her otherwise and I worked hard to stop her prey drive so she would listen to me not encourage chasing of everything that comes about.
skysthelimit
Well-known member
This just makes me sick. I can't stand the feral cats around here. They have started coming closer and closer to the yard. I would send the dogs after them but we are too close to the street for that. I know I want these cats gone before they try to bother my rabbits.
- I was going to suggest, sprinkling with hot pepper, but that might be a bit mean, if they are so used to being in your yard, that they would get too much on them, before they realize what it is.
- I do think that cats may not like dusting sulfur, though. You might try dusting the edges of your yard with dusting sulfur, the sulfur smell might cause them to leave.
- I do think that cats may not like dusting sulfur, though. You might try dusting the edges of your yard with dusting sulfur, the sulfur smell might cause them to leave.
Getting yourself a territorial male cat fixed or not which does not bother your other animals is the best solution I've found. It worked for near 10 years until his heart gave out. Finding the right cat is hard though. Tiger was a feisty little thing with a swollen leg when I got him and he spent a day sitting behind a speaker hissing at me before I finally had enough of a tiny kitten threatening me and threw 2 towels over him to catch him and lock him up for taming. As tame as he could get anyway.
The farm "yard" is 42 acres and the stable with the rabbits is 36x60' with half in the pasture so sprinkling barriers isn't really possible.
The farm "yard" is 42 acres and the stable with the rabbits is 36x60' with half in the pasture so sprinkling barriers isn't really possible.
good luck! Here in Texas, there are cats that they adopt for farms, as outdoor barn cats.akane":2e098a9a said:
Maybe Google, will tell you, if they do something like that in your area?
feisty sounds right. :rotfl:
skysthelimit
Well-known member
akane":2grrwdia said:
That thought has occurred to me too, but the dogs will kill any cat on this property they can get there hands on.
Ugh another litter wiped out. It's just as they start to leave the nest they get attacked and I find bodies strewn about. We have a new cage system in the works and then I'm caging my sable does so I don't lose their litters. I may have to buy a new live trap. A coon ate the metal trip plate on the last one. Yes I said ate as in teeth marks and corners gone.
