Cat question

[Javamama]

Cute cats Bee!

It's done. Brought home a boy and a girl so we shall see who's best Thanks for all the very different replies Our decision was made for us - we took the ones we could catch

I only had female cats growing up, and they were barn cats so I had no idea about the spraying. It hadn't even crossed my mind, but DH thought it was a big deal. It was his idea to get the cats, I guess he's tired of emptying mouse traps.

 

[savingdogs]

I've had many cats (doing cat rescue), my best mousers were not a particular sex but rather personality. Interestingly, they were both cow kitties, meaning white with large black splotches. But indepedent, self sufficient types are best for it. One of these two I still have and I credit him with killing every rodent within 30 feet and inside and under my house. Prior owner warned me I'd never see an end to the rodent problem. With him here, I've never seen it, only their bodies! lol

Both of these cats also taught other cats to mouse, so having them cut down on the rodent population. I watched them bring live mice back to "play" with in front of their friends, to show off their toy they found. Pretty soon the other cats wanted to find one of those toys. One cat like that would be very useful to you right now, because cats learn to hunt from each other. Two kittens might not be that great at it for awhile, you might try looking for a "mouser" since cats can be had so easily, but an adult who will teach your kittens, you might see if the mom is a mouser and is up for adoption too.

We currently own three cats. Two hunt beautifully, one is 100 percent useless, she earns her keep as a couch ornament.

 

[miss_thenorth]

I have an indoor male, neutered cat, who has never sprayed. Ever. My barn cats are three males and a newly acquired female kitty. (all of our barn cats found us, :/ but we are very thankful for them and they do a great job. (well, the kitty hasn't had a chance to prove herself yet. ) All cats except kitty are altered, and kitty will be when she is old enough. we feed them in the barn, where we need them to mouse. the first year we had them, we fed them in the garage, but changed the location once we discovered that they were not doing there job in the barn. Once we moved their food to the barn, we no longer had a bird or mouse problem. the main reason we have barn cats is not for mice, although important, it was more to keep the wild birds from eating all my chicken feed. slo my advice is to feed them where you need them.

 

[Javamama]

feed them where you need them

Excellent. All of our little buildings are within 50 feet of each other AND the house, so they should be able to cover it all. We had a starling invasion last year in the coop. What. A. Mess. Scary too, to have a hundred birds fly at you every time you enter the coop.

These kittens were living outside, so I'm sure they got some smarts from their mama.

 

[ducks4you]

This is Spike, sweet pet, outside barn cat, porch lover and just a great cat...he doesn't look it but he is death on four paws! He was neutered the mountain way...with a lamb band. http://www.sufficientself.com/forum/uploads/5_sale_pics_of_sheep_001.jpg

D'awww!!! Sweet kittie!!! City folks just DON'T KNOW what a high concentration of mice will do--mice are little devils and MUST BE EATEN!!

This is my mouser in training, Percy Jackson. He hasn't had a kill besides bugs right now but he is trying....he'll get it soon, I'm sure. If he survives the road out front for a year, I will spring for a vet neutering. http://www.sufficientself.com/forum... neutering for him, because he's disappeared.

 

[Marshmallow Man]

We have 3 indoor cats that are males and they don't ever spray. At least not in the house. They were all neutered around 6 months. We also have 2 females outside. They moved here when the neighbors moved and left them. They are spayed and they never spray in the garage.

We have never had mice in the house or the garage. We do have mice in the chicken houses though.

We had the Dumb friends league do all of our cats. They have a mobile van that goes to small towns each weekend. They charge 10.00 plus any donations you want to give. I think the vet wanted 75.00.

 

[freemotion]

Whoa. It would be over $200 here for a male, I can't imagine what it would be for a female.

 

[Marshmallow Man]

Whoa. It would be over $200 here for a male, I can't imagine what it would be for a female.

That's horrible. It only cost 200 to have my 7 year old Belgian neutered. He stayed overnight too. Cats reproduce like rabbits. Around here they encourage spaying and neutering of cats and dogs.

I hate to say it, but I wouldn't have a cat or a dog if it cost 200 to have it fixed.

 

[freemotion]

That is why I got the free rescued feral kitties! We won't be getting more housecats when these ones go. That'll be a few years and likely many of hundreds of dollars....

 

[ORChick]

Whoa. It would be over $200 here for a male, I can't imagine what it would be for a female.

Wow, really? What do they do, gold plate them, and give them back for a trophy? That is ridiculous; they should be encouraging people to neuter their pets, not discouraging them with prices like that.