# Lesser farm critters



## Cotton (Oct 12, 2013)

Since they are critters on a farm I guess they fit here… Cats, in this case a very, very feral cat. It’s been hanging out here at the farm for two or three years now. I only see it 7 or 8 times a year, then it’s a flash of black 100ft away (black cat) as it ran like lighting.

A couple of months ago someone tossed out a brindle kitten (8/9 weeks old, rural areas are a dumping ground for unwanted pets). We needed a barn cat and decided to feed it. Since then the feral cat hasn’t been so skittish. A couple of times I walked within 50ft without the cat bolting.

Today I went out to the shop to mix up a gallon of 2-cycle gas for the weedeater. For the first time the black cat didn’t bolt out the other shop door. Instead it kept poking its head out of nooks and crannies hissing at me. After a few minutes it stopped hissing and started meowing by the kittens food bowl. So I fed it. I stood 5ft from a wild cat I’d never been closer to than 50ft.

I went back to my tasks, mixed some gas, get the weedeater ready. As I did so I heard a meow, a tiny kitten meow. I searched, in the corner of the shop were 4 black kittens, didn’t have their eyes open yet.

Cats on a farm will take care of mice and such… larger predators will take care of them, owls and hawks… life on a farm.


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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

farm cats are interesting creature, the one that live here are all descendants of drop offs, these one defiantly know how to hunt, but they have also started to follow me around to see if it is feeding time.


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## LastOutlaw (Jun 1, 2013)

I would like to introduce some feral cats to my cabin area in the mountains to help control mice there. Problem is... I don't think they can survive. I fear the coyotes, bobcats and other wild animals will wipe them out as fast as I could bring them in.

Cotton, we also have a feral cat that shows up here from time to time. My Siamese has fought with it and fears it and there isnt much my Siamese fears. He brings in mice, moles, rats, snakes. rabbits and birds. My Siamese never backs down from dogs but will want inside when he hears coyotes. Ive only seen the feral a couple times and each time he is a streak headed out behind my loafing shed on his way to the woods.


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## Cotton (Oct 12, 2013)

LastOutlaw said:


> I would like to introduce some feral cats... Problem is... I don't think they can survive.


Before coyotes came to the southeast farm cats would live 8-10 years. Now they don't last that long. Coyotes kill everything, I haven't heard a quail call in nearly 10 years. These days cats only last 3 to 4 years... This black cat here has lasted far longer than I expected... Good genes, might be worth feeding her and the kittens.


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## OutInTheWoods (Jun 13, 2016)

Up here the cats sometimes fall prey to marsh hawks (*northern harrier*) so lifespan is questionable. The hawks also take chickens and rabbits if you let those wander the yard.


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

Cotton said:


> Before coyotes came to the southeast farm cats would live 8-10 years. Now they don't last that long. Coyotes kill everything, I haven't heard a quail call in nearly 10 years. These days cats only last 3 to 4 years... This black cat here has lasted far longer than I expected... Good genes, might be worth feeding her and the kittens.


Around here coyotes aren't the quails problem. Cats are. They kill them for fun and go home to eat cat food. The coyotes at least eat what they kill. One of my neighbors used to complain that his cat was bringing him dead quail everyday and just left them on the porch. The cat is no longer around since my dogs caught it trying to get into one of our rabbit cages. We now have quail nesting around our property again.


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