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RE: "Free-Range cats"

walls0stoneIV — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:25:36 GMT

I'm saying that the point of an animal is to work. and if that animal works I want another. If I had a kid stay'n with me with out a job till he was 30... I'd kick him out... the job of a creature is to make another creature and do work.

have no over population of cats here. so it's just my point of view.

RE: "Free-Range cats"

ozark_jewels — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:38:18 GMT

guess I'm not quite understanding the question?

RE: "Free-Range cats"

walls0stoneIV — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:44:25 GMT

I've got a shortage of cats that work.. and I've never over feed one. trouble is that people bring the lazy ones here and they have no place. sorry if it sounds cold, but would you let your teens live with you till he was 30?

RE: "Free-Range cats"

ozark_jewels — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:10:56 GMT

The best mousers I have ever had were fixed and fed cats. All my cats are indoor/outdoor and are fed well. They also catch mice, rats, etc. I've never had a cat that wouldn't catch mice. So I'm not really worried about "breeding" good mousers.....seems like I can always pick up more if I need them. Never a shortage of cats.

RE: "Free-Range cats"

walls0stoneIV — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 08:04:04 GMT

I'm upset that some cats are dumped off here and they are Fixed. why? Genetics. If I am given a cat that can catch mice and hunt I want that cat to pass on those instincts. But people bring cats here that are of no use and they are soon found a new home. This farm isn't a place for any animal without a task...cats included. We have a cat now that kills more mice than any I've had. The women dropped off the creature and proudly told me that the cat was fixed and loved to sleep inside. HA HA..that's nice. she can sleep inside the barn. The one thing that keeps her here is the work ethic

and I wish I had 10 more just like her..but I don't because someone broke a link in a very good chain.

RE: "Free-Range cats"

mystnd — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 08:05:22 GMT

My problem is catching my free range kittens to get them fixed. I am afraid we will be overpopulating soon. I keep trying to explain to the boys that taming them and catching them is their job but...they don't seem to have the patience I had as a kid.

RE: "Free-Range cats"

ozark_jewels — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:43:42 GMT

Yeah, I find that I actually prefer cats over dogs. I have my Pyrs for guarding the livestock and they are *wonderful*, but I'd have a Livestock Guardian Cat if it were possible.LOL!!!

RE: "Free-Range cats"

cweick — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:59:31 GMT

I have a soft spot for gray cats. Gre-Gre, our only cat, loves it when I block the shed doors open when I'm home to allow her free range of them and she brings back what she catches.

RE: "Free-Range cats"

foreverfarmgirl — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:41:47 GMT

Cats are a joy to have around. Thanks for sharing the story. I sure do applaud you for having them all fixed.

RE: "Free-Range cats"

walls0stoneIII — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:01:16 GMT

wonderful critters..
I once was told I was stupid for letting my dogs run free.... but now we're talking free range cats. Glad some people understand that well behaved animals can run free and be healthy.

lovly cats.

"Free-Range cats"

ozark_jewels — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 22:20:18 GMT

Someone mentioned "free-range cats" in the farm cats thread and I guess ours truly are that. They free-range from outside, to in front of the wood stove, to my bed, to the "cat chair" and then back outside. They get fed inside, but they still hunt and kill mice, rats, squirrels, moles and voles. Oh yes, and spiders!

We started with two indoor/outdoor cats when we moved into our trailer, Sethos(neutered) and Neferette. Then along came three young kittens from a friend with an overflowing cat population. Tye and Orrin Sacket, and LadyGrey. They are all fixed, grew up as indoor/outdoor cats. But when they moved in, Sethos and Neferette decided to be only outdoor cats. Then one day Orrin disappeared.

A friend had a pregnant female cat dumped on her drive, so I took her in and named her Raven. She had 4 female kittens. We rehomed two of them and kept two, named them Charla and Evie. Got them fixed. Before she had weaned Charla and Evie, Raven was pregnant again.

So this time she had three males and one female. Rehomed the female and kept the males. Named them Yoda, Ramses and Gremlin.

This time we got *everyone* fixed! Even though we got her fixed before she had weaned her kittens, the vet found six tiny kittens inside her when he did the surgery. Oh well, it was a vicious cycle that had to be broken.

So now our cat population is at a well-rounded 10, no one producing more kittens. I have always liked cats, but Raven and her offspring are the most enjoyable cats I have ever been around, quirky and sweet. They all think they own the house of course, but they also think they own the surrounding woods and fields. And I don't mind *too* much when they bring their kills in to proudly show me before devouring.

Here are some of the crowd.

Ramses, Raven and Yoda a week ago:

Gremlin as a kitten, he is now bigger than his brothers(can you tell how he got his name? He was the oddest looking kitten.....):

Charla, Evie and another sister as kittens. They are now full grown:

My boys, Tye and Orrin, before Orrin disappeared:

Neferette:

Sethos:

LadyGrey:

Can't believe how much I enjoy these cats.