Barn Cats

[FabMan]

I need to find a way to feed them, but keep the raccoons and possums out of the feed.
Any ideas out there?

[daengmei]

I have the same problem. If I leave too much food out, the critters will get it. I try to make sure I don't overfeed so there is none for the raccoons. I periodically live trap and relocate the raccoons and possums. The law says I have to kill them, I won't do that. I know this don't help much.

[HWooldridge]

We have a battery powered feeder with 5 compartments for food. I installed a latch and crossbar across the top, which is easy for a human to move but the coons and possums haven't figured it out (yet).

I also leave a couple live traps set near the feeder - let the kitties go when they get caught but get rid of the other vermin. I even caught a big gray fox once - and released him...

[Hannibal]

Best suggestion I have is put the food away at dusk. If a racoon or opossum is out during daylight it most likely is diseased and needs a dose of Dr Winchester's Lead Sedative anyway.

Burning the carcass is a real good idea in such cases, too. To prevent the spread of whatever the offending critter had.

[waksupi]

When I was a kid, we had barn cats. Dozens of them. They got infected with rabies, then it was cat hunting time until we eliminated them all.

[FabMan]

The battery powered feeder with timer seems plausible.
Set to feed around noon and five. My raccoons can get into anything so will have to shield the feeder.

[Bmi48219]

Our barn cat was responsible for her own meals.

[TD1886]

I'm surprised many of you don't have problems with coyotes killing and eating your cats.

[Hannibal]

I'm surprised many of you don't have problems with coyotes killing and eating your cats.

When I lived in a rural area the cat population was something that ebbed and waned. I never knew if was the coyotes or the owls. Probably a bit of each. Anyway, the cat population never got out of hand.

I'd have never thought about owls except I had guineas for a while to work on the ticks. They roosted in a huge white oak behind the house. I'd loose one or 2 a week until all 30 were gone. Never found so much as a pile of feathers.

[HWooldridge]

I'm surprised many of you don't have problems with coyotes killing and eating your cats.

We have lost many cats to both coyotes and owls. We had a young, orange tabby that stayed under the deck most of the time - then she went out exploring one night and was gone forever by the next morning. I heard owls hooting that night but no coyotes howling...

[Electrod47]

I'v got 2 homeless cats I adopted and had fixed who live outside in and around our out buildings. Mother and son. She's small and he's huge. Both are feral from day one. I helped her raise the litter that was in her belly when she showed up. Found a home for some and some went their own way. Only the son remains, both jet black with amazing green eyes. They will not come in the house by choice. So, 5 years had the problem with coons and possums. I keep their food on an elevated bench in the carport only the cats can reach. Now and then a stray Tom will show up to feast, so bring in the chow for a couple nights and they move on. Haven't had a possum or coon get on that bench yet.

[Pipefitter]

Feed them in the morning and remove any leftovers before dark. Got one feral cat at the house, out of all the neighbors I am the only one that can touch her. (I suspect it is the invisible tattoo on my forehead that only cats can see that says "sucker for cats")

[higgins]

We have two 16-year old barn cats that are now "retired" and live around the house and in the garage at night, and one of them spends some time in the house. They're what remains of four sibling kittens our son and his wife got when they had the house. Don't know what became of the other two, they disappeared years ago. It's miraculous that these two, a neutered male and neutered female, survived all these years of coyotes, the occasional dog, and hay equipment. They're like old people; they just lay around napping and snacking. Since they're around the house we just set their food inside shortly after dark. Without fail if we left food out at night we had possums come around, which were live-trapped.

[Texas by God]

Feed them in the morning, they need to hunt at night.
I put my outdoor dogs in the barn at night so they won’t wake me up barking at deer, cattle, or whatever.
The cats are on their own.
I grew up on a dairy farm, and occasional thinning of the cat herd was a must.
The super mousers got a pass.


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[crandall crank]

Set out several "dog proof" raccoon traps. Get rid of "Ricky the raccoon".

[Hannibal]

Set out several "dog proof" raccoon traps. Get rid of "Ricky the raccoon".

Shoot. Where I was they seemed to breed like rabbits. Seemingly endless supply. Took the food in at dusk and the racoons went somewhere else. Good enough for me.

[porthos]

i have a feral at that i feed.it only comes on the back porch to eat after dark. i would like to befriend it to replace the one had that was killed. but this one is very elusive

[gwpercle]

If you feed cats outside ... the raccoons and possums will get wind of it and start coming around ... they love cat food .
I had to stop feeding our cats outside and demand that if they wanted food ... they had to come inside the house and eat ... no more dining Al Fresco (in the fresh air) .
They would hang around the back door , I would put food in bowl , show them the food , walk into the house and sit the bowl down ... if they were hungry they would come in and eat ... if not I shut the door .

A kitty door isn't an option ... it soon becomes a raccoon door ... I think the coons are smarter than the cats . We had one young coon that had that door all figured out in no time and would come and go all night long , he knew not to make a mess or make any noise and give himself away ... slip in , find a little something to eat and slip out ! He was slick !
Eating roasted peanuts on the sofa gave him away ...he couldn't hide the peanut shells !
Gary

[Mk42gunner]

I'm surprised many of you don't have problems with coyotes killing and eating your cats.

You cannot get too attached to cats in the country.

I think the idiots that drive fifty plus mph on gravel are worse on them than the coyotes, coons, owls and other predators.

I also believe that cats are better snake control than rodent control.

Robert

[contender1]

First off,, I work in animal damage control.

JUST BECAUSE YOU SEE A COON OR POSSUM OUT DURING DAYLIGHT DOES NOT MEAN IT'S DISEASED!!!!!

Ok, that's out of the way.

One thing I've suggested to many of my customers is to find a table that has a center pedestal. Set the table in a location where the cats can jump up to it,, BUT,,,,,, NOT,, NOT where a coon can leap across to it. Cats can leap upward easier & higher than a coon. A coon can leap across to stuff,, or even from a higher point down to a table. And if the pedestal for the table is wood or other easily gripped material,, a bit of axle grease,, or vasoline smeared on it to prevent ease of climbing.
And as noted often above,, feed in the mornings,,, and well before dark. Then pick up the food.