Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Saved Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Flip

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

1 2 3

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

The litter tray

Indoor cat becoming farm cat

65 replies

hilbil21 · 05/08/2017 19:50

Disastrous idea or doable?

OP posts:

Report

thecatneuterer · 05/08/2017 20:05

I think we need more information. What do you mean by 'farm cat'? The cat will still live in your house but you will have a cat flap and happen to live on a farm?

Report

hilbil21 · 05/08/2017 20:09

No I am needing to rehome her due to behavioural issues with my toddler. My friend has offered to take her but she lives on a farm and she would sleep in the barn. My friend does feed the cats that are already there but they also catch mice etc. But is it top cruel to do that to a cat who has only ever lived indoors?

OP posts:

Report

hilbil21 · 05/08/2017 20:10

*too

OP posts:

Report

hilbil21 · 05/08/2017 20:19

To add.... the friend who has offered to take her worked for RSPCA before having kids so she knows her stuff

OP posts:

Report

hilbil21 · 05/08/2017 20:19

To add.... the friend who has offered to take her worked for RSPCA before having kids so she knows her stuff

OP posts:

Report

TheSpottedZebra · 05/08/2017 20:46

It's really cruel. Don't do it.
At least take the cat to a rescue centre - not the RSPCA.

Report

Littlelouse · 05/08/2017 20:48

It's a bit difference between being an outdoor cat who can sleep inside and forcing the cat to sleep outside in a barn. Definitely don't do it. Can't you rehome her with someone who will let her remain a family pet?

Report

hilbil21 · 05/08/2017 20:49

I have phoned them all they all have huge waiting lists. I dont know what to do. She has always been a fairly aggressive cat, even the vet stuggles with her. But shes now started scratching and biting my 2.5 year old which to me is worse than her doing it to us adults somehow

OP posts:

Report

hilbil21 · 05/08/2017 20:50

Quite rightly nobody seems to want to rehome her due to her less than friendly nature

OP posts:

Report

LinoleumBlownapart · 05/08/2017 20:51

Farm cats have a great life, but is your friend really not willing to let her in the house? In my experience of farms (mine, relatives and friends) they don't sleep in the barn, they sleep during the day all over the house and then spend the night hunting outside.

Report

Thecatsmother17 · 05/08/2017 20:52

Cats don't usually scratch or bite unless you approach them first. Is your toddler being rough with the cat? I know mine is but I just correct her every time.

Report

hilbil21 · 05/08/2017 20:56

From what she has said the cats that are already there sleep in the barn quite often on the horses rugs. She definitely wouldnt be getting in the house.

My toddler isnt bothered with her at all he leaves her to her own devices but is happily minding his own business and is getting randomly attacked. She scratched his face yesterday unprovoked.

I feel terrible and quite upset about it but shes clearly not happy living here

OP posts:

Report

4yoniD · 05/08/2017 21:03

We rehomed a cat which had been an indoor cat. She was allowed out and slowly fell in love with the world and she now often stays out 22-23 hours a day! I'd say it depends on the cat.

(Disclaimer: cat place wanted outside access home for her, in case anyone accuses me of anything!)

Report

ineedamoreadultieradult · 05/08/2017 21:07

How long has the cat been an indoor cat? If she is scratching and biting she will probably be happier as a farm cat anyway being left to her own devices and not having a toddler to contend with. If she makes special effort to ensure your cat is getting access to food and not being chased away by the current cats then I don't see why not.

Report

WiganPierre · 05/08/2017 21:14

Don't do it. Cruel.

Report

hilbil21 · 05/08/2017 21:15

Shes been a house cat since I got her as a kitten. So 6 years. Although her mum was a domestic cat her dad was a farm cat.... feral or not I dont know. But she certainly has a bad streak in her from somewhere. She can be loving at times but the majority of the time she is jumping at you biting you, hissing at you and more recently we've had some growling.

OP posts:

Report

mokaerisifhija · 05/08/2017 21:18

If she's generally quite aggressive I think she'll manage OK as a farm cat. I would never do such a thing to any of the house cats I have known but they have all been majorly into the soft cuddliness rather than fighting.

Report

ChristinaParsons · 05/08/2017 21:21

She isn't happy being an indoor cat

Report

DancingLedge · 05/08/2017 21:25

Well if the cat's aggressive nature means it's not happy and not rehomable as a house cat, being a barn cat might well suit it down to the ground.I wonder how many of the posters who think it's cruel have actually had anything to do with barn/farm cat's?

Sounds worth a try to me, OP, and I'd do it asap - before your child gets an infected scratch or a damaged eye. Sounds like your friend knows what she's talking about.

Report

hilbil21 · 05/08/2017 21:29

I just know even rescue centres would have a hard time rehoming her because they would need to be honest with any possible adopters and say she is aggressive. We have accepted it because although she's not very nice she's ours... but now DS is getting scratches on the face because he's maybe not as quick as us adults its becoming a different story. There are just under 30000 people in the town where I live and the vet says hes the most aggressive cat on his books!

OP posts:

Report

Findingdotty · 05/08/2017 21:30

I would do it. It sounds to me (had multiple cats my whole life) like she/he is unhappy with her current living space and could do with outside access. This is an extreme way of doing it but cats are adaptable and the signs are that the cat would manage well. I would worry if the cat was timid and shy and not aggressive. If she isn't getting on you or your friend could find a home through CPL or local rescue centre.

Report

hilbil21 · 05/08/2017 21:35

My friend has said she is going to put her in a small kennel type place on the farm for the first week for her to get used to the noise and feed her in there then after the first week let her roam so shes not being thrown in at the deep end totally.

OP posts:

Report

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Email address

You've subscribed!

reallyanotherone · 05/08/2017 21:37

Yes do it. It sounds line she's bored as a house cat- when cat's randomly attack like that it often purely for something to do.

Mine was an indoor cat for the first 3 years of her life. She wasn't aggressive, but did spend a lot of time stalking and attacking feet and ankles. Which while we knew it was play/boredom, still wasn't nice and we got a fair few scratches.

We moved and she was able to start going out. We live on a farm and she spends most of the day out hunting, coming back for food and sleep. I think as long as she had a warm hidey hole and food she wouldn't care if it were barn or house.

Report

hilbil21 · 05/08/2017 21:40

Yep feet and ankles are a favourite. She will sit on the stairs so I cant get past and attach herself onto my leg while scratching and biting my foot. I have a fair few small scratches from over the years some of which you can still see.

OP posts:

Report

Angeldt · 05/08/2017 21:41

Please don't do that. I have an indoor cat i.e she had never been out of the house other than in a basket to the vets. Your cat will have no ' street cread '. It will not know how to find food/water, look after itself, know when danger is about and to hide. It Will not know about animal hirarchy and quite possibly be bullied by other cats. It needs to be rehomed to a loving,warm house and loved. Not almost abandoned to its own devices.