Tell me why adopting an outdoor kitten from a farm is a bad idea.

[LynetteScavo]

DH has told me he doesn't want another cat arm. I'd love a kitten as our home is currently cat-less

DD (11yo) has told me DH is planning on looking at some kittens this weekend.

They are "yard kittens" so have only ever lived outside. I think they are about 11 weeks old atm.

I'm worried they will have fleas and worms and need neutering and (all things I can cope with) but also will not want to be indoors. Also would I need to have two if they are so young and I'm out of the house for for hours at a time? (I can come home at lunchtime initially)

I caught a feral kitten last year. Was about ten weeks old and wild. We trapped it in a cat trap. Brought it inside and opened the trap in the bathroom. It exploded vertically, bounced off Dh, bounced off the wall and flung itself at the slightly open window head first and was halfway out (upstairs bathroom).

It was crazy. We gave it to the neighbours along with a dog crate. They kept it in the crate for weeks (as per local rescue advice). It got used to them and is now the lovliest, friendly cat.

All my cats were feral. Vicious beasts, the lot of them....

BTW all kittens need worming and neutering, most have fleas, so maybe a kitten is not the best choice for you anyway.

The worming and flea prevention is non stop for forever, so makes no difference if it's a kitten or a cat does it?

Why take this risk when there are hundreds of well adjusted kittens to choose from?

Good job DH didn't take this attitude about taking a wife

DH always wants to give the feisty "underdog" a chance. I think I've managed to put him off. Although this thread does seem pretty 50/50.

My kitten was feral, totally feral but she's the sweetest most laid back cute adorable little thing, and I've had her years now :) she's actually more relaxed and laid back than my other cats who are not Ferrel!

Orangebird -your cat has made me

I got a farm cat at the age of 6 months. Very independant cat who NEEDED outdoor access, not a lap cat, but loving and loyal.

Lynette the worming schedule is more intensive for kittens but....you made the original point on worming/fleas/neutering with reference to a feral kitten, if you knew it applied to all kittens and cats, what were you on about?

I made the reference to these particular cats DH has heard about.

He's just sent me a link to two 18month old cats - no fleas and don't need neutering.

But that sounds too easy

It depends where you live.

I would be less worried about fleas/worms and more about temperament and likelihood of wandering.

We had one in London (with another cat) - within two months he had wandered off, fallen in St Catherine's Dock, crossed Tower Bridge Road (using the underpass we assume) and turned up on a film set where they fed him bacon sandwiches from the catering truck until I found him.

A couple of years later he was, sadly, run over on one of his night time jaunts.

He was a lovely cat, just never lost the need for freedom and night hunting.

You do realise that most of the cats at your local Cats Protection will be 'feisty underdogs' too, don't you? That's what the 'rescue' in 'rescue cat' means.

Lynette - and no-one will pick those 18 months olds because they are too boring. No sad missing ear, too old to be cute kitteny sorts. They are exactly who need a loving home rather than being stuck in cattery for months on end. Go see them today!

I'd compromise & get a pair of rescue cats.

2 rescue 18 month olds = 1 farm kitten.

Orange Your cat must have thought the baby stuff was for him.

We've just adopted an 18 month old cat from a rescue. It's a lovely, lovely age - she's kittenish enough to be playful and entertain the kids but old enough to be sensible, use a litter tray and not destroy the house. We're all very happy.

Get the rescues!

Lynette that's five different cats in my pic. All street urchins/ferals. The one sun bathing over the sofa arm was a particular challenge. Bit me down to the bone more than once.

Fluffy the baby never got a look in on that change table. It's still a cat bed now a year on.

The problem with threads like this is that you'll always get people saying "I luffs my farm/feral cat" which is great but it doesn't mean all farm/feral cats are loveable.

It also doesn't mean that getting a farm/feral cat is the best option, practically or ethically speaking - I think think a rescue cat is best.

18mo cats don't have flea So? That's news to me. Can you please tell my cats and hopefully they'll pass on the good news to my dogs.

I presumed OP meant they don't have fleas, not that they won't have them.

I would definitely look at the 18 months old cats as they will be harder to rehome than kittens. Actually, I would look at older than that but that's just me!

I've just adopted an 18 month old rescue cat, she is litter trained, and very loveable, she is still quite kitten like and loves to play with ping pong balls. My kids and I adore her. It did take her a couple of weeks to trust us she hid a lot at first but loves a cuddle now.

Have they been handled at all? They can be outdoor farm cats that will make fantastic pets if they have had a decent amount of human interaction but if they have had no human contact by 11 weeks they will be feral. We got kittens who had been picked up at 7 weeks and they were borderline. Took a long time to settle, still very outdoorsy. Won't use a litter tray, not lap cats. Like a stroke but won't sit there and be petted.