Outdoor cat

[Drbrowns]

Hi, just wondering if anyone has any advice on what I would need for an outdoor cat, and how to raise one from a kitten. We’ve been offered a kitten and we mainly need a cat for catching mice and rats as we live in the country. Not keen on having it in the house very often but obviously want a nice life for the cat and not just feck it outside and that’s it.

Is it a domestic kitten or has it grown up outside?

If you want a semi-feral then it might be kinder to get two from the same litter, so they can be company for each other.

I’m not sure actually. They’ve only recently been born and the owner is just putting out feelers now for when they’re ready to be separated from the mammy cat. It’s my friends parents cat and they’re looking for homes with people they trust.

Lots of rescues need homes for semi feral / barn cats. If you have a TNR programme near you they may be able to help.

That does sound more like a domestic cat. I'm not sure it will necessarily be a good mouser, or happy to live mostly outside without much human company.

There are lots of semi-feral cats looking for exactly what you are offering - an outside life catching mice and rats, but with somewhere warm to sleep and regular food. Worth checking out the local rescues, who IME often have a few semi-ferals they find hard to find homes for.

Ok, thanks so the tips.