Taking on a Feral cat

[Twentymorequestions]

I own a stable yard, no house on site.
There are 3 cats who regularly ‘visit’. I know who two of them belong to.
The third one appeared very recently, is very young and timid. A couple of weeks ago I left some food down for it, which it absolutely wolfed down.
I caught it going into a stable one night, so assumed it was a stray and if I see it, I feed it.
today I have seen the same cat trying to get into a house nearby, I will check with the house owners when I see them, to make sure it’s their cat and will stop feeding it.

The question is, I love cats, but am highly allergic to them so can’t ‘own’ one. I could however adopt a feral cat, to keep at the stables. Has anyone done something similar? How long did it take the cat to settle? Did it stay with you or run off again?

there is a local rescue that is always looking for homes for feral, so I will contact them after Christmas. I just wanted to hear first hand experiences.

All "owning" a feral cat really looks like is providing food, water and shelter. They're not pets and you won't be able to "keep" them anywhere as such. They come and go as they please.

It's essentially providing room and half board in exchange for pest control

Please do, and maybe a pair as you have room. So many ferals needs safe homes and they won't be a bother.

I have 11 in my garden currently. The main thing is to give them food regularly, and shelter. If you start it is hard to stop, and the food will attract more. Hence us having 11. 7 are one mum and the kittens she has had this year. We are trying to trap her and get her neutered but she is pretty savvy and won't go near the traps we leave out.

Is he feral or just a stray?

I adopted an ex stray then rehomed her to a rural friend as she was unhappy at mine. She slept in the house on his bed but lived on rabbits, ignoring food provided. She was confident around people but did not seek out or give affection.

A true ferral will never "belong" anywhere.
But if your location is known as a reasonable place to find food, you may well see them more and more.
I had (not in UK) one cat turn up religiously at 10am. And again in the evening if i was cooking chicken!
Took me 3 years to trap her for neutering, and even after that she would show up with her last remaining kitten (from her final litter of 13).
Then we moved to the next street over.
About 3 months after we moved, the "kitten" saw me, and followed me home.
10am the following morning, he brought his Mum to our patio!
My respect for feral colonies increased massively at that point - and at that stage I'd been trapping, neutering and releasing (TNR) cats for about 4 years.

Do it - after checking it doesn't belong to anyone.

I read the OP as wanting to get her 'own' rescue feral through a rescue.

Yes, that is exactly what I want.
There are plenty of mice, rats, rabbits and birds around, which is why I get 3 regular cat visitors.

I don’t want a cat to cuddle as I’m allergic anyway, just like the idea of having one permanently around the yard.
I reckon I could stretch to one meal a day, plus free, unlimited vermin 😆.

Will definitely ring the rescue centre in the New Year. If I got one (or two) from them, at least I know they will be neutered.

I had 2 ferral cats, down to one now. Lost one a couple of years ago to a tumour on her chin. They were 18 months old when I had them and the remaining one is now 17.5 years old. They were ferocious ratters (and everything else back in the day), slowed down a few years ago but still did the job but the old girl doesn't do anything anymore but to be honest she's earned her keep after all those years so deserves a peaceful retirement. Not sure how much longer she is going to be around as age is catching up with her fast but I'll look after her whiles she's still happy and make the decision when the time comes.

The cat that passed was aleays hanging around and the remaining one used to disappear for a few days at a time during the summer, assume she was off hunting, but would always come back though now she's always waiting for her food. She either sits on next doors drive waiting or under the truck on the yard.

Would deffo suggest getting some ferrals, there are always loads looking for yard homes all I would suggest is do enough handling to flea/worm and be able to put them in a carrier when the time comes. Other than that give them some food and leave them to it.

Yard cats are not all born wild, of wild parents. Some just like the life style!

We had a top pedigree Siamese male, bred in a domestic setting, neutered at the correct age, who went outside for the first time when he was eleven months old. He never really wanted to go back in again, in spite of his litter sister who lived with him and us, calling him. He just liked roaming around in the countryside, more than curling up on the sofa.

Eventually, the breeder found him a home on a farm, where he lived in the barns, happily slaying the unwanted inhabitants. He lived like that for sixteen years. We would go and see him occasionally, he would come and greet us politely, but it was clear that his heart was in the straw.

He would have jumped at the life you are offering.

Please do, where I am, the local cats protection catch and neuter any feral cats and are always looking for farms or small holdings to adopt them as most of the time they won't adapt to a proper pet home.