Barn Cat Feeding

[PicklesMom]

Wondering if anyone has brilliant ideas for barn cat feeding setups - to keep the rats out of the food?

We have a fairly feral cat we adopted around 6 months ago, to keep the rats down, and she mainly eats at night. The rats had pretty much gone away through the winter and I got a little lazy with other control measures like rat birth control, and now they are back with a vengeance! They've crossed the yard from the chicken coop to the horse barn and are stealing her food.

Last few nights I put it up on a big rubbermaid, thinking she could jump up and they wouldn't be able to scale the slipper plastic, but not sure if it's working. Appreciate any brilliant, ideally low-budget ideas!

 

[Isadora]

I don't have a rat problem, but I do have chickens that sneak up onto my porch and eat any cat food they find. It's a bit of a pain because it requires daily maintenance but I only feed the outdoor cats the amounts that eat in one sitting and take the bowl in if they leave it.

 

[RosemaryDuck]

Just wanted to add, if you begin feeding a feral cat be prepared for a feral colony to move in. They will often end up wherever there's food, shelter and water.

It will also attract raccoons, skunks, possums, etc.

You may want to contact a TNR or low cost clinic to get her spayed to avoid any future out of control kitty population issues.

 

[Ursuline Chick]

We have 2 black and white cats that hang around the house and scout for rats, mice, etc. There are a few old ladies that leave cat food out for them every night. That attracts possums, raccoons, and LORD only knows what all else. But the cats (we feel) are good to have around.


A New Children's book, Barn Cat in the Surberbs.

 

[PicklesMom]

Just wanted to add, if you begin feeding a feral cat be prepared for a feral colony to move in. They will often end up wherever there's food, shelter and water.

It will also attract raccoons, skunks, possums, etc.

You may want to contact a TNR or low cost clinic to get her spayed to avoid any future out of control kitty population issues.

Yes! She is from a shelter program, so already spayed/ chipped/ vaccinated.

 

[PicklesMom]

I don't have a rat problem, but I do have chickens that sneak up onto my porch and eat any cat food they find. It's a bit of a pain because it requires daily maintenance but I only feed the outdoor cats the amounts that eat in one sitting and take the bowl in if they leave it.

The challenge with this kitty is that she isn't very social, so I don't think she will eat around us (she was basically invisible all winter, except for occasional eyes staring at us from the woods). With nicer weather she has been in the yard more during daylight, so maybe we can get to that point eventually.

 

[arizona_chicken_noob]

Were this my barncat, I would strongly consider a timed meal that she/he consumes fairly quickly. That would keep the cat motivated to hunt, as well as deter raccoons. I can't think of any surface or height that a cat can reach that rats + raccoons cannot.

edit: Sorry, you just said the cat is very secretive. You might still try to make strides to getting the cat to eat in your presence, even if it takes a while. Hopefully someone else will chime in with an easier solution!

 

[Ursuline Chick]

That's why I don't feed these 2 cats. There is cat or dog food outside in a lot of yards at night. I want them to come to my house to hunt for something fun to play with and when the cat gets bored it has some treat to eat. I have yet to see mouse or rat flavored cat food in the grocery.

 

[african chickens]

we have 3 bar cats barely see rats she may need some help

 

[rjmyooper]

We have a shelter about 5 miles from us that advertises 'barn cats' for adoption. I might have to get one to protect the ducklings. Is there any chance they would go after a duckling?