Barn Cats: Your Best Friend in the Barn

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In addition, the rabies virus vaccine should be given at about 16 weeks of age, then again at 1 year, and then every three years. In areas where bats are affected with the disease, cats are at risk. Bats with rabies become paralyzed, falling to the ground where they twitch around, irresistible to any self-respecting feline.

3. FeLV/FIV Testing and Vaccination
A simple blood test will reveal if your cat is a carrier of feline leukemia or feline immunodeficiency virus, the equivalent of HIV in cats. About a third of cats with feline leukemia will become irrecoverably ill, while the majority of cats do fine. However, it is important to know the status of each cat in your barn so that uninfected cats do not become exposed to an FeLV/FIV positive cat.

Cats that test negative for FeLV and FIV should then be vaccinated, which provides significant, but not fail-proof, protection. Wait at least a month before exposing a vaccinated feline leukemia negative cat to a positive cat, in order to give enough time for the vaccine to stimulate the immune system to a state of readiness. The vaccination is repeated as a yearly booster.

4. Spay/neuter
Of course your cat must be spayed or neutered. If your cat is feral, lure him or her into a humane trap cage by leaving it open overnight with food. Take kitty to your veterinarian the next day for immediate surgery. Better yet, ask a mobile veterinarian to do the surgery on the farm. Often the cat can be anesthetized in the cage, recover and be back in the barn before it realizes that anything objectionable has occurred.

5. Nutrition
A good quality dry diet is all your cat requires. Most barn cats are active enough to avoid the feline obesity epidemic. Free feeding, where a bowl is kept full most of the time, usually works well for all but the greediest felines. If your well has very hard water, consider offering filtered, softened or bottled water, since heavy mineral imbalances could lead to kidney problems.

Cats with ongoing medical conditions will benefit from customized prescription diets that are available for a wide variety of conditions. Special diets are available from your veterinarian for obesity, dental disease, kidney disease and heart conditions.

6. Veterinary Care
Find a mobile veterinarian who can come to your farm once a year to examine and vaccinate all your cats. They can dispense de-worming medication for the upcoming year at that time. Some mobile vets have a van that allows them to do spays and neuters right on the farm.

7. Claws
Declawing surgery is not for barn cats. Barn cats need their claws to catch prey, fight off predators, and climb loft ladders to the far reaches of the barn.

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