For quite some time I have been down to one lonely tomcat on the farm. Coyotes got the rest of them. Saves money on cat food but I need a few more cats for rodent control. I had a black female cat donated to me this spring. Wild as a raccoon and I never saw her for weeks after. Finally she showed up from under the chop bin with a kitten or two. Actually 4. Still as wild and fierce as ever but she would allow me to put cat food in the dish which she ate ravenously. Growling and hissing at the same time. There is hope for the kittens as they seem a little less wild and crazy.
I thought is might make for some good video but its only mediocre. I finished off with a few seconds of calves drinking at the water trough.
Yes, we finally have the rain that we needed so badly all summer. Bad timing as it is holding up the harvest and down grading the cereal grains waiting in the field. So we wait...
We've had a couple mother cats in the barn that never, ever stopped distrusting us. Everett used to have a trick for taming the kittens though: sit out there when they're young and entice them with a long, dry grass. They can't resist it and you can pick them up and pet them so they learn to like you. Everett had far more patience than I will ever have. He's the cat whisperer. -Kate
ReplyDeleteDefinitely takes time and patience. Good job for a rainy day. They are improving a little I think.
DeleteYou have to socialize kittens before they reach about 2 months of age. After that it becomes increasingly difficult and once they are grown they may accept you but will never be really tame. And if coyotes are snagging your barn cats it's time to thin the coyote population....it's not fair to acquire cats just to keep the coyots fed.
ReplyDeleteThey are improving. Nearly have to fight them off at feeding time. Even the mother does not hiss at me anymore.
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