Is it Ethical to Own Barn Cats?
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- Опубліковано 15 чер 2024
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Gold Shaw Farm
PO Box 225
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About Gold Shaw Farm: Gold Shaw Farm is more of a farm-in-progress than an honest-to-goodness farm. Our dream is that someday we are able to transform our 150+ acre parcel of land into a regenerative and productive homestead and farm.
That is the smoothest I've ever seen someone put a cat in a carrier. Perfect.
Seriously 😁👏
It was like a magic trick!
Tbf she pretty much put herself in the carrier lol
@@MsNoPixel buuuut, she didn’t try to jump back out
my cat used to sprint INTO the carrier, she loved the enclosed space I guess, especially since we let the carrier open and somewhere in the house so she didnt really associate it with something bad.
There's a huge difference between neighborhood strays and barn cats. Strays live in urban, crowded environments with no real source of food other than urban pests and wildlife unfortunate enough to get caught. Farm cats are in a rural environment that attracts an abundance of pests (via grain feed and the like) and are able to satiate themselves without ever leaving their farm. They stay contained, keep the farm clean, and keep predators away.
This exactly.
Doesn't mean they don't decimate the local wildlife too. Cats don't distinguish between pests and native animals. It's all prey to them.
They have caused 66 species to go extinct and are the 2nd msot costly invasive species behind mosquitos but go off. I trap and eliminate them, as anyone who loves their native ecosystems should
@@jimothyj2638 "Eliminating" any animal is almost never the solution, unless the animal can be used for food, like deer. Support your local Trap/Neuter/Release programs if you want to actually make a difference.
@@louievito5701 North American animals are used to ground predators like foxes, coyotes, and cougars. Cats are only more of a worry in places that haven’t had these kinds of predators like on islands like Hawaii, New Zealand, or the continent of Australia. It’s been found that the ecological harm of cats in NA is minimal
The animal shelter my daughter volunteered at for years had a "barn cat" program. (We were living in southern Vermont at the time.) Sometimes, feral cats would be dropped off at the shelter. They hadn't been socialized as kittens so they were extremely shy and sometimes antagonistic to human contact. (My daughter tried to socialize these cats as best she could during her volunteer shift.) These weren't friendly, cuddly, affectionate kittens/cats that could be immediately re-homed. These could be difficult cats that faced the prospect of remaining at the shelter for months, or even years, at a time - spending most of that time in a cage. The Barn Cat program was the best way to responsibly rehome these cats into a livable situation. After a cat would be rehomed to a local farmer in their barn, the shelter would send employees or volunteers to check up on the cats and their living situation periodically to make sure they were being well cared for.
So your daughter is a special force feral cat trainer?
That’s a great idea for feral cats. A lot of times, if they’re even able to be adopted, when they’re brought into a home they will urinate on everything. Going to a barn where they have a safe place to be and something to eat is a lot better than being PTS because shelters a full
The cat shelter I worked for has a similar program. All the barn cats are spayed/neutered and vaccinated and anyone adopting them has to live a certain distance from the city.
We make sure they have shelter and ask about the farmer’s plans for keeping the cats’ vaccines up-to-date.
Most of the time the cats end up being very, very happy in their new homes. Some become very friendly and sweet once in their new homes because they’re free to live life on their terms.
We’ve had people tell us how some of them have become best friends with the farm’s dogs or horses.
It’s a great option for taking feral city cats at risk of being killed by cars, poison, dogs, or people and giving them a chance at a long, happy life.
One of the Kansas shelters or humane societies has a "working cats" program like that too. First time I've heard of something like that, I think it's great!
That sounds like a great program!!!
A smart man I knew said “I can’t do EVERYTHING but I also can’t do NOTHING”. You are doing something and that is a good thing! Thanks for sharing your little farm and your animals. I am a cat lover and yours seem to be very happy!
3:30
that guy is the absolute cat whisperer!
it cracks me up how effortlessly that cat went into the bag 🤣🤣🤣
Right? flooph! Wha-? wish my old kitty could be snuck up like that lol I touch the carrier and he is suspicious and disappears.
Kitty thought it was a new box to explore 😂
I honestly find it funny that all these people complaining about your farm simply generate more content for you, allowing you to grow your channel, earn ad revenue, and get more advice from people who watch your videos. 😊
🤦♀️😆😉👍😎
My thoughts exactly
I'm glad you're working to provide habitat further away from where the barn cats normally work. Btw, I'd dump that wet food into a dish. Those edges are sharp, I've sliced several fingers on the lids.
I think you've thought it out really well, and have a nice balance. The main issue with barn cats is overpopulation from not getting them fixed.
It's not unethical if you're caring for their health and well being. Humans domesticated wild dogs by exchange of food and shelter for hunting assistance. Cats were worshiped I'm sure not just for their majestically plotting the death of their humans but also hunting vermin over taking the cities of the time.
They hired feral cats in Chicago to get rid of rats
😏😆😉😂😂
No but it might be unethical when those cats are murdering songbirds whose species are already struggling
@@quillo2747 This is kinda the point cats are very effective murder machines and while they can keep vermin numbers down they can also do a fair job of doing the same with local biodiversity.
On a farm or area with a high level of pests to predate on for the cats its much more acceptable however if your not on a farm (which is the vast majority of cats) the level of pests go down but the cat will still have the same drive to hunt.
Also numbers are a big deal as well a couple of cats can do some damage but on the whole its no more than any 2 or 3 prolific predators you could find locally however cats have litters of up to 10 (but average out at 4 or 5) and can come into heat every couple of months from six months old so it gets pretty exponential pretty quick. Lose track of a breading pair and 5 years later there will be hundreds of them if nothing checks their growth.
I love cats there is one less than 2 feet away curled up in the bed but if you also like hearing songbirds keep them inside and let them murder string instead.
How well the little psycho's get treated isn't the largest ethical concern.
I am constanty impressed at how careful and thoughtful you are about your farm. Pretty good for someone who was a city boy up until five years ago.
Honestly, the way you control your cat population and where they go, combined with the farm attracting a lot of pests, is one of the few way an outside cat can be ethically kept.
Also it helps that prey animals around your farm are used to being hunted. Cats become especially dangerous if the prey animals around them aren't used to being hunted.
(worst case scenario for that is New Zealand)
Just a thought on the bramble foot, maybe the new ramp might be giving off splinters/ have sharp edge. Just seeing the footage that you show of them falling off, that could be causing some cuts/damage to their feet? Maybe cover the edge with something (Tape?) just for a simple layer of protection :) (Might not be the cause but hey couldn't hurt)
Good thought.
We moved to the country 6 years ago. Our neighbor, as it turns out, does not believe in fixing his cat but I did not know this. All I knew was juvenile cats were popping up more and more and they were farrell. I went to work with a farrell cat coalition trapping and fixing 5 juveniles and eventually the mamma cat as well as rescuing and finding homes for a 7 week old litter of 8. The 5 juveniles were too wild. We are down to 4 now but 3 are females. Can you imagine the crazy number of cats we'd have if left unchecked?! Feeding them does keep them close. And no, there are no nice. I'm upset about birds and have ideas to fence the cats out of garden areas. Thanks for the post on this. It's crucial to do it responsibly!
I honestly hate irresponsible pet owners like your neighbor.
@@thesunrisechick6878 It's been really frustrating for sure but in the end I know there's no way I can stand by and watch animals suffer like they do with zero care. I'm really grateful for the Portland Cat Coalition! Cats bring such joy and sometimes we just have to do our best.
Morgan, barn cats are the way to go on a farm. If I had a farm, I would have two to three kitties myself. It's their evolutionary niche. While it is not safe for cats to be outside, my cats always wanted to be outside, even though they weren't allowed. All three look happy, well-fed, and are living the life!
The chances of them dying or living a shorter life go up by a lot if they are outdoor cats.
@@Jessica-nx8or chances of obesity, boredom and depression go up for a lot of housecats as well.
@@bellona6356 talk to any vet and they will recommend keeping your cat indoors, for a reason, I trust the professionals
I really like that you wrestle with the ethical questions and acknowledge the trade offs. To some degree, especially with our current population levels, every human activity, including raising poultry, comes at the expense of the natural ecosystem, but small-scale, low-tech mixed farming is still probably the best way to foster resiliency. You are doing an admirable job of balancing the costs and benefits.
Barn cats are and have been forever a necessary critter to work on a farm. They have their job and guard dogs have their job. The decision isn’t a matter of anyones business. Farmers understand the need.
We have always been a multi cat household. I own a older farm style house and used to have a horrible mouse/vole problem every fall, which my cats faithfully dealt with within a few weeks. I recently stopped cutting my backyard and since then, my mouse problem has entirely stopped. I left them habitat outside to over-winter in, so they stayed outside.
Have not watched the video yet, but I saw the title: “Is it ethical to own barn cats?”
The answer to that is “The barn cats own you”
Lol!
Nothing more to say here. You got it 110%
Truer words were never spoken..or in this case written😂
Agreed. My first thought was: Nobody ever owns a cat.
Exactly. Does anyone really “own” a cat?
It's refreshing to see an outdoor cat owner being responsible.
"Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good"
3:33 BAHAHAHA the way she just plopped into the carrier 😂
Don't think you need to justify yourself Morgan. Your attitude and behavior toward your animals is exemplary. Americans need to remember that animals have a job. Cats have been used to cut back on rodents for many millennia. By feeding your cats and doing your best to keep wild birds away from your barnyard, you are mitigating wild bird loss as much as possible. As usual, your decisions are ethical and well reasoned. A credit to the nuns who taught you.
Okay but cats have caused mass extinctions of birds and other small animal species across everywhere they are allowed to be outside so that's why people freak out. Hawaii is on the verge of banning cats bc of this issue it's so severe.
@@emersonhawks Interesting,...can you site the study this info is based on? I like to keep informed. :D
@@robine916 A quick google search will give you many results. Don't come in bad faith.
I applaud Morgan's methods. ^__^
@@naerwyn239 What bad faith? I thought this poster had a link to a particular article on this. Yes, I absolutely can search for it, but they may have a well written one I could educate myself with.
There is no bad faith. Some cat defenders simply cannot tolerate any reasoned criticism of their favourite animals, and instantly dismiss facts that cast them in a bad light.
Thank you for making sure all your cats are spayed/neutered! :)
Definitely pro barn cat - especially when looked after as well as you look after your cats.
I love this guy being kind to his cats -- and the rest of his animals -- and his mogs seem to love him too. A farm is a rich environment for a cat. Plenty to eat, plenty to do, plenty to hunt. What more could a cat ask for.
Don't sweat it, your a very responsible pet owner. You do everything in your power to make sure your pets live the best life!
It's so refreshing to see a responsible animal owner! Thank you!
Barn cats can and do contribute to harming local bird populations, but as other people have said this issue is minimized in a rodent-heavy location. You also don’t live in an area where the cats could devastate critical species (to my knowledge)- like how feral cats in Australia were a massive detriment to the fragmented koala populations after the brushfires.
The main concern would then be the health and safety of the cats. You obviously take great care of your cats and make sure they’re fixed and up to date on vet visits. There’s always going to be the risk of a predator harming your cats still, or of them consuming something poisonous, but at the end of the day you aren’t in a residential location where your cats will run the daily risk of being hit by cars. And as long as your cats don’t roam off of the farm too much, Toby Dog should help to keep them safe. Hell, even you help keep them safe by actively monitoring the farm and making sure their environment is suitable (which is not what you see people doing when they let their cat wander out into the suburbs unsupervised).
Barn cats aren’t perfect, but they’re a grey area if anything when it comes to cats living freely outdoors. I think it depends on the location, the farmer, and the individual cats how well everything can come together to function cohesively. You could argue that the cats serve a function on the farm and have a right to be there- whereas cats that free roam in residential areas do not. People that let their cats free roam anywhere near threatened wildlife or residential areas are a problem. They put their cats and local ecosystems at risk every day, when there are many responsible things they could be doing to give their cat enrichment (playing with toys, walking a cat on a leash, constructing a cattio, bringing outdoor elements into the house for the cat to explore, etc). I’ve seen far too many residential families only swap to indoor-only cats after their previous cat was struck by a car, killed by a coyote, or poisoned…
Keep on taking care of your pets as well as you do. The fact that you take the time to ruminate on these topics shows that you care.
Absolutely. It sure is in my book. How else can you control vermin on a farm? Cats play an integral role in the farm. There are hundreds of thousands of farms across the USA and I have never seen or been on a farm that did not have cats.
I had 5 barn cats at my last house. They absolutely demolished the vermin nearby and would also catch snakes, rabbits, birds and tons of chipmunks. There was still no shortage of any of those animals. They would actually eat what they caught (which is so gross to watch) even though they were extremely well fed. I moved to a neighborhood so they all came with me and became house cats and I added a large catio so they can still enjoy the outdoors but safely. Thery still kill and eat any small thing that gets into the catio, old habits die hard. Properly managed cats on a farm are irreplaceable but they definitely need fixed, fed and given a safe place to escape from predators.
I cant say I blame them. I much prefer fresh fish to canned tuna. My cat is the same, the look of ecstasy as she's chomping on a fresh mouse. as I said in another post, she LOOOVES moths. Fat, juicy, flappy things. such a look of satisfaction, even tho its only 2 chomps and gone. I've trained her away from lizards and snakes etc, but cant break her moth addiction. she can eat all the mice she can catch tho.
In my limited experience this is totally different from people in the cities having their cats loose (which is something I used to be guilt of). Especially because you spay and neuter them, meaning that they won’t mate with random cats in the area.
The farm attracts pests and your cats kill those pests. Is it ethical? Well it definitely seems more ethical than city outdoor cats!
ginny falling into the carrier was the smoothest cat catch i've EVER seen.
Your barn cats are like Joseph Carter’s Mink, they provide a natural pest solution, that’s more ethical than any other methods I’ve heard of
I'm betting there's a big crossover between the Mink Man's watchers and Gold Shaw Farm's fans. Watching those mink at work or play is endlessly entertaining.
There indeed is, well, at least I am.
LOL I watch that dude too and even he gets criticized, despite that normal people dont like getting infested with rats. I feel those that question people having trained working animals to do natural pest control, just want an excuse to shit on anything so to lord their supposed moral superiority against someone.
Coming from a very rural area I really like to see working animals do their things. Both Gold Shaw and Joseph carter's channel shows that in a good way. Especially the mink man is not for everyone, but when you look at the alternatives it's really the best way the deal with a serious problem.
Joseph also tends to use his dogs a lot too and im still kind of intrigued at his using raptor to mouse because i never saw a lizard as a mouser.
My barn cat, Sabrina, has rarely taken a bird, but she's murder on mice and rats..
With my flock of hens, roosters, guineas, ducks, and my neighbors peafowl, who've taken up with my "guys", we need a natural way to keep the vermin under control..
Sabrina has house access if she wants to come inside..Not to mention she has five dogs to guard her within a 7-8 acre fenced in area.. Best of both worlds IMO..
You provided a job and a relatively secure home to cats that needed a place to live. They live free and I see no problem with that.
Love your cats. Especially Pablo Barn cat. For someone who is "allergic to cats" you seem to be holding up pretty good. Lol.
Keep up the good work on your farm. It amazes me how a city dud can become such and environmentalist in such a short time. You do good work.
God bless
I love how you treat your cats.
I used to live in an area with a rare type of rodent, so my friend had 2 boxers who was trained to catch one type of mice and rat but not the rare type. Worked well the boxers slept most of the day and at night ran around the barn. My great grandfather used to work extra as ratcatcher , he used tawny owls.
On our country road we end up with unwanted city cats that people drop off in hopes they become barn cats. However most the farms are no longer operational and our family ends up rescuing the ones we find. We live just outside of our local city where people used to have farms and homesteads. Barn cats have been a staple around here as far back as I remember. But most of the farms have now broken up into house lots so there is practically nothing here for the cats anymore. Never the less people still have the idea this is the place to drop off their unwanted cats so they can live out their lives on the farms. Last drop off cat we found was just a few months ago and she came with four kittens. The mother cat was nearly milk dry from malnutrition. We took them in and got the mother healthy again so she could feed her kittens. They all got their vet shots and all the kittens have new forever homes now. Mother cat was spayed after she was done nursing the kittens. I estimate it cost us over $1000 to take care of them all at the vet. The mother cat stayed with us so she makes 5 rescues that live with us.
Your doing a good job Morgan. You have a good heart and it shows that you put your heart into what you are doing. All you can do is do your best. Anyone that expects more has no idea how difficult or expensive it is to keep animals happy and healthy. Good luck on your new endeavors with the cattle.
BTW - Your bumble foot problem might be because of your little pond is building a bacterial load from the animal waste. Isn't this the first year it has kept water all year long? I think you might need more things to live in the pond to make it healthier for your geese and ducks. Plants, fish, and small animals will help fill in the biodiversity needed for it to become a working ecosystem and your bird's bacterial exposure will be much less.
A good Steward of the land you are my friend and teaching all along the way .
That capture of Ginny was perfection.
Molly Murder Mittens is the best barn cat name ever!
That's what I was going to say ❤❤
Omg 😆
Its a stupid name since she doesn't have mittens
@@tigerwoman4411 I wouldn't say it's stupid, yeah, she doesn't have mittens but it rhymes!
Plus you can just imagine her with gloves and she's on a murdering spred
You need to start your day with a few good words from a friend of mine. “ haters gonna hate,hate,hate. You just gotta shake it off. It’s your farm and most of us love your content. Keep these videos coming
Amazing video, I am so glad you're aware of why outdoor cats are unethical.
You are doing the most you can to make it ethical. Already, having an outdoor cat on a farm is more ethical than having an outdoor cat in an urban area. On a farm, they have a job and they keep the property in balance and keep the farm safe. they stay in the farm.
In a city, they terrorize multiple properties and make species extinct because there's not an infestation of mice for them to eat, outdoor cats in urban areas just kill for fun and for no real reason, but on a farm it is the cats job, without the barn cat the barn would be overrun with mice.
Another reason why outdoor cats are so problematic in urban areas is because of breeding, and illnesses and disease spreading from the different communities of cats mingling
If you live on a farm or large property, you're already making those less of a possibility. Getting them spayed/neutered stops one, getting them vaccinated stops the other, having a large property also prevents the local cats from mingling too much and spreading disease. If they're trained to their barn they shouldn't stray too far.
Of course there's always the risk of an animal or human accident, but you're also preventing those by having tobydog and trying to get them to not venture near the road.
I'm also sooo happy that you have sections of your farm for the birds so they don't come near your barn cats territory ❤️❤️ I've seen too many birds brutally die from the outdoor/stray cats in my urban neighbourhood when the owners could have prevented it.
It might be a bit easier for little GinGin to eat that canned food if it was removed from the can first. Thanks for the video. 😊👍
You are a ethical pet owner Morgan. The cats are a perfect ratters. In Ct. I lived on the Boston Post Road in a small town at the mouth of the Ct. River. We had outside cats and there was a pipe that went under the road so that they could get to the swamp area. I had one hit by a car in all the years. Most understood not to take a chance and go through the pipe.
This is the life, cats would choose, if they could. Morgan is a responsible owner, the cats are spayed and good cared for. They are not roaming around in the forest, they are on his farm. It's a good life they are leading.
Bob Barker approves of Morgan I bet
I call my barn cat my barn supervisor… always watching what I do !
I love your philosophy towards ethical farming.
I got so emotional seeing Gingin all happy and well post-spay because I recently lost my rescue cat Jacko to profuse blood loss during/after her spay. I'm so happy that Ginny is alright!! Recover well, sweet baby.
Wow that sucks. Seems like a surgery that routine would be hard to mess up that badly. Sorry about your cat
@@sidneylyga1367 Exactly why I wasn't expecting it at all :( Thank you 💗
I can't believe anyone would question Morgan's ethics in terms of caring for his cats. He is an excellent cat daddy to his barn cats & Lil, his house cat convert.
Your points make perfect sense to me. I love this channel and I think you’re doing an excellent job running your farm:)
Love to hear how responsible you are with your barn cats. Also, re: the mouse problem, if you aren't able to take on the responsibility of owning/training a terrier yourself, maybe you could see if anyone in your area offers those services for hire? I know in some of the cities there are groups that have terriers trained to help with rat infestations. Also see if there are any falconers that have birds trained to hunt mice/voles. I have no idea if anything like that exists where you live, but it might be worth looking into as a service you could hire every so often to do a sort of "maintenance cleanout" of a few extra rodents. Just a thought.
Excellent Idea! even if just for the video it would make. My cousins have a horse agistment property. they dont have a feild cat, but they do have 2 jack russells and a much bigger bitsa (aussie slang, its got bits of everything). the team work is pretty incredible. the jackies get in and under and around and flush the rodents out towards the bigger, leggier dog. who usually takes the kill. they are quite a good team. these dogs dont live on the property, but sure love going out there for the sport. a couple of those mini-cams on them would be pretty neat.
@@arjovenzia Do the dogs eat their kill?
@@christinearmington Obviously I'm not arjovenzia, so I can't say what they would say, but it is standard to train hunting dogs to not eat what they're killing/retrieving. Same goes with falconry.
It would be a pretty special terrier that could hunt rodents while ignoring the poultry. It's not unheard of, but it is challenging. (easier when the farm has larger animals)
@@BVoshol True, but the teams I've seen are often trained specifically to hunt within one area (eg, in a barn, around a scrap pile, etc). If he were able to hire a trained team to come and hunt in specific locations where he knows the prey tend to hide, he could always ensure his poultry weren't in that area during the hunt. Better yet, he could bring the teams in during the evening when the mice begin to get more active, after he puts all the poultry in their coops for the night. All of this is, of course, assuming he could find nearby teams to hire... which may be less likely if his farm is in as rural an area as it looks.
Some people mistakenly think if you feed them they won’t catch mice. That’s not true
Theyll chase something like that just as fast if they wanna play or eat from my experience. You get the same result in most cases. A dead rodent.
My cat isn’t a barn cat he gets access to food anytime. He will catch prey regularly. They love to hunt. (I live in a neighborhood)
Thanks for all the videos you've done on the barn cats! We just got our first pair of barn cats, and your channel has been very helpful ❤
"Release the quackens" is what originally got me watching. I love birds 🐦 😌.
A neutered cat has a smaller range, so it helps keep them closer to home.
The perfact way she just plopped down into the carrier 😆 While here my cat of 13 years runs and hides.
Its unethical the amount of cuteness you put us through 😻
i love that you have a half maincoons as a farm cat. those cats are so friendly and they get big so worrying about other animals isn’t really a issue other than hawks and big coyotes
Morgan you have an enormous amount of love for all your animals.
The ethical question does not apply to your cats as your a very responsible owner.
That question needs to apply to irresponsible owners.
Where you stand with outdoor cats largely depends on where you sit. Personally I run a cat and poison free establishment largely because I live on an ecological edge that is so very important to native wildlife. I have a wonderful variety of ground run native birds that cats would just destroy and lacking cats has meant a plethora of wildlife is very common to my outer farm edges and orchard. To combat the moles, voles, rats and mice I put up owl boxes that are very well occupied by 3 species of owls that are rodent murder machines and don't bother my birds because they're locked up at night. Inside structures I use traps and exclusion methods.
That's an awesome solution! Do the owls tend to bother your birds?
Wow, what a great solution!
Great idea! I wish Morgan would read this comment and consider making his cats inside only. And if owls are coo intimidating he could always stockbreak some terriers which is quite easy. While they are cute and intelligent, ferals are an invasive species that has caused 66 others to go extinct
@@jimothyj2638 Are there many threatened species in Vermont?
I lost one bantam chicken the first year when she decided to not come in at night. Only one species of the local owls hunt during the day sometimes and while I have seen them hunt the outer pasture and catch voles they don't tend to bother the birds during daylight hours.
Morgan, Absolutely loved how you got Ginny into the cat carrier she jumped on it and you unzipped the carrier and she just dropped into it. Had her secured inside before she knew what was happening. Absolutely Epic!!!
That was so smooth! Was looking for this comment
Our barn cats are very necessary on the farm! I rescue, also. They get locked in the feed room at night so they can’t get attacked by wildlife, learned that the hard way ☹️, and they keep the mice out of the feed room while in there. ❤️
This channel is growing so fast its so nice go see. Idk how I got recommended this channel but its a surprisingly nice watch. Glad to see other folks on UA-cam are finding out about it
I am pro barn cart as long as all the cats are fixed. Some cats aren’t adoptable as inside cats and they need a place to go. Have you ever thought about putting up Blue Bird nesting boxes around your property? Of course that means more work for you and you have so much on your plate now.
As a former terrier owner is they are super smart. They are insanely smart & energetic. However they kill effectively. Kinda gruesome too
Your barn cats are treated ethically, you feed them you provide medical treatment when needed. You got them fixed and you give them love. You treat all your animals better than most people on U Tube homestead, in fact you treat them the best of anyone making videos with the exceptions rescue groups.
Well done! You're doing a good job with the cats, especially keeping them tethered to the farm so they see it as their territory. Cats are all about territory. Love the Ginny Cam, btw. ~ Lisa
the fact that you fix your barn cats and i am sure they get the needed shots--you feed them and give them love--training to the barn so they know where home is--make for a happy cat that will do the job that they are there for!!!
Awesome! I really appreciate how good you care for your animals and the surrounding environment! Also you might want to use a bowl for the canned cat food because they can cut their tongue on the side of the can
Pro Cat! This video warmed my heart! My friend you, are a cat whisperer. Kudos! 😺😺😺
You have really thought out the barn cat question well. Good choice for your farm. Well done!
I raise ducks and chickens. I bought my farm 8 years ago and they already had a small coop built and in use. It was swarming with mice at the time. I added 3 barn cats and within 6 months they (the mice!) were gone. I'm down to 2 barn cats and a much larger 12x24 coop and I have seen no mice or signs of mice. The cats do a good job of controlling the mice and I have seen no evidence of any bird slaughter. As a matter of fact, the only bird slaughter was by an Eagle who swooped down and got one of those barn cats. So the natural order works in reverse from what people think. They are necessary and feeding them does keep them centered on the coop and free range area as you stated. They also will attack and eat the numerous snakes and have virtually driven them away too. I use no poisons as a poisoned mouse can be eaten by the cats, ducks, chickens or wildlife and pass the poison along to them.
OMGWTFBBQ!!! An eagle carried off a cat?! Talk about inter-species payback...
@@doggo999 Yep! Bald Eagles are pretty big and powerful. He swooped down and didn't even hesitate and the cat was airborne in a micro second.
@@rogerhuber3133 assuming you witnessed that you probably went "damn it I wish I'd filmed that but how was I supposed to know WTF"
@@bland9876 I'm pretty sure he was rather sad/furious that he lost a beloved pet.
@@bland9876 Exactly my thoughts at the time! It would have made for a great video. Eagles do indeed have a sharp eye as he selected my best layer out of the group that were there at the time.
Can we just talk about how easily that cat got in the carrier. I’m amazed.
HOW DID I NOT KNOW ABOUT YOUR UA-cam!!! I’ve been following along on Facebook! I’m so happy I finally heard you say something about your UA-cam channel!
This is my favorite UA-cam channel. So calming and peaceful!
This guy is such a sweetie.
He knows that his cats can cause some damage to the area, but he creates some.. let's say breeding areas for the local wildlife which are damaged by said cats. It's really thoughtful of him
I would never had an outdoor cat but I understand the need for barn cats. I would be curious to see how many songbirds they actually kill. Now it's not a good time for it, but in the late spring/early summer when the fledglings are the most vulnerable, you could leave the camera on the cats and see exactly what damage they do. The studies show that cats kill multiple times more small animals than we know of, since they only bring a small fraction home. But it's a generalization, so your cats may have a different situation. Housecats don't usually have as many rodents to catch as barn cats, so it's only natural that they prey on birds or lizards. If it's safe for them, please consider an actual experiment :). You could even use is somewhere to help clarify the impact of barn cats on the songbirds population.
Thanks for addressing this. definitely no perfect solution, and I'm so happy to see that you've given it this much thought.
It absolutely is. Especially if you consider the alternatives. And I think The cats really enjoy that life.
I am absolutely amazed with your thoughts about fixed barn cats. That’s so hard to find here in Germany and here that’s somehow a little and quite problem.
absolutely
It's not terribly common here in the US either. Most farmers here in the Midwest at least don't get their farm cats fixed. Most of the time when you see ads for free kittens, it's a farmer posting it.
First: let's be clear, You are NOT a cat person.
Second: The WORLD wants to know how you got Genny to jump up on the cat carrier and just drop in.
Third: Your cats are obviously well cared for, and comfortable with where they are and the job expected of them. Otherwise, they would just leave to find a home that suits them.
Congratulations: You ARE a cat person. Because THEY have trained you properly to be one. Lololol😻😻😻😻
I loved when Genny just fell in. It was great.
To get a cat to not hate their crate you have to not make them associate the crate with things they hate. If they only get put in their crate when they go to the vet or groomer they will only associate it with bad things. If you give them lots of treats and love and their favourite toys in their crate at home before you take them anywhere unpleasant in it and regularly do that then they won't hate it as it will just be the place they get treats and toys.
A trick I recently learned is to use two carriers: you pick the cat, put the head and front paws in a carrier a quickly put the second carrier behind his back (you need someone to help) so when it's trying to run away backwards it is trapped. You have no idea how much time I saved with this trick
@@raccoontrashpanda1467 I found, leaving the carrier in a corner of the living room, creates a hiding place they'll sleep in. So when it's time to go, they just think it's the best time of the day treat/nap time.😁👍
Pro barn cat(s) all the way. Thanks to one Toby dog video, I am now hooked on your videos. I get in a mood for dog videos once in a while as where I live, I can't have a doggy of my own like I did years ago. I like the idea of having a small farm as long as someone else does all the work, haha.
You're a good man mate, appreciate the care you put into the animals :)
I like Pablo. He's a chill dude. If they could interview him, he would be like:
"Yeah, it's my farm. I keep things in check around here. I let my hooman roam around free though... so he can bring me my food."
"Free Range Hooman" haha
Did anyone see how easily he got Ginny in the carrier? That was magic.
Always barn cats. Neighbors loved to come get kittens from our house. There were 4 children that loved them, fed, and cleaned there room, we loved it.
Thank you so much for this video. Excellent educational video for me. Appreciate all your videos.
I have an ex barn cat from the West of Ireland, I live in Dublin, she has saved this house from fire and flood and better than any guard dog.
Barn cats are the best possible solution to pests, because any other solution is more environmentally damaging. You've gone to a great deal of thinking and planning to minimize the cats' predation on wild birds, and I think that's all you can do. I very much appreciate how you treat the working cats - feeding them, taking them to the doctor when they need medical care, giving them love and affection. I can't deal with people who treat barn cats as disposable (little to no food or care) - they're essentially dumping the cats on their property and not caring what happens to them.
I think him giving the cats a stimulating environment does more to keep them from killing songbirds than keeping them well fed. Plenty of well fed housecats hunt songbirds.
@@dbmail545 Like said in a channel on cat, "prey=play", so you're right XD
@@dbmail545 Well, it's a whole. You need to give them attention and feed them to prevent as much as possible their impact on the wildlife population. And Morgan said he does that.
On top of that, the simple presence of the cats will scare nearby rodents from coming. Even if they don't catch anything. Because if there is a predator, prey will be on alert and will avoid the aera. SImple as that.
@TheMrSnyder yes, but those have to be checked several times a day, and if there's something in the trap it has to be reset. With barn cats, there's no checking and resetting necessary.
@@dbmail545 well kept PET cats kill songbirds because its the only hunting they do. Cats in a farm environment get the best of both worlds, they get cat food and have plenty of grain-eating mice to chase to get their hunting out.
Bless you. Thank you for providing homes for the cats and creating habitat for birds.
Good job. I’m not so much a cat person but I think you are doing a great job with how you take care of yours. Blessings
I come from Australia where this is much less of a question. In Australia there’s no such thing as an ethical barn cat.
Especially since they are chosen to do the job of all the native owls and raptors the farmers have wiped out.
@@louievito5701
Exactly! Whenever a lamb was carried away by a wedgie or a powerful my uncle just said it was paying the rent and that they also keep the rabbits and rodents down.
I’m sure there’s lots of people who’d disagree with me, but some cats have to go outside to have their own happy, complete lives. 25 yrs ago my cat jumped out of a third story window in a bid to get outdoors (he was 3-4 at the time) I finally decided if he was willing to risk death then that was his choice. Sure, he had his tail bitten and needed a trip to the vet once, but he lived a long and well rounded life. 20yrs, in fact. Many cats I know that went outside in the city before maturity died from predators and vehicles, not the older and savvy cats though.
I don't disagree with you but the safest way to let them out would be to walk them on a leash or if you have the space and money build a catio. Safer for the environment and the kitty
@@heroic_antagonist759 You aren’t wrong about that! But what’s funny is that is what I did with my cats! I’d train them to the leash by taking them out and holding them as I walked a little ways from the house/or apartment, set them down and they’d walk home on the leash. (That was the only way we’d actually ‘walk’ otherwise it was A LOT of standing around and moving in short bursts) Yet I think that was the gateway to the day he leapt from that window. My other cats soon followed suite and I was faced with a dilemma. Each cat was different. Cat#1 never killed anything. Cat #2 wouldn’t leave the immediate vicinity of the house. Cat # 3 went on a mouse killing spree when we moved to a 10 acre property away from the big city. Very few birds though, and those were starlings. All in all, not bad.
@@heroic_antagonist759 I did everything I could for those cats. Toys, treats, and more time and attention than the average cat owner. Just didn’t make a difference. He wanted to play in the grass, lay around on the sidewalk, hang out on the front steps and tease passing dogs being taken for walks. By 3-4 he was willing to do whatever it’d take to get outside. But, they would only use their litter boxes, and I kept them inside at night. Sometimes that meant trapping them in the bedroom so I could open windows, but I had to be careful. Cats who want out of a room will tear at the carpet at a doorway, and back in those days I couldn’t risk having to pay for those damages. Well...after having had to pay a couple times...that’s renting in your 20’s for you.
@@heroic_antagonist759 These days I live way out in mountainous country. I have a cat who goes out during the day, stays in at night and sometimes is put to work at keeping the garage free of mice if she’s especially restless at night. I made sure to get her fixed, but we all went through hell because of covid, inability to get her to a vet at the right time when she wasn’t in heat...three months of that cat being trapped inside, going in and out of heat, waiting for a vet visit. Nothing quite like it, I’ll tell you. Here, it’s wild, and nothing is certain. We do the best we can.
@@heroic_antagonist759 she’s a total pro at walking on a leash.
Yay! A cat video from Morgan “not a cat person” Gold!
I love the fact you think of all the creatures around the farm.
Really need to learn to close the gate when you come in the barn yard...
Lol I actually told him to out loud when I saw that. My boys looked at me funny!!🤣🤣
I'm so curious how far they roam. We have two cats, brother (Cosmo) and sister (Mira), spayed and neutered, indoor/outdoor, and free fed indoors. We caught them at a friend's barn as feral kittens that drew blood, took some time to tame em. They definitely take care on our mice and rats, even the neighbor leaves thier garage open so our kitty killers can pest control for them. We live surrounded by bobcats, coyotes, owls, hawks, mountain lions, had bear break into our coop a few times and the constant predators are always a concern with our cats. We got white and black tuxedo cats to mimic skunks, cause nothing hunts skunk 🦨, we have lost cats in the past to predators. We see our cats at neighbors and quite a way down the dirt road. Could you put a tracker on your cats for a couple days and see how big thier range actually is?
I think you have done everything correctly. Thank you.
You always do the right thing, good luck to you and all your loved ones.