Our little family of 3 has grown a lot recently. As you saw last week, we added 4 turkeys and 10 chicks. We also added 2 cats. Yep. We are now a family of 19.
Meet Maple and Cedar, our new barn cats.
I knew we’d have another barn cat someday. While I’m not a cat person, I do like a barn cat. We had fun with Ralph and I’ve missed having a cat at the farm. Plus, with the birds, I knew we’d need some help with rodents and pests.
So I mentioned to a few people I was looking for a barn cat. One person knew of a litter at her brothers’ dairy farm that had been born in September. She had brought 3 of the kittens to her barn and there were 2 left. Did I want them?
I said yes and quickly began planning how we would handle them.
Another friend recently adopted a barn cat from the SPCA. They had recommended she keep the cat contained in a section of the barn for a few weeks until it got used to her and her farm. That sounded like a good strategy to me, but our barn is pretty open. Where could I keep the cats?
Then I had a brainwave. Cedar and Maple could stay in the coop. I’ve worked very hard to make it secure. They would be contained and safe. The birds would be in the house for a few weeks, so the cats could acclimatize in the meantime.
So Ellie and I got kibble and litter, we set up one of the pens in the coop with beds and food dishes, we dug out the cat carrier and made an appointment with the vet. And the kittens came home with us.
At first Cedar and Maple were pretty shy. We gave them time to settle in, visited with them every day, fed them lots (and lots) of treats.
Now they’re super affectionate. They come running when we come into the barn, looking for pets and treats. For now, they are still in the coop. They go to be neutered this week, so we’re keeping them contained for the next while. Once they’re recovered they’ll move into the rest of the barn and the birds will take over the coop.
This time has actually been a good test of the security of the coop. The cats have climbed all over, so if there was a way to escape, they would have found it. I’m hoping that means predators won’t be able to find a way in.
Cedar is the brave one (also a bit of the pushy one) who is always exploring and loves treats and toys. Maple is more cautious, though he’s better at catching the toy, so he may be the better hunter of the pair. They’ve both become super affectionate and love to be pet.
They already caught their first mouse. I’m not sure who gets the credit. (This is Cedar with it after I threw it outside.)
Cigo has been extremely excited that there are cats in the barn. He’s been sniffing around the coop everyday since Cedar and Maple arrived. We finally introduced everyone this weekend, using the run to separate dog and cats. Cedar is pretty unconcerned. Maple is, as expected, more hesitant. Cigo did very well, but he was very excited. We’re going to keep working on making cats boring, and we’ve made inside the barn a dog-free zone.
This getting to know you time has been really fun. It’s been neat to learn Cedar’s and Maple’s personalities and see their trust in us grow. It’s been special to add them to our family.
Home on 129 Acres 
Good morning Julia,
Congratulations on the addition of Cedar and Maple to your family farm. The pictures of them and Cigo too are adorable !
My daughter and family are excited to be adopting an orange kitten. The litter will be born in a couple of weeks and when weaned will be welcomed into their home as an indoor cat and neutered at the appropriate age.
The children have been asking for a dog for over a year, however, they are a busy family often away on weekends for William who plays hockey on a Rep team. Julie and Isaac have explained to the kids the importance in adopting a pet which is not to be taken lightly. The kids and Julie, Isaac not so much as he is one of 8 children growing up on a farm where the animals were not pets, are extremely excited for the arrival of their first family pet, ‘Prince Harry’ or ‘H’ for short in mid July.
I myself am a dog person having owned three dogs in my adult life and three dogs during my childhood. However, my daughter adopted an adult tabby cat that was the most affectionate sweetest natured cat that everyone, including myself, adored. I’m also very allergic to cats so although I will admire them from a distance I’ve learned not to pet them. With my daughter’s cat, who I would occasionally go over to her condo to look after, I would take allergy medication beforehand just so I could have Molly on my lap to pet and love.
Your entire farm family of birds, dog and cats are all lovely !
I would love to meet them one day.
Pam
What an exciting time for your grandchildren. It sounds like they’re having similar conversations to what Ellie and I have had. Animals are a responsibility, but so much fun too.
A family of 19. How exciting! The kitties are very cute and look soft and snuggly.
I don’t know if I’m a cat or dog person. I may be more of a cat person. I don’t like all cats, or all dogs. I really love some cats and some dogs. I’m not sure how much of an answer that is!
Haha. That’s definitely true that it depends on the cat or the dog.
I like cats and dogs. We don’t have pets now because we want the freedom to travel. I am allergic to cats and hubby doesn’t like them so a pet cat isn’t for us. Growing up on a farm my Dad kept new stay dogs confinded to the barn for awhile until they knew thus was home. Our stray dogs were ones that city people abandoned in the country. Female cats are better mousers than males.