A man and a barn cat

Interesting story, although some of it upset me.........

http://www.slate.com/id/2133625/?GT1=8483 I guess I just like to think all cats are cared for and loved............never hurt.

Well... I guess it reflects the reality of barn cats. It is sad that he felt he was pampering her when he was doing the absolute bare minimum, and it's also sad that a kitty who could be made into a very happy housecat was deemed a barn cat. I love Mother, she sounds like a very special cat that would be that affectionate for not much of a reason.

At least he got her spayed, ey?

It is ridiculous that people shoot them instead of spay/neutering them.

I think it is nice, that Mother got a good barn home. Not every kitty who can be petted wants to be a house cat. My Will goes in and out, at his choice, and spends most of his time outside. He only comes in for loving. Like Mother, he is not a pet. More of a free agent who blesses us with his presence.

And the fact that many outside cats are unspayed, and die of various causes, is just reality. Hopefully, someday even the outside cats will all have full vet care, including spay/neuter!

The sad reality is that Mother could be considered very pampered when you compare her life with other barn cats. I lived in deep country for 13 years and was usually appalled at how people treated their cats (and dogs for that matter). I've had neighbors offer to come over and shoot the cats that hung out by my house (my feral colony) cause they knew we didn't own a gun.

It was nearly unheard of to offer a heated water bowl or some canned tuna. If dry food is purchased, its the cheapest grade that was found. The lucky ones where speutered but most folks wanted to keep a steady supply of "mousers" so they didn't bother.

As people offered me a gun, I offered them my humane trap. I didn't see eye to eye with many neighbors.

I know some of you will think Mothers life is sad,But please don't be sad for her,she has found a good home with a good farmer who cares for her and he will notice when she is gone or doesn't turn up for her food,he will be there for her if she needs him to be.

Many feral cats find homes as barn cats and believe me it is a lot healthier life for them than living around dustbins and rubbish dumps,full of rotting food and filthy diapers,junkies needles and condoms.

I agree with you Susie,NO cat should be forced to live their life like that.

But because of irresponsible owners and a lack of education there are a lot of cats in the world looking for those kind of barns/farms.

Some of my ferals have been relocated to farms,and I don't think those farms are in the least bit good for them.But they are a hell of a lot better than what they are facing now by not being on a farm, at least the cats have a chance of life on the farms.

but thats just my own experience




P.S HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUSIE

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Originally Posted by furryferals

P.S HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUSIE

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Thanks Diana!!

that story brought tears to my eyes. Not because it upset me but because it was so beautiful.

Originally Posted by huggles

that story brought tears to my eyes. Not because it upset me but because it was so beautiful.

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i agree that it was beautiful. It sounds like he cares about his cat, even though it's a "barn cat".

Originally Posted by arcadian girl

i agree that it was beautiful. It sounds like he cares about his cat, even though it's a "barn cat".

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You might read more of his articles - he's not really a farmer (and says so himself) but he does have a farm and he writes honestly (and I think that's were a lot of the beauty in the articles comes from).

I admit, he's not like us, but I think he does care about his animals. He lives in a world that's much more slowly changing than ours - and highly resistant to that change. He writes about the people that are in that world with him, and some very quirky animals.

I to liked this story, and i even saved the pics of mother she is a lovely kitty, i was told by an old woman at a shelter a few months ago the cats are the souls of people who have done the right thing in life, i thought to my self what a strange thing just to say to somebody you have never meet before. I have decided i want to come back as a cat

Aww what a great story...it is so sweet.

Originally Posted by Satai

You might read more of his articles - he's not really a farmer (and says so himself) but he does have a farm and he writes honestly (and I think that's were a lot of the beauty in the articles comes from).

I admit, he's not like us, but I think he does care about his animals. He lives in a world that's much more slowly changing than ours - and highly resistant to that change. He writes about the people that are in that world with him, and some very quirky animals.

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i found some of his stories (about the donkeys, and the bull), but i can't find any of the ones about his dogs, which are the ones i really want to read. you wouldn't have the links to them, would you?

he does have a nice style of writing.

Originally Posted by arcadian girl

i found some of his stories (about the donkeys, and the bull), but i can't find any of the ones about his dogs, which are the ones i really want to read. you wouldn't have the links to them, would you?

he does have a nice style of writing.

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The first one is specifically about Rose, the dog he mentions in the story about Mother, who got her nose raked and learned her lesson. The rest are more general articles that I didn't get to read fully. The last is the title of his book.

The Loneliness of Rose
http://www.slate.com/id/2146000/?nav=navoa

The Christmas Puppy: Why you shouldn't get one.
http://www.slate.com/id/2132035/?nav=navoa

Guarding the Guard Dogs? Are you a dog "owner"—or a dog "guardian"?
http://www.slate.com/id/2096577/

Do Dogs Think? Owners assume their pet's brain works like their own. That's a big mistake.
http://www.slate.com/id/2127419/?nav/navoa/

Jon Katz is the author of The Dogs of Bedlam Farm: An Adventure With Three Dogs, Sixteen Sheep, Two Donkeys and Me.

thanks a lot for those Satai

You're welcome Arcadian girl.

As tough as life as a barn cat might sound, it is often better than life as a feral. Not all farmers treat their cats badly, as that story illustrates. Our local shelter has sometimes been faced with a choice between locking up a feral who refuses socialization "for life" (it's unfortunately legal to shoot ferals and strays here), or finding a farm that is willing to take on another barn cat (speutered and inoculated, of course, and well-fed).

Scratchies;1291180 i want to come back as a cat [img said:

https://statich.thecatsite.com/images/smilies/agree.gif[/img]

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hehe coming back as a kitty would be ok,but i would perfer a hawk or something that can fly

Any way, i thought the story was nice. I have family that are famers and they have barn cats. some do become house cats. Yes they set up, warm areas in the barn for the cats during the winter months, they always leave food and water for them. Lots of "bran cats"
dont want to be indoor cats they enjoy the freedom they get of running all aroud the farm.
i have seen more then a few cats that flat out did not want to be inside, but loved to be petted out in the barn.

i remember being a kid and watching the cats running out to the bran following my grandfather when he would go milk the cows. why, cause he always would give them some, how the life of a barn cat my not seem like the life for some. If the famer takes care them, it is not a bad life at all. cats gets a home and all the mice and rats he can chase.

he seemed shocked that the cat would follow him, well i think that is where most men get confused over cats and dogs, lol nothing like walking the back 40 and having a dog and a cat in tow