A Day in the Life of a Former Barn Kitty...

So... Years ago, while living in Oregon, a young girl caught these two feral kittens and brought them to our house. I kept them in a crate in the barn overnight and gave them food and water. I am guessing they were 8-12 weeks old at the time. The next day, I let them out of the crates and hoped they would stay around because I had been looking for a barn cat. 

They grew and grew and I had one spayed and the other neutered. 

A neighbor spotted a mountain lion in the area, so everyone was on alert. The male barn cat came up missing, so we assume he ended up being eaten by the mountain lion. The female cat adjusted to no longer having another cat around and stayed.  

My husband and I would hike up on the back of our property where there was a beautiful waterfall and natural pools. The barn cat would follow us. When we crossed creeks, she would wait at the edge of the creek for us to lift her over. She is the sweetest barn cat I've ever encountered. And... Especially since she was a feral.

We decided to move to the east coast and transported ALL of our animals with us, including Barn Kitty. We had engine trouble in Nebraska and were stranded there for a week. I found horse hotels for the horses, goats, and sheep. But the pigs and cat were confined to my tack room for the entire week b/c if I would have unloaded them, I would have never gotten them re-loaded (the pigs). The cat was a barn cat, and not house trained, so I couldn't take her into a hotel. 

When we FINALLY made our destination (east coast), we kept barn kitty in a crate overnight in the barn, once again with the hope she would get oriented and not run off. 

We were lucky. We let her out the next day and she stayed with us. 

She was a great barn cat and always caught mice and other things she left at the barn door as treats for us (lol). Two years passed, and out of the blue, she began to fall violently to the ground. My hubby and I rushed her to the vet where we learned she had inner ear disease. They treated it with antibiotics just to make sure it wouldn't clear up (and it didn't). So, the put her on a regimen of Dex and Meclasine.

We learned she would have this condition forever. The options were to put her down or make her an indoor cat. 

We have FIVE dogs and one pig indoors. None had ever been exposed to a cat. We hoped we would be able to make the transition. Everyday the dogs would peer and bark at her through the baby gate we put up to separate them. They wanted to eat her...

We would bring her out and keep the dogs at bay each day at increasing time intervals to try to get them all socialized. 

Months passed, and our routine finally worked.

Barn Kitty is now an indoor cat, has never had an accident in the house. She took to the litter box like stink on shit... She hates her daily medicine regimen, but it keeps her from having "the dropsies," as we call it. 

She is the sweetest girl and has been through so much in her short little life. She has been such a great addition to our crazy house. We absolutely adore her! She is one of the crew now:). 

Busy, Busy, Busy Summer:).

I haven't been very active on here in a couple of months and really miss it:)... I like writing and sharing life. Summer around the farm keeps everyone busy. From re-seeding pastures, to clearing woods, to painting houses, barns, and other outbuildings, to organic pest control when you can go the organic route...... One of my major "tasks" for the past few months has been combating fire ants. Although I have tried using organic methods to combat these pets, I have been unsuccessful. The only thing that seems to work is chemical eradication, which normally, having other farm animals, I wouldn't go for, but these pesky insects make everyone and everything cringe. In ground bees have been more pesky than usual this year. I do, use an "organic" method for killing those bad-boys, however.... Horses and in ground bees DO NOT mash. But.... Neither do humans and in ground bees. Believe it or not, I have spent at least 2 days a week for the past couple of months fighting those pests... I don't bother bumble bees or honey bees, but HATE, HATE, HATE wasps and yellow jackets with a PASSION! So, of course, farm duties coupled with "general life," makes for a super busy but fulfilling schedule. But..... Not lost, are the days of enjoying "CHICKEN TV," (watching the colorful and very active chickens, guineas, and ducks play), and our goat herd (that includes 2 sheep and a barn cat). The barn cat loves HER HERD, and goes everywhere they go. She is their shadow. Gotta love barn kitty! I will be more active on this blog from now on:). Can't promise HOW active, but certainly MORE active!!!