Something is eating my cats food

[candyappy]

In the barn.

I had a momma possum a few months back who was raiding my cat kibble that I " took care of". I happened to find her when using the last of my square bales and in the 9 years we have been back here that is it.

Well something is completely wiping out whatever food my guys have left every single night . So last Friday I went out and bought a catch/ release trap. I set it on Friday night and on Saturday morning I caught something .

Silo I let him out and he hissed and spit at me for 3 days afterwards. He is better now.

Set it Saturday night and caught something. Calliby I haven’t seen her since.

Set it Sunday night and caught something. Surprise! Another cat! I was starting to let it out thinking it was Calliby again, when it looked up and I realized it wasn’t mine.

A scrawny ( obviously hungry) grey and white cat had somehow found it’s way here. All I could think of was more kittens if I let it stay and I wondered if it belonged to any of our neighbors? I took it up by my nearest neighbor and let it out into the woods separating us and immediately felt awful.

Well that first night kibble consumption was normal, Tuesday night the wet food was gone and some kibble. Last night all the wet food and all the kibble ( including what was around the bowl) was picked clean.

Trap is going out tonight and if I catch this cat I will let it stay and make an appt at the low cost spay/ neuter clinic…

[LCDR]

Bless you for looking after the scrawny kitty.

[2DogsFarm]

When I had a barncat no food was left out after I fed around 4-5P.
Cat’s dish went in the galvanized bin holding grain. I left water out & that was it.
I fed kibble & canned food every morning.
Cat was fine with the routine for 10yrs.

Don’t be surprised if you trap a coon or possum.
But however you get rid of those, leaving food out will attract another.

[S1969]

@2DogsFarm

But however you get rid of those, leaving food out will attract another.

This.

And “dispatching” one possum while putting food out near a barn is pointless.

[endlessclimb]

Yeah, you really need to put that food up. Now that whatever it is knows where the food is at, it will never ever stop coming back. Trap whatever it is, and then lock your food up.

[trubandloki]

I can’t imagine trapping an intact feral and not finding a place to have it neutered prior to releasing it again. They are much harder to catch a second time.

You might want to invest in an inexpensive game camera. That will make knowing what is eating your food much easier. When you know what it is that is eating, it is easier to trap them or discourage their return.

[candyappy]

@trubandloki

I can’t imagine trapping an intact feral and not finding a place to have it neutered prior to releasing it again.

Because the low cost clinic is booked up 2 months with no openings and my own vets are also full for several weeks? I have no place to keep it. So I did what i could.

Caught a huge Raccoon last night, so I guess the food will have to be put up for now at night. Since I feed in the barn loft it isn’t quite as accessible as just feeding outside the barn door but with our drought conditions I guess everyone is hungry.

I do keep all the cat food/ stuff in a galvanized trash can with a very tight lid.

[trubandloki]

@candyappy

Because the low cost clinic is booked up 2 months with no openings and my own vets are also full for several weeks? I have no place to keep it. So I did what i could.

I guess I should feel lucky that my own vet understood the time I finally caught a feral and even though they were booked got him in so he could quickly go back to his feral life, minus a few parts.

[candyappy]

@trubandloki

I guess I should feel lucky that my own vet understood the time I finally caught a feral and even though they were booked got him in so he could quickly go back to his feral life, minus a few parts.

Lucky you. To make it worse one of the vets is out till August for surgery on his neck and they couldn’t find anyone to help so it is all on 1 vet. That didn’t help.

[2DogsFarm]

@candyappy

I do keep all the cat food/ stuff in a galvanized trash can with a very tight lid.

Yabbut… Leaving some out is an invite to the AYCE buffet for vermin.
Barncats - actually any cats - don’t need 24/7 access to food.
Water yes, food no.

[candyappy]

@2DogsFarm

Yabbut… Leaving some out is an invite to the AYCE buffet for vermin.
Barncats - actually any cats - don’t need 24/7 access to food.
Water yes, food no.

I know. I said I will have to start picking it up again.

[2DogsFarm]

Give it a week or so & I predict your barn will be removed from the Varmint Dining Guide.

[Mosey_2003]

My vet office just texted that they’re now booking in January 2024…

[candyappy]

@Mosey_2003

My vet office just texted that they’re now booking in January 2024…

I know it is just that crazy! It is a wonder there are any unaltered animals left out there?

No more unwelcome guests, thankfully and life will resume as usual. I can’t say if the feral cat I caught is back and eating or not but I sure wish I would see Calliby and Silo. The food is being consumed at a normal rate so I just hope it is them eating.

BK is around and I saw Rufus yesterday but the other 2 not for a week now…