What Do You Do for Your Barn Cats in the Winter?

[Paige777]

A few months ago I purchased my first home, which also has a small four-stall barn on the premises. I inherited the 3 barn cats which have lived here all of their lives (two are 7, and one is 10).

Winter coming has me wondering - what do you do for your barn cats? My barn is more of a wooden shed with stalls - no tack room, and no way to heat any particular area. The cats currently sleep in the hay storage area, but the barn is very drafty. My thoughts are that I’ll make sure that hay bales are up against the walls of the barn in a corner to block out drafts, and I’ll have to come up with some way of keeping their water from freezing - electrically heated water bowl, perhaps?

But do they need anything more? I live in Massachusetts, and I’m right in a snow belt. I do feed the cats, and they do a good job mousing, too. Does anyone here build shelters of any sort? Or am I being overprotective? (I have two indoor-only cats and I’m a total wimp myself when it comes to the cold.)

[Scribbler]

Can you talk to the previous owners?

otherwise, if the cats are true barn cats and have been here their whole lives, they will have figured out where to cuddle up at night, unless you have torn down or totally re-arranged the previous buildings. IME outdoors cats like to get inside or under things to sleep, or on top of things. You could give them some kind of box on its side in a corner with hay in it if you wanted to give them a windbreak, but they might not use it.

As far as water bowls, if you are keeping your horse buckets or troughs free of ice for the horses, that will do for the cats too. They don’t need their own water in their own bowls.

I know cats are now thought to be indoor pets, and the SPCA won’t even let you adopt one if it is going to be allowed into the garden at all, but really they do just fine outdoors and in barns, once they are acclimated, as these clearly are. Our cats went out at night when I was a kid. They loved it; at least, they never mewed to get back inside at night. The real danger is coyotes and other predators, but savvy older cats have probably got that figured out.

[Hulk]

We have a small shed in the back yard. Its well made with 2x6s and well insulated. It is painted with a high gloss white on the inside, so easy to scrub clean when needed. It is lighted and heated. Every night we call the cats, feed them and do a head count.

Is all this needed, probably not, but it is just how we keep our barn cats. And technically it is in the long run easier, because the water isn’t frozen, and you spot wounds injuries or sickness quicker, thus you can get them to the vets and get the ball rolling on treatment quicker.

To some this might be a bit much, but this is what works for us. I live in Northern PA and I detest cold, and winter, and snow. So that might be the driving force behind this set up.

[Palm_Beach]

Mine go up in the loft. I also have “cat huts,” which are like cat beds but built like an igloo. They love those! And a heated water bowl. They do just fine.

http://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/petco-restful-snuggler-pyramid-cat-bed-in-brown

[Guilherme]

[QUOTE=Paige777;8872712]
A few months ago I purchased my first home, which also has a small four-stall barn on the premises. I inherited the 3 barn cats which have lived here all of their lives (two are 7, and one is 10).

Winter coming has me wondering - what do you do for your barn cats? My barn is more of a wooden shed with stalls - no tack room, and no way to heat any particular area. The cats currently sleep in the hay storage area, but the barn is very drafty. My thoughts are that I’ll make sure that hay bales are up against the walls of the barn in a corner to block out drafts, and I’ll have to come up with some way of keeping their water from freezing - electrically heated water bowl, perhaps?

But do they need anything more? I live in Massachusetts, and I’m right in a snow belt. I do feed the cats, and they do a good job mousing, too. Does anyone here build shelters of any sort? Or am I being overprotective? (I have two indoor-only cats and I’m a total wimp myself when it comes to the cold.)[/QUOTE]

We live in East TN so maybe we had different issues.

The short answer is “not much.” There are a number “nooks and crannies” where the cat can “hole up” in low temps but have easy access to the outside. Those exist winter or summer. One thing we do is increase artificial feeding. Since hunting will be slim during winter we ensure adequate, but not generous, feed is available.

Beyond that, nothing is really required so we don’t do things we don’t have to do.

G.

[SonnysMom]

For feral cats there are plans that use a big Rubbermaid type storage container and straw and a stryofoam cooler.
The foxhounds where I hunted had nice big plastic tubs that hey put straw in so they could snuggle in the boxes.
I would think that as long as you have a dry place that is vaguely soft and has wind breaks you should be good. If it is small enough that their body heat can warm it a bit that would be great. Loose straw in a box, old saddle pads, old horse blankets or an old comforter would work well.

[Ticker]

I use an old wool lined horse blanket held up by the dee ring on a hook so it makes a teepee. It sits on top of one of my large wooden storage blanket bins in the barn. I place a thick wool blanket (walmart) on the bottom and the two kitties curl up together in there. Wool is a great insulator. I also put an old foal fleece blanket I made in the teepee.

I’ve had to experiment over the years to see what the cats like the best. They are very particular.

[wireweiners]

I’ve seen the cat houses made from a plastic tub and Styrofoam cooler. Cheap and easy to make. Put straw inside and the kitties will be cozy.

[Gainer]

Visit www.drsfostersmith.com

They have a variety of heated/non-heated cat houses and heated water bowls. This is what I use for my barn cats. They love it!

[MoonWitch]

I took my two older ones (both 16) home to “retire” when we got two new barn babies to take their place. They find all kinds of great places to stay warm and out of the cold. With the horses in the barn at night, it gets pretty comfy in there and we just make sure we have water and food in the office for them to get to.

[goodhors]

I also do the plastic storage boxes with old clothing on the bottom, couple fleece vests they really seem to like. I put a couple of those out, one box up in the hay to hide in, another near the food bowls. They have unfrozen water available all the time, boxes are out of moving wind when I open the aisle barn doors.

A big thing with barn cats is keeping them wormed and vaccinated properly. Eating “varmints” often gives them worms, especially Tapeworm, so they need treating regularly to keep worms controlled. Distemper and other sickness from “traveling cats” will drag their resistance down, making them subject to chilling and death in cold times. You can buy and give your own cat shots from the Farm stores, but maybe old owners already vaccinated them for this year, just will need a booster when the shots are due. I do Rabies for the cats, to protect ME and family, should some other animal bite the cat in a disagreement. Lots of the Pet Stores have shot Clinics at reduced cost if you want to go that way.

I have a heated tack room I can lock our two outside cats in if needed. Heat is kept slightly above 40F, just so water won’t freeze there or let the saddles get moldy. I have put them in with a litter box, food, when temps were going to be REALLY low, -20F for a while, since they are getting a bit of age on them. I did purchase a couple heated chicken mats for hatchlings, thinking they might be something the cats could use and were only $10 for end of the season. Tough enough to be under birds and their mess, should work for just warming the cat laying on it in extreme cold. Have to see how that works out.

Any feline here with a runny nose or eyes, goes in the tack room to stay warmed up to fight their sickness without have to keep body heat up too. When I didn’t lock the sick cat up, maybe could not catch it, I lost it.

Good luck with your new farm cats. Ours certainly earn their keep in the barn.

[Draftmare]

I would build them a “cave” out of hay bales if you can, possible put some old towels down inside. Our barn has a heated water bowl out for the cats. If you can safely put one out, I would do that. Much like our horses, they will grow a winter coat, and do alright outside as they are use to living outside.

[ariel.damon]

I live in Massachusetts as well, and have two barn cats. We generally don’t do much for them except keep their food bowl full of dry food. We used to leave them water, in heated dish in winter, but I don’t think they drank from that. I’ve seen them drink from horse buckets though.

In fact, on the extremely cold nights, maybe once or twice a season, we lock up all the horses in their stalls and close all doors to the outside. We close the cats’ access to outside as well. Our cats are semi-feral, so once, one of the cats got locked out for the whole night. He was fine, came back the next day.

[csaper58]

[QUOTE=Palm Beach;8872860]
Mine go up in the loft. I also have “cat huts,” which are like cat beds but built like an igloo. They love those! And a heated water bowl. They do just fine.

http://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/petco-restful-snuggler-pyramid-cat-bed-in-brown[/QUOTE]

We don’t stay cold all winter, but we have hard freezes a few times. We are very damp, so it feels bone chilling.

I put one of these in a Rubbermaid box, stuffed hay around it, cut a small hole in the plastic so She could go right into the bed. She loved it.

Remember to place the box where coyotes, or other predators, can’t reach it.

Congratulations on your new place!

[walktrot]

We have 4 barn cats who seem to do fine on their own, year round. There is a lot of hay stored inside so they have plenty of options as far as warm beds are concerned. B/O does feed Blue Seal Barn Cat food year round, and there is one instructor who leaves out a couple of cans of wet food for them. Personally I thought they were a little too well cared for last winter, as they were quite chubby when spring came along.

[HungarianHippo]

I’m in frigid Iowa, and here’s what I do:
Built shelter boxes out of scrap plywood, about 24x36" , 24" tall (ish) Big enough to comfortably stand /turn around in, but snug to make the most of body heat.
It’s placed on top of an electric pet bed warmer (rated for outdoor use!!), and as a cushion & extra warmth I put an old sweater or crapped out winter coat in there. Then drape a horse blanket over the outside of the box, so it hangs down in front of the door but they can get in/out. (Lots of people swear by inexpensive styrofoam coolers with a door cut into it, but our chickens love styrofoam for some reason and peck it to pieces.)

If you don’t have electric, there are microwave-able pads that you’d reheat each night before bedtime.

It’s at least 25 deg warmer inside the box than out (easy), and they are happy as clams in these shelters in even extreme temperatures. But it’s not like they huddle in there all day. I see them play outside, hopping around in snow, rolling in the sun, zero sign of distress. They do get incredibly thick winter coats. I watch for it, though, and if we had a new barn cat or as the existing ones get older they seem to be miserable, well then I’ll find another solution. Just like with my horses.

[SAcres]

Were you able to talk to the previous owners? They might have some suggestions.

3 of my 4 barn cats spend most of their time in our heated tack room over the winter. Mostly venturing out when someone is at the barn. Cat number 4 is a bit of a special snowflake and despite being raise with the other three (literally the same litter), hates humans and anything enclosed. So for her we have a plywood cat tower tucked into a corner that has a few boxes filled with flannel, old blankets, and one has an old sheepskin rug. She mostly drinks out of the heated troughs in the winter, and when it’s warm enough we keep a water dish out for her too. She has done very well so far.

[sherian]

I do confess my barn cats disappear into the heated tack room about november and come out about april - kitty door is a tighter fit on the way out I’ve noticed haha. Realistically give them a cubby hole, food and a heated water bowl and they will be fine - straw is the best bedding for them as they can nest in it and it insulates, blankets can get damp and end up very cold.

[redalter]

[QUOTE=SonnysMom;8872886]
For feral cats there are plans that use a big Rubbermaid type storage container and straw and a stryofoam cooler.
The foxhounds where I hunted had nice big plastic tubs that hey put straw in so they could snuggle in the boxes.
I would think that as long as you have a dry place that is vaguely soft and has wind breaks you should be good. If it is small enough that their body heat can warm it a bit that would be great. Loose straw in a box, old saddle pads, old horse blankets or an old comforter would work well.[/QUOTE]

This.

And I also get those cheap polar fleece blankets, and use those as well inside the “houses”.

Last year DH built a couple wooden houses, and we got insulation boards from Home Depot. Cut to fit on the floor of the house, then blankie over that.
Heated water bowls, I will also give a can of food split between them at night during the winter. Extra calories, and everyone shows up for it!

[Minuet]

I got some good info off this site.
http://www.sheltermeinc.org/keeping-outdoor-cats-warm-in-winter/
I just got new barn cats this summer, so I’m doing a lot of research, however in my area the winters aren’t too severe.
I will stress using straw instead of hay, as straw is a much better insulator.