Why You Don't See the Barn Cats Anymore

It's been quite a while since I showed our barn cats in training here on the farm. There is a reason for that.

Send us mail:
Gold Shaw Farm
PO Box 225
Peacham, VT 05862

About Gold Shaw Farm: Gold Shaw Farm is more of a farm-in-progress than an honest-to-goodness farm. Our dream is that someday we are able to transform our 150+ acre parcel of land into a regenerative and productive homestead and farm.

[clnetrooper]

One advice concerning cats, it is to feed them close to their carrier. That way they associate the carrier with something they like (eating). So it helps a lot for getting them to the vet smoothly. For the rest, it's completely normal.

[mackenzierobinson]

its pretty common for cats to hiss at eachother when one comes back from a surgery. Surgeries leave a lot of weird unfamiliar chemical smells on the cat and other cats might struggle to fully recognize that cat and may hiss/swat at them for a day or two before they settle back down.

[raedaily]

Ginny Barncat says, "Mom smells funny!" Kittens hiss when they run into a funny smell even before their eyes are open.

[Moona]

Ginny is hissing because he Mama smells funny, coming home from the vet. That's probably stopped by now. :)

[soragami]

*is worried that chickens might become 'accidental' cannibals*
Chickens when they see a dead chicken: "Looks like meats back on the menu boys!"

[ianbradley]

Accidental Cannibals would be a great name for a heavy metal band.

[puca]

The care and concern you show your animals, especially your barn kitties, is something I greatly respect! I cannot tell you how often I have seen 'barn' cats neglected, unsocialized, and NOT viewed as living, feeling animals! Your videos warm my heart & restore my belief in the humanity of people. Thank you!

[pigemn]

thank you for spaying/neutering your farm cats!! I’ve seen farmers not spay their cats and they end up with an uncontrollable amount of barn cats.

[lunarglow]

Ginny hissing at her mom is pretty normal. She probably smell like the vet. My mom daughter duo hate each other every time one had to go the vet. Ginny will stop when the smell will go away.
Also keep an eye on Ginny some cat can go into heat pretty young.

[theknoah]

imagine being a child and your mom coming home one day with green skin. That's what Ginny is going through right now. Her mama has a totally different smell and is moving and acting weird

[chancevang]

Pablo: gets yeeted

Also Pablo: So you chosen, DEATH...kicks camera

[angelamarie]

The way Pablo comes running when Toby is fed makes me laugh!

[spiv]

Morgan: Allergic to cats
Ginny: Climbing all over him

[jupekai]

Here in the UK, a charity called Cats Protection actually recommend keeping cats indoors for 3 months before allowing them outside to roam and this is because of the high number of cats that still ran away after being kept in for 3 weeks. So they did a study on the % of cats that run away after 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 4 weeks etc etc and found that the % of cats that ran away was lowest when they are kept in for 3 months.

Also female cats can come into heat as frequently as every month from mid Spring to early Autumn if not spayed.
Most domestic cat females stop cycling over winter when not spayed.

[Nagarath]

Ginny probably hisses at her mom because she doesn't recognize her.

It would be way worse if you only took mom to the vet. Because of the surgery mom acts and smells differently. I had two cats who had been togethr since they were born but every time I had to take other one to the regular vet visit (because his chronic illness) the one who stayed home didn't know her brother at all when he came back.
It could be even week of hissing before he smelled right again and they were back being best buddies.

And he wasn't in any surgeries or getting meds that makes him act differently, just the smell of the vet.

So to Ginny... The mom is kinda like a stranger right now and top of all that she's soon teenager cat, so she has to learn to defend herself.

[Dobviews]

The scent of the disinfectant from the surgery is causing little cat to get mixed signals. Soon as mom gets her own natural scent back kid will chill out.

[theallenshire]

You can stop Pablo from getting in your way when you are getting the food by hissing at him. The same will work for Ginny when she is being naughty. Then a tongue ticking sound is a way to say, “You are doing the right thing.”
It is amazing how trainable cats are with just those two sounds.
So glad to see them doing so well.

[MrsTigercat]

Fear not. Cats don't hold grudges. They recover from being angry with you from 5 to 30 minutes after you bring them home. I've had 5 cats, and none of them stayed angry once they were back in their own home. It is also not unusual for the stayed at home cat to hiss at the one who just returned from the vet because it's "got that stink on them." They just don't smell right. Since you told us during your Aug 4th farm meeting about Molly being spayed, she must be recovered by now, and allowed out on the farm. How are they doing NOW?

[scarletrose]

I really like seeing the care and work you put into raising all of the animals on your farm. It may be standard practice of a good farmer to manage and care for barn cats this way, but I also know many people who have barn cats that are sexually intact and totally feral. Your farm just has a nice flow to it that is the result of all that care.

[puca]

Good thinking with your new female kitty!