Barn Cats

 

When you live on a farm it is always nice to have some barn cats to help with mouse control.  We have had many wonderful cats in the 17 years we have lived here.  Sunshine was our original female, we picked her out of a litter of kittens our neighbor had.  My sister gave us Patches another female cat.  From those 2 came the rest of the cats we have had here.  My girls LOVED all the kittens over the years.  We use to do this June Dairy Breakfast for our 4-H group and hold a petting zoo.  People use to line up and wait for us to bring the FREE kittens.  We always had calico kittens – Patches had beautiful kittens.  

Several years back, we had our remaining 3 females “fixed”.  I just didn’t want to have more unwanted kittens in this world.  We knew the joys of having kittens and it was time to be responsible. 

So, we have Midnight, Pumpkin and Patsy left.  Midnight and Pumpkin are 12 years old.  Believe it or not….for barn cats.  Patsy is Midnight’s kitten and she is 8.  Midnight is the best “mouser”  there is not a summer’s day that I can’t find her stalking around the edge of the field.  She LOVES hunting.  She has even brought home small rabbits, weasles and minks.  Just the other day there was a rabbit under the bench on my porch and a small mink in the barn.  Pumpkin and Patsy just wait for her to bring something home.   They do have cat food in the barn too.  They never killed my baby chicks or really any birds.   Believe me there are plenty of field mice and moles to hunt out here.

Here are a few pictures of them.  I sure will miss them when they go…I know that day is coming as they are getting on in age.  I sure LOVE having them around. 

Midnight is the lighter one – she use to be as black as Patsy, now she is turning gray. 

Blessings from Wisconsin.