Ok, we are moving into the sticks :o :o :o
A cottage with alot of land and farm land all around, one neighbour, a farmyard behind and thats it!!!!
We have dogs, rabbits, chickens ducks, etc etc and thinking that when we move we get a mouser or 2 that live in one of the out buildings and we feed it or them every day. Not ones that are tame as the dogs would not live with them (we had a semi ferel that knew to look for the dogs before he came back, but he unfortunatly died in the -10 degrees at the age of 15 :( )
Does anyone else have them???
Any advice???
Lea :) :)

Speak to cat rescue organisations. Very occasionally I have seen them asking for homes like that for feral/semi-feral cats which aren't suited to home life, especially in rural areas where farm cats have come into rescue.

Talk to Cats Protection. They very often have (neutered) feral cats that need that sort of a home.

Sorry, can't help with the cats but I guess this means that you got the house?  Fantastic news!

So...when can we start talking about the housewarming? :-D

We will be very rural, no shops, a post box and church and thats about it LOL
We spoke to CPL at crufts and they were keen as not many people want yard cats.
Just wondered if anyone had any experience of having them.
Its more for the fact that we believe they are always looking for homes and would want to help some, along with the fact they will hopefully keep the rats and mice down (if they dont we wont be worried!!!!) and would be lovely to see them on the fields around the house :) :)
Lea :)

Shaynlola, Well, unless something goes terribly wrong then yes!!!! but still not holding out hope as too many things go wrong. Needs ALOT of work but will be worth it :)
JG, CPL is where we will contact once in to the new house :) :)
Lea :) :)

We've got an outside cat here. I have 7 dogs and we have a farm and one day she just appeared in the stables. I asked around everywhere I could think of but no one had lost a cat. She has been a tame cat in the past and she loves her fuss and is careful with her claws. She is also dog savvy and keeps well out of their way. I can't have her in the house - she wouldn't be safe with the dogs :( - but she seems more than happy with her lot. She could just decamp I suppose if she wasn't. I have my suspicions that her owners turfed her out as she is unbelievably noisy - she just doesn't stop mewing. She's been here since summer 2008 so I imagine she'll stay now :) She's good at finding nice warm spots and making herself nests in hay and the like. When it was really cold I put out a box with some bedding in it but she was more than happy in her nest in the sheep's wool we had lying around. She has well and truly solved our rodent problem and is an amazing little hunter. My partner has seen her hauling along rabbits as big as herself - she's only small.

I agree about CP. Do ask them a few questions that I don't know the answer to, such as how do you manage to worm them regularly (as they will get worms from eating mice etc) if they are feral and cannot be pilled -I know there are spot on treatments now but what if you can't get near enough for that? Same goes for flea treatment, and vaccinations -how do they deal with it practically? (Or don't they? I have no idea!) Thrilled that it seems to be working out for you. :) :) :)

Leas your move sounds wonderful may I ask what part of the country while I am being jealous LOL

Lea, I am so glad you got that lovely house!  x

The following information is on the MT's website under cats looking for homes...

We have a wonderful lady who has saved many feral cats from being poisoned shot or destroyed at farm yards. She has had them neutered and is now desperate for responsible homes. These are feral or semI-feral cats so they do need stables and/or out houses.  In return for being kept healthy with food, water and shelter they will patrol and look after your rodent population. Please help these poor cats and call Linda on 01994-427567.

HTH

Mel

Well done for trying to help an un-wanted ferel!  I just wanted to add that my boy was very much a pampered, pedigree show cat before we 'aquired' him and now at age 9 is very much a moggy.  He practically lives outdoors(especially in the summer), and is a very good hunter.  I guess what I am trying to say is any cat usually makes a good mouser and if they are self-sufficent, they won't want to come indoors anyway.  Pick a nice warm place to make a bed and rub with catnip and feed the cat some fantastic food there for the first few weeks(I use cooked chicken as a bribe) and they won't want to leave.  If you are wanting a good mouser, cut down on the food and use dried buscuits as their food after a month or so.  The cat will soon hunt it's own, better food!!

My grandparents when they owned the farm down the road used to have yard cats. They were semi feral as we took a few of the kittens and raised them as house cats here when I was growing up.
As far as i'm aware due to the era it was they didn't do any of the worming/flea practice on them and as far as i'm aware didn't have any problems.

As long as your dogs are all done up to date on a regular basis then there shouldn't be a problem. We have to worm more regulary being on working farm.

Cats Protection Lea... I have had my 2 Ferals for 5 years now... I got them at 6months old, and although they prefer to still live outside, one is now very tame, (she is the one who climbs into the puppy pens for a sleep with the pups :-) ) the other is still semi Feral... will allow me to pet and lift for cuddles outside, but still panics when I try to bring her indoors...

I have outdoor cats. They never come in the house and have no wish to. They sleep in the outbuildings and spend their days mooching around in the fields hunting whatever takes their fancy.

they are not feral or even semi feral, just cats that live outside all the time and they love it. People always say what a fantastic life for a cat my lot live. They get fed at regular times and always seem to appear at that time in the day, then go off again.
I do have to flea them regularly because of the rabbits they catch and I also worm them regularly because of the stuff they eat, also they have the full vaccines including the leukemia, which the vet recommended because the life they lead. I wouldn't have them any other way, theres nothing nicer than standing in the kitchen window and watching one of your cats stalking the fields in the distance.

Rocknrose that is how my cats live as well.  I tried to get them to come in thinking they couldn't be warm enough in the snow by leaving a window open (yes we were cold) but they sat on the windowsill not even trying to come in.  I suppose they have everything they need in the stables and despite my thining along the lines that they were cold I was wrong they were fine lol

Lea if you get a feral cat can you let me know how it goes? I've been thinking of getting one since we moved here for the wood shed but wasn't sure if it would be ok because of the dogs

I think it depends on how you bring them up from kittens with regards to the cold. They become hardy very soon. Where mine sleep, they have baskets and blankets and all the things you would expect an indoor cat to have except the radiator lol. Its safe and warm, sheltered from the elements and they do fine, even when it gets cold.
they are to all intents and purposes, normal, people friendly cats who love a fuss, they just live the outdoor life and are loving it.

I have a semi feral moggy, mum was a feral cat and the kittens were rescued when they were very small. We got him when he was quite young and he does come in the house at night (well he comes in to my mum's house as he decided to move out of ours when we re-did our kitchen). He got on great with the dogs we had when we got him but doesn't with the ones we have now. When he was younger he spent a lot of time outdoors but as he has aged he much prefers curling up on my mum's bed :-) . Funny thing is he always hisses when he sees us but has never, ever bitten or scratched me when I pick him up - he is a bit of a softy really :-) . He does keep the garden rat and mouse free though.

Thankyou all :) :) :)
You have all helped :) :)
Once we are in the new house we will be contacting CPL etc to get a couple and we will let you know how it all goes :) :) :)
Thankyou again foor making up our minds and watch this space :) :)
Lea :) :)