Acclimating Your New Barn Cat

Keep Them Confined

Your new barn cat should be set up in a confined area, such as a tack room or feed room, when they first arrive to your barn for a minimum of 4 weeks. Evaluate this area thoroughly for escape points and be sure to block them off prior to releasing your new cat into this space. While confined your cat should have access to food, water, and a clean litter box (even if they will not have access to this after being released). By confining your cat to this area, they will associate the barn as “home base” and know to come back to it for food. We recommend keeping other animals away from your new cat during this period so they can acclimate to this big change.

Releasing Your Cat

Once your new barn cat has completed it’s 4-week confinement and acclimated to the barn it is time to allow it to begin exploring its new environment. We recommend starting this during the day and keeping stressors, like children running about to a minimum. It may time for your new cat to adjust to new animals, people, scents, and sounds so be patient.

Feeding Your Cat

Routine feeding and watering will be an integral part in keeping your cat happy, healthy, and around your property. A cat who is not provided proper food or water will not hunt and is likely to wander off. Feeding them at a set time and giving them a recall phrase (which can be as simple as their name or “here kitty!”) will help your cat create their schedule and keep them safe.