Much in the way we ended up with three dogs and three cows (quick and random) – we now have three cats.
On Wednesday, Mac welcomed Benning and Bragg to the farm.
The three are named for various bases and training centers Aaron was on when he was in the Special Forces. Following Memorial Day, it seemed to be a fitting tribute.
When introducing barn cats to a new home, there are typically a few steps to follow to ensure they know their space and stay. Many – especially when they’re older – will run off and either end up strays, wandering other farms or finding other cats they follow. While the process is a bit easier with kittens, we’re still being very intentional to contain the kitties at night.
They sleep in the old barn/house that is original to the property. They also have plenty of dry food, wet food, water and treats on hand to tempt them to not wander too far trying to hunt. Every morning, we open the barn door and they spend the day playing in the garden and pole barn. So far, they’re curious about the cows, chickens and free-range guineas, but no one has attempted to get too close!
Benning is a sweet little lady with black, white and orange markings. She’s shy, but was the first to attempt to play with Mac outside. He’s a bit bigger than the other two. Probably about two weeks older, we think. They’re trying to keep up but he’s a bit rough and energetic for them at the moment.
Bragg is a black and white little dude. He’s by far the most skittish but he still lets us pick him up and snuggle. He was very, very uncertain of the new surroundings when he arrived, but he’s slowly getting more comfortable with exploring and enjoying the garden.
Mac has been leading the pair around the garden and garden table. They’ve explored both barns as well as the compost. He even started some tree-climbing lessons in the apple tree by the chicken coop.
Mac’s energy continues to be high. Aaron said he’s been chasing bees and wasps in the pole barn – a huge win considering the massive number of mud dauber nests we found in there when we moved. He’s been completely fearless with the dogs and he’s been exploring even when we’re not around. He’s an excellent addition to the farm and I’m so excited that he can teach the others a bit since he’s a little older and more comfortable.