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42 THE RURAL VOICE
NOTEBOOK
Feline Employees on the Farm
by Brenda Baltensperger
Felis catus, belonging to the
family Felidae (otherwise known
as the barn cat) provides an essential
service to farmers. It keeps down all
types of vermin which would other-
wise multiply rapidly and cause con-
siderable crop and feed losses. Some
furry firebrands will even take on a
weasel, stoat, or fox to protect their
home territory.
Because of its prowess in the
granaries of ancient Egypt, the cat
was deified as the Goddess Bast. On
its death, a cat was embalmed and en-
tombed in an elaborate mummy case.
Mummified mice accompanied the cat
for food on its journey to the kingdom
of the dead.
Cats were first domesticated in
prehistoric times. Though the origin
of the species has not yet been ascer-
tained, it is believed that short -haired
breeds descended from the Caffre cat,
a wild cat indigenous to Africa. The
long-haired breeds are believed to
have evolved from the Asian wild cat.
The cat had a special place in the
ancient civilizations of Syria, China,
and Egypt.
The domestic cat has retractable
claws, an extremely keen sense of
hearing, and remarkable night vision.
Its muscular body and agility make it
the perfect hunting machine.
Although in the household the cat
runs second in popularity to the dog,
the cat possesses a higher order of
intelligence. It learns quickly by
observation and from experience and
has an excellent memory. Fastidious
in its cleanliness, the cat also has a
built-in homing instinct. The average
life span of a cat is 15 years.
Barn cats are usually strays which
have either left their original domicile
in search of a better home or have
been dumped by cruel and thoughtless
owners. Unfortunately, there is often
no way to know whether a strange cat
has had any of its shots or how long it
has been abandoned.
The risk of infection to livestock
on the farm is of prime concern. In-
stead of leaving unwanted pets to fend
for themselves on the assumption that
they will survive starvation and ex-
posure, it would be kinder to have the
animal put down or, alternatively, call
a farmer and advise him that the cat is
available and is disease-free.
Dr. William Schilthuis of the
Goderich Veterinary Clinic says he
frequently vaccinates barn cats against
rabies and distemper when calling at
farms to tend livestock.
"Shots alone will not prevent dis-
ease (in cats)," he says. "They need to
have a healthy diet besides the game
they hunt for themselves."
A spokesperson at the Huron
County clinic says that many farmers
bring their barn cats into the clinic for
rabies shots in October and Nov-
ember. Between on -the -farm shots
and the clinic, 25 to 50 per cent of all
barn cats get vaccinated each year, but
veterinary staff would like to see this
increase to 100 per cent.
Many farms have several cats. It
only takes one sick cat to spread in-
fection throughout livestock. Play it
safe and vaccinate.0