June 26, 2025, 9:30 am | Read time: 6 minutes
A Cat From the Farm–Sounds Romantic, but Reality Is Different PETBOOK editor Saskia Schneider shares her experiences, painting a different picture. The cat behavior expert explains why these animals can bring not only health issues but also behavioral challenges for cat owners.
Most cats on farms lead independent lives. Their main task is to catch mice or other rodents. Their daily life often has little in common with the comfortable life of a house cat. Despite regulations already in place in many regions, most farm cats are not neutered. This quickly leads to unwanted offspring, which farmers are usually willing to give away.
This is how I came to have my first two cats. Both were unwanted offspring born on a riding stable and were supposed to be killed with a spade. Instead, two of the four kittens were caught for me. When I asked if the animals had been dewormed, the answer was yes. Later, it turned out these cats had little to no human contact before being picked up and were far from parasite-free.
Kittens Are Often Poorly Socialized
Not only does mating often occur without the owners’ control in rural areas, but the offspring are usually born unnoticed. Mother cats choose secluded and well-hidden places for this. It’s only later, when the kittens are a bit older, that the new additions are noticed. This means that until this age, the kittens have had no contact with humans, which can lead to them retaining a certain shyness later on.
The imprinting phase in cats, also known as the socialization phase, mainly occurs between the second and seventh week of the kittens’ lives. During this time, they should be exposed to everything important for later life. This usually doesn’t happen in rural areas. None of the people spend active time with the kittens. This was also the case with Kim and Kila, my two farm cats. Both were initially very shy and hardly allowed themselves to be touched.
For the first vet visit, I had to trick the cats into the carrier. Once there, they shot out of the container. It took the staff half an hour to catch both animals again with a towel and examine them. This revealed the second major problem…
Farm Cats Are Often Not Well Cared for Healthwise
Although I was told the animals had been dewormed at least once, the condition of the kittens made the vet seriously doubt it. Both were very thin and emaciated–a sign of intestinal parasites. But before we could do a fecal examination, the next shock came: Both had fleas. For farm animals, this is not unusual. But naively, we had already let both kittens explore the entire apartment for two days. Since worm eggs can survive up to six months, this meant a thorough cleaning of the apartment.
Next came the look into the ears. But the vet didn’t get that far because the ear canals were almost completely blocked by mite droppings. So, in addition to flea treatment and deworming tablets, we were also prescribed ear drops to be applied three times a day. How practical–with cats that hardly allowed themselves to be touched.
Survey Confirms: Farm Cats Often Neglected
When this article was first published on April 16, many readers disputed the claim that farm cats are sick, neglected, and often not neutered. Certainly, there are farmers and farms that value animal welfare, love their cats, and take care of their health. But a survey shows that my two cats are not an isolated case. The survey, conducted as part of data collection for the “Great Cat Protection Report,” asked veterinarians across Germany about the veterinary care of farm cats. It revealed that in 40 percent of agricultural businesses, no one takes care of the resident cats’ veterinary needs. The result is untreated diseases and injuries–and significant animal suffering, as noted by the German Animal Welfare Association.
Cats from farms usually enjoy a lot of freedom. Living in an apartment is a big adjustment for most animals, especially if they are not allowed outside anymore. They also have to learn–and accept–that they can no longer mark their territory with scratching or urine. For cat owners, this training is a real challenge.
I’ve also found that cats used to going outside demand it or miss it greatly. Kim and Kila constantly wanted to go outside. As a result, they often escaped when we went for a walk in the backyard, or when a neighbor forgot to close the front door. And even though Kimmie was spayed and over ten years old, she still picked fights with the neighborhood tomcat across the street. I don’t see such “wild” behavior in cats that have grown up indoors.
My Traumatic Experience with Farm Cats
When I was 16, I spent some time on a farm. Along with learning to handle cows and chickens, I unfortunately also learned how unwanted kitten offspring were dealt with there. I was tasked with finding the kittens of the 17-year-old farm cat, who produced young two to three times a year. Naive as I was, I searched the bushes for the kittens and found them. Together with another girl, I was supposed to find the kittens, and when I asked what would happen to them, she simply replied, “They will be killed.” My shock at this news was so great that I–as clumsy as I suddenly was–immediately dropped the few-day-old animals, giving the mother cat the chance to hide them again. I then refused to “search” for them again. This experience has never left me, even though the kittens I took from the mother were able to hide again.
Cats Can Develop Behavioral Problems
Cats used to going outside often have too little stimulation in a purely indoor environment. Young kittens, in particular, want to explore the world. If they come from a farm, they know the world is just beyond the apartment’s doors and windows. Frustration from not being allowed outside can lead to behaviors we humans find problematic, such as
- excessive scratching
- excessive meowing
- restlessness at night
Therefore, it’s important to either provide such animals with regular outdoor access or keep them well-stimulated.
Study shows that cats retrieve more often than expected
Why do cats show us their bottoms?
My Dog Has Fleas! What Can I Do?
Farm Cats Lead an Independent Life
Farm cats are quite something! And they have to be. Life outside is tough. Only the fittest kittens survive. Even then, their life expectancy isn’t particularly high. Diseases or traffic accidents are among the most common causes of death.
Anyone looking to adopt a farm cat should be aware that these animals lead an independent life. This doesn’t mean such cats can’t form close bonds with their humans. However, cats used to a lot of outdoor freedom may become unhappy–even depressed–in a purely indoor environment, especially if the cat is older than 12 weeks. Therefore, in my opinion, it’s essential to at least provide such an animal with access to a garden.
It’s also important to consider the health aspect and have the animals checked by a vet as soon as possible–preferably before they spread fleas throughout the entire apartment.
About the Author
Dr. Saskia Schneider is a Ph.D. biologist. During her studies at the Free University of Berlin, she focused primarily on zoology. She also trained as a behavioral consultant specializing in cats.