What Actually Works to Keep Feral Cats Away from Livestock Pens
Feral cats might not seem like a big deal at first, but once they start creeping around your livestock pens, it gets frustrating fast. They leave behind messes, make animals nervous, and can carry disease. And if you’ve got feed or young animals, they’ll stick around.
Shooing them off won’t fix it—you’ll need a few solid changes to make them leave and stay gone.
Lock Up All Feed at Night
Open feed is a magnet for feral cats. Whether it’s grain, pellets, or scraps, they’ll come in looking for an easy meal. And once they find it, they’re not leaving. Store all feed in metal containers with tight lids. Don’t leave it out overnight, even if it’s inside a barn. If they smell it, they’ll find a way to get to it.
Block Off Hiding Spots Around the Pens
Feral cats love tight, dark spots where they can nest or stay out of sight. If you’ve got stacks of pallets, loose boards, or broken-down equipment nearby, you’re giving them a free home. Clear those areas out or close them off. If they don’t have a place to hide or sleep nearby, they’ll move along faster.
Use Motion Sprinklers or Ultrasonic Devices
If they’re hanging around one specific area, motion-activated sprinklers can catch them off guard and break the habit. Ultrasonic devices can help too—some cats don’t like the high-pitched noise. These won’t work on every cat, but they can be part of a broader push to make your place less inviting.
Put Up Hardware Cloth Where They Squeeze In
Cats don’t need much space to slip through—if their head fits, the rest usually does too. Block small gaps in sheds, coops, and pens with hardware cloth or something stronger. Gaps near the floor, roof lines, and around doors are their favorite spots. Patch them once, and check them often.
Consider a Trap-Neuter-Return Program
If the same group of cats keeps showing up and you’re in an area where it’s legal, check for local trap-neuter-return options. Getting them fixed stops them from multiplying and helps calm down territorial behavior. It doesn’t solve the whole problem, but it keeps it from turning into something worse.
*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.
