'DJDS has Barn Cats?': Exclusive Interview with Alix Kilvin, The DJDS Farmette Director

This year, the Denver Jewish Day School Farmette welcomed three kittens. These kittens were brought in to help control the mice population and quickly became beloved members of the community. In an exclusive interview, Head of the Farmette, Alix Kilvin, shared her experiences caring for the kittens and watching them adjust to their new home.

Q: How did the Kittens come to the farmette, were they adopted or rescued?

Kilvin: “Kind of a combo of adoption and rescue. They came from the Weizenfeld family, who has a farm and barn cats that are often producing new litters. So, these cats were born in August and I had been inquiring about getting some cats to help with the mice problem and also to have another cute animal here at the farm, so they were given to us by the Wizenfeld family.”

Q: What kind of care do the kittens require and who is responsible for their daily needs? 

Kilvin: “The responsibility and care is split between myself and students here at DJDS. I would say that definitely more than 50% of the care comes from our students. The care involves feeding them, cleaning their litter box, keeping their little cat house tidy, and obviously playing with them. Now that the cats are out roaming free, they are easier to care for and that they aren’t just stuck in the shed, which was what needed to be done in order for them to acclimate to the farm. But then, everyone had to bring things to them and made sure they constantly had an eye on them. Whereas now they are out and about, finding other food and water. They rarely use the litter box anymore because they are outside. Now, there's more engagement between the cats and students because they are roaming free.”

Q: So the cats come back and don’t run away?

Kilvin: “They do come back. So part of their training process was keeping them in the shed for five weeks. They didn’t have the cat door and they never left. That gave them the chance to really get to know that space and the smells and everything in there as their home. It's their safe spot and that is where they were dead. They knew that when they came back to that spot there would be food, water, shelter, warmth from a heat lamp. However, one cat, sesame, was actually out roaming around for a full day. She wasn't here, which was a little bit nerve wracking. That is a downside of having the cats roam around. But she did come back after a day.”

Q: How have the other animals reacted to the kittens? 

Kilvin: “When the cats were first let out it was really hilarious– the chickens all got together in a big chicken gang and were making these really loud calls. It was like the same sound over and over again–not their normal chicken squawking sound. It was this crazy, high alert, confused type of sound and they just stood by the edge of the fence. I think it ended up scaring the cats a little more because they didn’t know what they were looking at. Now they all are fine. The cats will roam in the animal coral and the chickens and goats don't really pay them much attention. I think now all the animals have recognized that the cats are not here to harm them. Fortunately, the cats aren’t interested in harming them or trying to chase a chicken or anything like that. If the cats get too close to a goat I’ve seen them give them a little headbutt out of the way. But otherwise they’ve all been interacting really well with each other.”

Q: The cats go in the pen with the other animals?

Kilvin: “Yeah they do, because they can go through the fence. They can fit through the little squares so they can easily hop in there.”

Q: What kind of diet are the cats on and how have you ensured that they stay healthy?

Kilvin: “They are fed every morning–dry food and three tins of wet food. They also occasionally get some treats from students and from volunteers and visitors. They have fresh water in their cat house, and in theory, they are also supposed to be catching some mice. I have not seen them do that yet, but I have seen them find some mouse holes and kind of stalk the area. Hopefully, we’ll get some mice soon and that would also be a part of their diet. And just as far as their general health, a lot of that goes hand and hand with them being cared for and having eyes on them by so many students at DJDS. They have also been vaccinated and will be spayed and neutered at the end of this month. So yeah, they do see a vet when needed. They also get a ton of great, genuine care with all the students.”

Q: Are there any plans to add any more animals to the farmette in the future?

Kilvin: “I think this is where we will stop. However one of the high school students today suggested a tortoise, which could be a funny low maintenance pet for the future. But I think as far as other farm animals, having just chickens and goats is a really nice balance because by adding more animals we also add the possibility of more disease and bacteria spread between all different types of animals. So, I'm happy we don’t have to worry about that. Also, we will be breeding one of the goats, so then we’ll have some baby goats next fall. Yeah, so that will be our growing addition, just of the same type of animal.”

The Paw also interviewed Nama Mezer, a seventh grader at Denver Jewish Day school (who helps out on the farmette) about her experiences with the cats. 

Q: Have the cats shown any unique personalities or funny behaviors yet?

Mezer: “Definitely, I know that all of them explore a lot and one of the volunteers I have met with said that one time they saw Sesame in the highest tree on the top branch looking over everything like a tiger. That was very funny. Sesame, she is a girl and she is white with brown patches and she is very adventurous. However, she is pretty shy and skittish around people. If she is running away from you, you shouldn't try to catch her. As for Cinnamon, if you don’t have food, you better watch out because his claws are very sharp. He has dark fur then the rest and he likes to explore and chase after food. Miso is like a combination of both cats but he is the more friendly. He lets you pick him up. He is a lighter shade of brown than Cinnamon.” 

Q: Have you had any memorable or heartwarming moments with them?

Mezer: “Yes, I feed them on Fridays and every single time I come in, they will climb up on me. Yesterday they were stomping all over me as if I was their toy. I was basically a cat chew toy. It was very funny.” 

As the kittens continue to settle in, their presence has brought students closer to the farmette in new ways. Whether it’s feeding them, watching them interact with the other animals, or catching glimpses of their playful antics, these cats have become an integral part of daily life at DJDS.