ADOPT A WORKING CAT

These cats are perfect for taking care of those pesky rodents!
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Barn Cat Adoptions

Adopt A Working Cat!

Healthy, sterilized cats need barn homes! These cats are feral (wild) and need a home at a farm, horse stable, or other suitable outdoor environment with shelter. All the cats have been sterilized and vaccinated against rabies, and now need an outdoor home where they can live out their lives.

“Will Work For Food”

Be prepared for a brief period of adjustment. Moving to a new home is stressful for anyone, cats included! After a short stay in secure confinement, the cats will accept their new home and be chasing mice out of your grain with enthusiasm!

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Working Cat Testimonial

“I’ve been meaning to e-mail you and let you know how the kitties are doing, and just haven’t sat down to do it. They are doing great! The older cat that I already had (Fergus) is so much happier to have a new friend, and he seems to be doing a good job of teaching the new young cat how to be a cat. 🙂 They are getting along great!

But I wanted to tell you how wonderful the new little cat is doing – he is an absolute sweetheart! Thank you so much for finding me a young one with the potential to tame down! I kept him in a cage inside the barn at first, so he and the older cat could get to know one another. The kitten was doing ok, but seemed kind of subdued. After a day or two I wanted to clean his cage and got him out of it; he hissed at first as I approached, but as soon as I picked him up, he snuggled right in and started purring. He LOVES to snuggle – and I love to hold him! After about a week in the cage I let him out in the feed room to see what he would do, and he played and played with cobwebs, with pieces of hay, with shadows. I kept an eye on him and the older cat, but they seemed to be getting along great, and both are happy to have a buddy, so I left them out together. Everything is going great, and even though he is free in the barn, he still sometimes comes to me for some snuggles when I’m in the barn doing chores. (The older cat still doesn’t let me touch him, but he doesn’t seem frightened, just standoffish). I named the new little guy Salvador (Sal for short).

I just wanted to thank you again. I truly appreciate this program, not only for the rodent control the cats provide, but also because it gives me the joy of having cats in my life again, which has not been possible since my marriage due to my husband’s severe pet allergies.

Thanks so much!”

Rachel F, New Braunfels, TX

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Working Cat Adoption Tips

For the safety of you and your cat(s), we recommend that you carefully follow these instructions following your working cat adoption.

Please return the cages that you picked up the cats in as soon as possible. We need these cages for our program. We are a non-profit group, and it’s expensive to replace the cages. Please help us keep costs down!

It’s critical that the cats be confined in a large crate or building for 2 – 4 weeks so they imprint on their new home, to prevent them from just running away.

The cats must have a hidey box in their acclimation crate, or places to hide if in a barn or shed. Even a card board box will work. Place the opening of the box to the back of the carrier so the cat is hidden.

If using a crate, place it where the cats will be living (in their sheltered area).

Feral cats can be contained together, as long as they are truly feral. Don’t do this with social cats!

It’s really important to have at least two working cats because a single cat will likely leave to look for a friend.

Be ready for a messy crate. Wood or paper litterbox pellets will help reduce the mess.

Feed the cats wet food during the acclimation period. Think of the 2 – 4 week confinement period as a “honeymoon” for you and your new cats…you are “wooing” your new working cats and showing them what a great home this is!

Feed at a regular time and use the same “call” when you feed the cats, so they will learn to come for food when they hear you after they have been released.

Cats love routine!

When it’s time to release the cats, just nonchalantly leave the cage/room door open and quietly walk away.

The cats must be fed daily after being released so they don’t go look for food elsewhere. Even just the presence of cats helps deter rodents, so you want to be sure the cats stay around.

When the cats are released, it’s not unusual for them to be gone a few days while they are scouting their new territory.

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