Barn Cat Program
Barn Cats are an important part of our community!
Barn cats can be an excellent addition to our community, our families, and our farms. They provide great pest control in our rural areas and when spayed/neutered and vaccinated they can prevent other cats from coming onto your property and reproducing.
The barn cat program allows you to bring home a barn cat of your own for an adoption fee of $10. These cats are spayed/neutered, vaccinated, dewormed and flea treated (estimated cost of care is $75+). Your new feline friend will “earn their keep” through their great service and very cute presence.
The Barn Cat Program provides a humane option for cats who are unsocialized and would not do well in an adoptive home. Although Barn Cats may not want your love and affection right away, they will quickly start to associate you as their caregiver, food source and develop a bond with you.
Already have cats in your barn and are looking for Spay/Neuter services? Check out our TNR+V Program.
Tips and Tricks for Introducing your Barn Cat to your Property
You should set up your new cat in a confined area when it first arrives to your barn. We recommend having them confined to a smaller area for about a week or two. If your barn is secure you can just keep all of the doors closed while you cat acclimates. If possible, we recommend you try to confine the cat to a tack room or feed room. If you don’t have a secure barn, a large kennel is recommended to allow them time to acclimate to their new environment. Make sure this new “home base” has food, water and a litter box (it’s okay if the litter box is just short term while confined). If you keep your cat confined to a smaller area they will start to associate that space as home and a safe place to get food and water.
After about a week of being confined to a smaller area you can open up the area and let the cat explore. It is recommended to let your cat explore during daylight hours while they get to know the area so you can monitor any problems. It can be quite overwhelming to start a new life in a new place so patience may be needed before your cat fully explores or goes out and about. Keeping your property as stress free as possible during this transition period is a good idea if possible (try to not introduce during busy or chaotic weeks in the barn).
Even though your cat will certainly help out with mouse control and may eat some of the prey it catches- it is still important that you give your cat access to food and water daily. Cats will not hunt more if you withhold food. They will only hunt when they feel healthy enough to do so which requires routine feeding and access to water.
