Here at Cool Stuff for Cats we like bringing you cool cat toys and other fun items. However, we are focussed on health and welfare of cats – all cats! So what is barn cat rescue and what can you do to help?
Often when people think about cats, they are the cute bundles of fur that spend their days purring on our lap. There are though other cats that are semi-feral but they still need our help and attention.
What Is a Barn Cat
Well barn cats usually fall between completely feral cats and domesticated cats. These cats will spend all of their time outdoors and will usually sleep in outdoor barns or tack rooms.
Cats are excellent natural predators. And as barn cats live outdoors, they are usually proficient at hunting small mammals such as rodents. This therefore makes them perfect for keeping r
odent populations down on farms and ranches.
These cats are often the “forgotten cats” in society. They may have been born feral or been dumped or abandoned. Some might have suffered abuse. Therefore, these cats often do not wish to be handled or petted. They are usually not re-homeable by the usual cat rescue organisations that mainly deal with rehoming family pets.
These are the cats that are often euthanized when brought into a shelter as they do not have the capacity for rehoming feral type cats.
Why Adopt a Barn Cat
If you are looking for an indoor pet then a barn cat will not be for you. However, if you are looking for a cat that will live outdoors and help to keep the rodent population at bay then they would be perfect for you.
Barn cats are especially great for people who live far back from a road. And are especially great if you have a farm as harvested food cat attract rodents. They are also great for those that keep horses as horse feed can also attract rodents.
They are preferable to putting down poisons which can get into the ecosystem. Which is especially the case if you are dealing with livestock. Barn cats are an environmentally friendly and natural form of pest control.
Furthermore you are helping to save the life of a cat that may have been put to sleep if taken to a shelter.
What You Can Offer
A comfortable outside the house sleeping area – usually a barn or tack room which will keep the cat dry through the worst weather. It should also have hidey holes and areas to climb as barn cats can be nervous.
Whilst these cats are almost feral and will hunt a lot of their own food they are also used to being fed by humans. Therefore you will need to put down food for them and talk to them as even though they often will not be petted they are still used to human voices.
These cats are almost working cats. For food and a warm and safe place to sleep they will keep your rodent population at bay.
In return apart from food you will need to neuter the cats (as females can have many litters of kittens over her lifecycle). You will also need to provide veterinary care as because these cats are hunters they can get injured. They can fall or they can be bitten by rats. Therefore keeping an eye on their health is important.
Barn cats should also be regularly wormed as they can pick up parasites from the food they hunt.
Barn Cat Rescue and other Organisations
I have compiled a few links of Barn Cat Rescue organisations in a number of areas. If your area is not listed then some of these rescues will point you in the direction of a rescue local to yourself. Just click on the name of the barn cat rescue to be taken to their site.
USA
BarnCats Incorporated cover Texas and parts of Oklahoma. They also have a comprehensive list of barn cat rescues in other US areas. Please click on their webpage to see the great work that they have been doing with barn cat rescue.
Safe House Pets covers areas just outside Chicago
UK
The Moggery (Cat and Kitten Rehoming Center)
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