"Unadoptable" shelter cats get second chance at life by chasing mice

[packman]

Feral cats considered "unadoptable" get another chance by doing what they do best - hunting. Cats that are behavioral problems are given another shot by being placed in businesses such as warehouses or stores that have a rodent problem and they are doing a remarkable job. After awhile they become socialized and become accustomed to the good life of having a safe place and people who care for them (quite typical of a cat).

Read the story of Gary at the beer warehouse brewery:



http://www.cats.club/unadoptable-shelter-cats-get-second-chance-at-life-by-chasing-mice/

And a video to go with it:

?t=151

[csziggy]

1. These was a group here adopting out "barn cats"

Feral cats that had been trapped, spayed or neutered, and had their vaccinations were up for adoption. They would also assist in trapping the cats for annual vaccinations so they would stay healthy.

I'm not sure if they are still operating - we have had plenty of cats show up for our barn duty without us doing anything at all other than trapping them for spaying or neutering, and vaccinations. Usually the barn cats also get food to supplement their hunting activities and to get them to think better of humans.

The last two barn cats were adopted by the people now leasing the barn. Lily was a complete failure as a barn kitty - she was far too fluffy, demanded a bed and a litter box, and is now a house cat at the family's house. The most recent one, Maestro, just showed up a few weeks after Lily made her domestic transition, is much more appropriate as a barn kitty. He had already been on his own, and no mice or rats have been seen in the barn since he took over the duties.

[spinbaby]

2. Our house came with a pair of feral cats

They had been neutered and were being fed but lived completely outdoors and weren’t into socializing with humans. Part of the deal when we bought the place was that we’d continue to care for the cats. Two years later, they’re coming in through the cat door to get their meals or get warm and are willing to accept some petting. Feral cats can’t often be completely socialized, but can learn to enjoy the good life.

[CurtEastPoint]

7. You are right. I have a fixed 'feral' mom living out back w/mine now who has

all hissy and spitty and untouchable even 4 months ago. Now she's fat, happy and lies on her back in the sunshine! And I can pet her!

[Hassin Bin Sober]

9. My buddy's neighbor sponsors a couple so called feral cats.

It’s part of a working cat program in Chicago. These cats have it made. They hold court at about 5pm and get all kinds of pets and scritches.

The neighbor had to install signs in the neighborhood for people worried the cats are stray or abused.

[eppur_se_muova]

3. just Google "barn cat rescue "

I got my two foundlings kitties spayed/neutered through Barn Cat Rescue in Jackson, TN. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to trap the momcat -- had to relocate before I could try again.

[packman]

4. Your story reminded me of my dad and his feral cat

Dad never cared for pets, be they birds, dogs, cats. We had a small three tomato plants and 2 cabbage plants garden in the back surrounded by a neighbor wall. A feral cat would perch itself on the wall watching for whatever came its way . Over time, my dad began to believe the cat kept his garden rabbit and mouse free and would leave treats for the cat on the wall to entice it to stay there longer.

Sadly my mother passed away and my dad would spend more and more time outside sitting in his rocking chair just staring at nothing in general. Damn if that cat wouldn't come down and sit in his lap during those lonely times.

The only times I saw him cry was at my mother's passing and his burying that cat's body in the tomato patch. A dog had killed him, but he apparently died in our yard after escaping him.


Well, that did it for me today

[MissB]

32. I'm usually suspicious of people that don't have pets

But your dad was clearly a good man.

[Wolf Frankula]

5. A Local Maltery uses 'barn cats' for pest control.

Grain attracts rodents. Because it's food quality, they can't use poison. Traps won't do it. There are lots of quiet areas where the rodents gather. So they adopted cats. The cats catch the mice, they avoid the forklifts, pallet jacks and machinery. The workers are instructed that resting and sleeping cats are members of the pest control staff taking their breaks.

Wolf

[cloudbase]

6. My son just bought some acreage up in Minnesota,

and it came with three barn cats. He's got five of his own that he's adopted, so it won't
be long before the barn cats become quite spoiled.

[Fred Sanders]

8. Purrrfect employees.

[LakeArenal]

10. Although I am pro neutering feral cats....

And no kill shelters, feral cats have decimated my ground feeding birds and three mornings out of five I find feral cats stalking my bird feeders.

Off the record advice from my county office is : Shoot them. Something I’m not capable of doing but sorely wish I could.

[samnsara]

11. yikes isnt that a gerbil hes eyeing?

[Merlot]

24. All that cat sees is "dinner"

doubtful the cat cares what species of rodent it is.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

12. Some years ago we bought a house that came with a cat.

She wasn't feral, although she was very much an indoor-outdoor cat. She adapted to us, and when we moved to a new state we brought her with us. Two days after moving into our new place she let us know she was on the job by leaving a dead mouse at the front door.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

13. Another successful program for working cats:

http://www.startribune.com/working-cats-program-gives-felines-a-job-and-a-home/374560061/

[red dog 1]

14. K&R

What a great idea!

[Equinox Moon]

15. Love it! I once saw a TED Talk where they were teaching crows to pick up trash in parks!

I am all for it that we work WITH nature and critters. We share this planet.

[dmr]

20. That is so fascinating, I had to Google it. Link inside

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.businessinsider.com/crows-trained-pick-up-trash-france-theme-park-2018-8

Why not? They are incredibly smart, as well as noisy, lol. My next door neighbor swears this particular crow that flies overhead exists only to annoy her. Man, is he LOUD!

I get a kick out of it and just laugh at them both. When she comes outside, and he sees her - he flies closer and starts up. So, she ends up yelling back at him! OMG, I'm giggling as I type this. I have to send this link to her.

Have her get right on training the ol' guy, put him to work.

[BumRushDaShow]

16. That first pic's critter looks like a gerbil.

[Merlot]

23. Gerbil looks like a goner...

[BumRushDaShow]

28. The gerbil could give kitteh some of what he is eating.

[Merlot]

29. Haha - like a cat is going to settle for seeds

when it could have a fuzzy, warm, gerbil?

[BumRushDaShow]

30. Used to have gerbils and hamsters as a kid

and they could eat more than just seeds. Have seen them eat some big chunks of anything crunchy. For all we know, it may have stolen some dry cat food for a snack not knowing it was about to become a snack itself!

[kimbutgar]

17. I had this feral cat who loved being out during the day but liked staying indoors at night

When I was cooking dinner at night the car would move between my legs as I moved around in the kitchen.

Then one day he stopped going out, eating and died a week later. Never knew what he died from. When the cat first got sick I took him to a vet who charged me $800 and told me he didn’t know what was wrong with the cat and gave him multiple vaccinations. I never used that vet again.

He was the best feral cat. And very friendly.

[Merlot]

22. Your lovely feral may have eaten a mouse that had eaten poison

Which is another reason why cats are a better deterant to rats than putting poison into our environment.

And, FYI, the feral cats don't actually have to kill the mice, as soon as the mice learn there is a preditor in the "neighborhood" they will move to safer places. That why the working cats in warehouses also need to be fed by humanz.

Los Angeles also was a working cat program.

[kimbutgar]

25. My feral sometimes brought me home presents, a bird and a mouse. I thought it was poop at first

It’s a good thing I am not so squeamish. I also suspected he was poisoned from something he ate.

I now have an indoor cat. I won’t even let her go out on my deck. Strictly 100% indoors.

[DinahMoeHum]

19. A similar program in Chicago. . .

More on the pusses at Empirical Brewery:

https://www.empiricalbrewery.com/brewery-cats

[yellowdogintexas]

21. there is a rescue program here in North Texas which relocates

unwanted cat colonies to barns and other places which welcome them.

Pretty cool

[Doreen]

26. Where I live we have a program called

"The Cat's Meow" who capture feral cats take them to be spayed, neutered, and vaccinated. They usually return them to where they came from or relocate them to a country setting where they could be useful for catching mice for farmers. They also spay or neuter cats that people get. I had a stray who adopted me and they took her and spayed her and gave her her shots. I can not remember what they did to her to show she was spayed if they found her but the ferals got the tip of their ears cut off ( just the very tip ) so they could tell from first look that the cat has been fixed.

[Brother Buzz]

27. We always seems to have a 'Shop Cat' or two, and they were always well respected....

but becoming socialized is subjective.

[Hotler]

31. A great story. And to add, Duvel is a really good beer.....

treat yourself to it once and awhile.