When most people visit Orange County Animal Services looking for a cat, they may go for tame, calm, and cute kitties. But the department also has a working barn cats initiative that has helped place animals in homes for years. This program allows unsocial cats to be adopted and help control rodent infestations in barns or other areas. The initiative saves cats that would likely be put down otherwise. Working cats are spayed, neutered, vaccinated, and completely free to adopt.
In the Orange County Animal Services shelter, cats in the barn cats program are housed separately. They are often not as friendly, while the other cats loudly meow at visitors. Tenille Fox, the Communications Specialist at Orange County Animal Services, explained why.
“Most of the cats are actually semi-feral or are just cats that are very reactive in a shelter setting,” she said, “meaning that we can’t handle them and we can’t safely let them be on the adoption floor to do meetings.”
These cats can not be placed into a normal home due to their behavior, said Fox. The barn cat program saves them and, instead of being put down, they are put to work. The program officially started in 2017 and since then, Fox said animal services has placed many cats into environments where they can thrive.
“It’s sort of the progressive and humane approach to pet overpopulation, especially where free roaming cats are concerned,” Fox said. “And our shelter has always tried to be on that side of things. We always want to take the approach that is the best for the animals and all the people involved in our community. And so this was one way to do it. ”
Fox said they encourage people to start with their barn cats housed outdoors. If the cat socializes and bonds with its new owners then things can change.
This is Violet, a barn cat up for adoption at Orange County Animal Shelter.
“We’ve got a lot of cats. They’re so happy in their new situation, whether they’re outdoor or indoor. They’ve just really blossomed and become different cats, which is fantastic because what this is taking the place of is older catch and kill methods,” Fox explained.
One success story in the program is Bill Hengstenberg who adopted three cats a few years ago. He has a farm for rescue livestock. The property was filled with alpacas, horses, goats, chickens, and, unfortunately, mice. After participating in the program, he said he gained three feline friends and lost his mouse population.
“We yell, ‘here kitty, kitty, kitty,’ and wherever the cats are out in the woods or out across the street or anywhere, they all come running,” said Hengstenberg. “We open up the doors and they all go in. We close the doors and they’re all tucked in at night. That’s a good feeling, just knowing that all the animals are tucked in.”
Over the last few years, the adopted barn cats, Alvin, Simone, and Theodrore, have adjusted nicely to life on a farm. Hengenstenberg said they enjoy getting rubs and laying with their owners.
“They want to sit in our laps,” he said. “They love to get pets. Alvin turns over on his back and wants his belly rubbed, which is unusual.”
Sandra Strong is the Director of Animal Services at Orange County Animal Shelter. She works directly with the Barn Cat program. She said promoting the program is a big part of its success.
“We do put up flyers around in the community. We have a social media presence. We really rely on word to mouth. We try to work with the community to not bring the cats in the first place but by setting up,” Strong said.
A “Barn Cat” poster at the Orange County Animal Shelter.
The program not only works with the community but other organizations as well. Orange County Animal Shelter has a partnership with Independent Animal Rescue in Durham who helps to spay and neuter the cats. Strong said she is happy with the program and looks forward to how it will grow in the future.
“This program really reflects the citizens of Orange County trying to make a difference and have a more scientific and humane approach to population control for the animals in the community,” she said.
This is Mary Jane, a barn cat up for adoption at Orange County Animal Shelter.
For more information on Orange County Animal Services’ barn cat program, visit the department’s website.
Photos via Orange County Animal Shelter
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