With the almost continuous breeding of feral cats in Santa Barbara County, there is an endless supply of good mousers for barns and vineyards. By taking one in, not only do you gain an employee who will work all hours, is paid in kibble and water, and never asks for a raise, but you may also be saving a life as every year thousands of feral cats are put down in shelters.

Catalyst for Cats regularly traps ferals on the streets, many of which cannot be returned after their spay/neuter surgery for a variety of reasons. When this happens, we look for safe barns and businesses in need of mousers. With the local coyote problem, many barn cats don’t make it more than a couple of years. It’s one crafty outdoor cat that lives to old age, but that is the circle of life. Better to be given the chance to live free than die by the needle, say I.

Often when we capture a feral queen with a litter of kittens, the whole family is fostered together until the kittens are old enough for their own surgeries and adopted out. During this time of internment, it is not unusual for the mother to accept human contact and become tame enough to be adopted herself. Oh the lucky street cat who ends her years on the master bed instead of under a cold and drafty shed bearing litter after litter of kittens while dodging cars and dogs as she hunts for food.

If you have a barn, shed, or stable but no cats, there’s no doubt that you have mice and rats. Then there are the gophers in the pastures. Call us; we can help you out with this situation. All of the cats we place are healthy, have been spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and treated for fleas. In the case of multiple animal requests, efforts will be made to offer pre-bonded pairs or groups.

Our usage of the term “barn cat” refers to feral and semi-feral animals. They are felines which have had little or no human contact and are not to be considered pets. While many of them do warm up to their caretakers and sometimes even gravitate towards the house and its pleasures, most remain on the job 24/7 in and around outbuildings.

The cats we chose for these situations are usually short-haired and dark. Hair length is important with all the foxtails and burrs out there. Coloring is even more important in terms of survival. A light-colored cat is a beacon at night for coyotes and owls; during the day, hawks. Pink pigment on nose, ears and pads are susceptible to skin cancers.

Relocating cats is a simple process, taking about two-three weeks. We bring the cage(s) and the animal(s); you the food and litter. You will also need to provide permanent shelter from the elements and predators to ensure the survival of the animals once released, along with fresh water and kibble. Felines hunt for pleasure, not just sustenance, so providing a stable food source encourages them to stick around.

The temporary cages are needed to confine the cats and allow them to become accustomed to the sights, sounds, people and animals where they will be set free. This establishes their new surroundings as home.

There is no charge for barn cats, but if you’d like to make a donation to our organization on behalf of those ferals still on the streets, we would accept it gladly.

Next time you find yourself in need of mousers, I hope you’ll remember to give us a call. We’d like to get all ferals out of the cities and into the country.