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Adopt a Barn Cat

Barn cats at North Country Animal League need your help in finding the right home! Barn cats are typically unsuited for the traditional adoption and require a unique living space to fit their needs – they may be less socialized, enjoy their independence and prefer having a job to do like poison-free rodent control on your property 24/7!

COST: While there is no set adoption fee for barn cats, we kindly request a donation of $50 to offset the cost of their medical care.

NOTE: Please note that we do not adopt out cats who are suitable to be household companions to the Barn Cat Program, only cats without other options.

WHAT IS A BARN CAT? | BARN CAT FAQ

North Country Animal League Central Vermont

Available Barn Cats

How adopting a barn cat helps

This program is aimed to place cats who would have traditionally been considered un-adoptable through the typical adoption process in safe homes where they can receive the care they need to be healthy and happy. In most shelters, behaviorally challenging cats are either completely turned away, placed in a kennel for extensive periods that cause a lot of stress to the animals as well as people and resources, or even worse – these cats are euthanized.

Cats in our Barn Cat Program fall into one or more of the following categories:

  • Cats who prefer other cat or animal interaction over human interaction
  • Cats who prefer to live a solitary and independent life and are too old to learn how to socialize
  • Cats who need the stimulation of an outdoor environment
  • Cats that display inappropriate behavior for living inside the home, such as poor litterbox habits
  • Cats who prefer to have a job to do, like hunt and keep your rodent population at bay

Barn Cat FAQ

While there is no set adoption fee for barn cats, we highly appreciate a $50 donation to help offset the cost of their medical care during their stay at NCAL.

Barn cats will require a safe place to live and will need shelter from the elements. If you adopt a barn cat, you need to be able to give them:

  • Shelter in barn, outbuilding, stable, garage, nursery, warehouse, brewery, factory, business site or any other suitable enclosed space where the cat(s) can stay protected from the elements
  • Fresh food and water each day – barn cats cannot live on mousing alone!
  • Veterinary care – as and when needed
  • An enclosed space where they can be kept for the first 2-4 weeks so they can acclimate to their new surroundings and consider it their home. This should be a secure indoor enclosure from which they are unable to escape. A large crate or a single room is ideal for this introductory phase before you let them loose and get to work. Taking this crucial step in transitioning them to their new space will reduce the risk of your cat attempting to return to its previous home, and help ensure that they continue to stick around. NCAL can lend you a crate if you need.

All barn cats available for adoption are spayed or neutered, vaccinated, have received initial deworming and flea/tick preventative, and are microchipped and possibly earmarked for permanent identification. Our adoption counselors will also guide you on how to acclimate your barn cat to their new surroundings and make them feel at home.

Free-roaming cats can be found everywhere, and it is important to differentiate between stray and feral cats which should determine the kind of care that is suitable for them. A stray cat has some level of socialization with people. Depending on their level of socialization and how long they have gone without human contact, stray cats may still be fearful or avoidant of people. Others are extremely friendly and may be suited to be adopted into homes. Feral cats are those who have not been socialized to people and live outdoors. They are used to living independently and will not acclimate to living indoors with people. Kittens born to feral cat moms can often be socialized if caught young enough, but should not be separated from their mother too early. Different steps are needed to provide appropriate care for stray and feral cats. If you have spotted a cat on your property and are not sure what to do, contact us. Please consult with us before taking any steps.

Isn't it time to find your next best friend?