Barn Cat Program
Since 2008, Safe House has run one of the country’s most successful Barn Cat Programs dedicated to saving the lives of feral cats who are impounded at animal control facilities and, for one reason or another, cannot be returned to their original habitat. These cats are healthy, sterilized, vaccinated, and in dire need of a new outdoor home, such as a barn, stable, garage, or warehouse.
These cats are typically not suitable to be indoor pets and as unsocialized animals, they have no desire to be lap cats. These are working cats, former street cats who are used to outdoor life, prefer minimal to no human contact, and who will happily tend to your mouse, mole, chipmunk, or vermin problems for the small cost of a bowl of cat food and water set out daily, and shelter in your garage or barn. And because we spay/neuter and vaccinate these cats prior to them coming to your farm, you never need to worry about endless litters of kittens!
What You Provide:
* Shelter in a suitable barn, stable, garage, or outbuilding
* Daily food and water – cats cannot live on mousing alone
* Long-term veterinary care, as needed (they are sterilized and vaccinated now)
Cost
Your only cost is to provide daily food and water; there is no adoption fee. You are welcome to make a donation to our program if you like.
The Process
Our barn cats are delivered to their new homes by a Safe House volunteer. We provide a “cat condo” for the cats to live in for 2-4 weeks to help them acclimate to their new home without the danger of having them run away in search of their former colony. Their condos will have food and water bowls, a litter pan, and a bed or hiding box for the cats to sleep in. You will feed/water and clean the litter pan daily during the confinement period. After this period of confinement, the cats will usually accept their new home and can be released. You will continue to provide daily food and water and allow them access to shelter such as your barn or garage. (See map below for our delivery area, or you can pick cats up from Mendota, IL or Chicago, IL.)
If you meet these basic requirements and could use a good barn cat, please fill out the barn cat adoption form.
