If anyone has examined our numbers, it’s easy to see that one of the biggest challenges the South Jersey Regional Animal Shelter faces is the incredibly large number of cats we care for. We have made incredible progress in the past years, improving lifesaving numbers by hundreds with our transfer program for adoptable cats and kittens. Our foster families nurture thousands of the tiniest little lives by caring for them until they are old enough to be adopted.
Now we turn our attention to the cats who don’t fit into these categories: the cats who aren’t what we classically considered “adoptable” and aren’t easy to find rescue placement for. There are several reasons a cat may have behaviors that deem them difficult to adopt. Many cats are trapped and brought to the shelter, and they’re truly feral. They have never been around people and don’t want to be. We also see semi-feral cats; these felines may be a little more socialized and less aggressive, but still not ready to be house cats or showcased in the adoption room. Some cats are friendly, but on their own terms. These cats, often big tomcats, are used to fending for themselves and operating on their own agenda. They like attention – some loving attention – until suddenly they don’t, and will react if you try to force them. They may not be used to using litter boxes and may be very messy. They are great cats, but just not ready to settle down in the house. These cats present unique challenges due to the unusual nature of the placement they require.
In order to meet this challenge, we are looking outside the box. These felines are just as deserving of a second chance as our friendlies, so we are seeking “working” homes and “barn” homes for these cats. We can work with a variety of situations. Some businesses, such as garden centers, wineries or farms, may find value in adopting a cat for pest control purposes. My visits to my favorite garden center always featured a visit from their resident tabby-and-white feline, who would hop up on the checkout counter to be petted whenever I visited. She was well-loved by owners of the center, as well as the customers. If a business is looking for pest control and ready to save a life, we’re here to help you find the perfect cat to meet the needs of your organization.
We also work with property owners who have barns or other structures that need a resident mouse-catcher. Whether you are looking for a social cat to work and be part of the family, or a more feral resident who won’t require much personal attention, we have the cat for you!
All cats adopted as working cats are spayed/neutered, up-to-date on vaccines and microchipped. We will help you with the information needed to acclimate your cat to their new home. While caring for them is quite simple, they do need a few days to adjust or they may take off, never to be seen again. You will want to set up a large dog crate in your building with a smaller covered crate, litter box, and food and water inside. For the first few days, keep the cat in the large crate, allowing them to get used to the sights and smells of their new home. They will learn to associate this structure as a place to call home (thanks to the food and shelter). After a few days, allow the cat to explore the inside of the structure, keeping her locked inside the structure with the crate still open for her to return to for food, water and litterbox. Once she’s adjusted to that, you can open the doors and let her get to work.
Your responsibility as the owner of a working cat is simple – provide them with fresh food and water, and safe shelter, and keep an eye out on them to make sure they are staying healthy.
We are also working with local community cat advocates for find placement for some of our feral cats – especially our feral nursing moms. We can often save their kittens, but at this point we have few options for the moms once they are done nursing. This is one of the most heart-wrenching situations we find ourselves in, and we are hoping that some managers and advocates of community cat colonies may be able to help us. If you are interested in maintaining or beginning a feral cat colony, we can help connect you with the experts in this area and provide resources.
If a working cat or colony cat sounds good to you, please contact us to find the perfect employee. You may want to meet Grapeseed, a 4-year-old, gray-and-white, big male who doesn’t love life in a cage and is looking for some freedom to roam. You also may want to meet Gerdie, a petite, pretty, gray-and-white female who is only 1 year old. She’s always lived outside and is quite scared in the shelter, but we can tell that once she’s in an environment she’s more comfortable with, she’s got a real sweet side. You also could check out Calia, a beautiful calico who nursed a litter of kittens who were just placed for adoption. Calia is very suspicious in her cage, but with staff she trusts, we can pet her. After all her hard work raising kittens, we think Calia deserves a chance to enjoy life as a single woman out on her own.
You can contact Rescuepartners@cumberlandcountyspca.org or Fosters@cumberlandcountyspca.org for more information.