Barn Cats #barncats #ferals #straycats #cats

Not every cat can find a forever home.

I wish they could.

If every cat had a warm, loving family to snuggle up with every night, life would be grand. But the truth is, not every cat is meant to be in a house, living in close proximity with people and children.

The Humane Society estimates there are 30 to 40 million feral and stray cats. Most of these are not accustomed to human contact and usually too fearful to be handled or adopted. They are not good candidates for family living. However, many of these might make good barn cats.

Barn Cats, Inc., out of Lewisville, Texas, is one organization actively relocating feral cats as barn cats. They find suitable locations such as a farm, horse stable, warehouse, plant nursery or other outdoor location where the cats roam free, keeping the rat, mice and snake population down, in exchange for a safe home.

If you’re not near north Texas, their site has a listing of other barn cat organizations.

While different groups may have their own qualifications, Barn Cats Inc. primarily accepts feral cats, not friendly cats suitable for pets, from urban situations where they are in danger. The cats must be at least eight months old. Preference is given to cats that are threatened by poisoning or shootings, hoarders, and other similar serious situations that require immediate attention.

If the cats come in together, Barn Cats, Inc. places them together. They feel the cats have a better stay rate if they have friends or family with them.

Rehoming feral and stray cats is a mission of love. Expenses always seem to exceed resources. Especially when you start factoring in medical checks and services. Barn Cats, Inc. is always open for donations – either in monetary form, or in supplies. Some of the supplies that Barn Cats, Inc. is always open for include:

• Dry or wet cat food (Friskies, Purina One, Whiskas)
• Bags of clay litter (non-clumping or clumping)
• Cat beds and small blankets
• Automatic Feeders and Waterers
• Cat Toys
• Cleaning supplies (paper towels, Anti-bacterial cleaning spray, trash bags)

So, as much as I’d love to take in every cat or kitten I could, it’s not feasible. Other options are out there though – rehoming some feral cats as barn cats is one of the choices.

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Abandoned kittens continue finding their way to Trisha’s north Texas home. After Scooter and his two sisters were saved from a feral life, she thought that was the last of the new arrivals. (They share their story in Scooter’s Tale.) But…after that came Jasper, and then Onyx. This past April little Piper joined the family after her feral Mama moved the kittens before a big storm, but didn’t come back for Piper. A month later Onyx’s sister, CeeCee, walked in the house (very pregnant) and hasn’t left, even after giving birth to six coal black kittens – who now rule the household and think they’re related to gray tabby Piper.

ADOPT A SHELTER #Adoptashelter #Cat #Dog #Adopt

ADOPT A SHELTER

Animal shelters across the nation are filled with countless thousands of cats and dogs needing forever homes. If animal lovers had their ways, these homeless creatures would fill their homes and shelters would be empty.

Unfortunately, many of us are already filled to capacity, and some can’t have animals at all where they’re at. But we still want to help these animals in need.

If you can’t adopt from your local shelter, there are still many ways you can help this cause. Of course there’s the usual method – donating. But sometimes our pocket books can’t keep up with what we’d like to give.

Don’t be dismayed – there’s still a slew of different ways to adopt a shelter and help the animals.

• VOLUNTEER

Most shelters are understaffed and underfunded. They don’t have enough hands to go around. Adopting a local shelter by donating your time is a much appreciated gift.

Donate by giving your time at the shelter: cleaning, walking animals, petting cats, putting up flyers, helping at events.

Donate by sharing your expertise: Help with a web page, write articles or grants, help with office work, photography, accounting or legal services.

• WISH LISTS

Check with your local shelter to see what items are on their wish list. Many appreciate donations of new or gently used bedding (beds, blankets, and towels), crates, or toys.

Food, litter and cleaning supplies are always appreciated.

Mother Nature Network has an excellent article with 25 ways to help your local shelter. They mention scanning Craig’s List or Freecycle for items that would be useful at your adopted shelter.

• SOCIAL MEDIA

Like your local shelter on Facebook, or follow them on Twitter. Share their posts to help find homes for the animals there. (They don’t have a Facebook page? Volunteer to set one up for them.)

Low Country Dog magazine has a link to Twitter a Critter, a web application that helps spread the word about pets that need adopted.

• GET CRAFTY

Get crafty and create some useful items for your local shelter. BarkPost has a post with 12 creative ways to help animal shelters. They include instructions on how to make a pet bed from an old sweater.

The Humane Society has a post with 10 ways to help your local animal shelter or rescue. They mention several ways to get crafty, with links for different toys to make, braiding strips of fleece and making DIY cat toys from empty toilet paper rolls.

Have you adopted a local animal shelter or rescue? What ways do you help out?

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Abandoned kittens continue finding their way to Trisha’s north Texas home. After Scooter and his two sisters were saved from a feral life, she thought that was the last of the new arrivals. (They share their story in Scooter’s Tale.) But…after that came Jasper, and then Onyx. This past April little Piper joined the family after feral Mama moved her kittens before a big storm, but didn’t come back for Piper. A month later Onyx’s sister, CeeCee, walked in the house (very pregnant) and hasn’t left, even after giving birth to six coal black kittens – who now rule the household and think they’re related to gray tabby Piper.

Scooter’s Tale: A Rescue Cat’s Story

Once upon a time … a three week old feral kitten was abandoned by its mother.

This fairy tale could have had an ugly ending. But it wouldn’t be a very good fairy tale without a happily ever after ending, would it?

Enter a bit of magical luck – the little kitten (one without mittens) was rescued. He found a new forever home, in the midst of a family filled with other rescues. A bought of calicivirus in the feline family almost caused a totally different ending. Fortunately the cats only lost one of their nine lives and Scooter lived another day.

He tells the tale of his life, dictating his words to Mama Pat, who transcribes his story to bring it to others.

Tips for caring for young kittens and information about feral’s and calicivirus is included in this ebook.

100% of the author’s proceeds of this story goes to help other rescue kittens and cats. Half of the profits remain in the DFW Metroplex area while the other half go to Cats of Angel’s Meadow, in Kentucky.

Available at: Amazon and Smashwords