Adopting a Working Cat

The Dancing Cat occasionally has unsocialized or undersocialized cats needing good homes. We seek families who would like a working cat, one who will keep your yard free of rodents. The adoption process is the same; we want these cats to go to good homes where they will live out their lives in health and safety.

The cats that we relocate to barns, back yards, and gardens are unadoptable as indoor pets as they are varying levels of “feral” or unsocial. They would be stressed and unhappy indoors. They will most likely will not approach humans or solicit attention, or they may take a long time to trust you enough for touching.  For the most part they will avoid you and come out at night to eat and keep your property free from rodents.

They will need access to suitable shelter like a barn, shed or garage.  They will need daily cat food and water put out for them. Cats cannot live on hunting alone and feeding them will not reduce their inclination to hunt rodents.

Cats are social creatures and we prefer to adopt them to barn and garden homes in pairs or small colonies. We often have bonded pairs or cats who have lived together in harmony for years who we’d like to place in homes together. Having a buddy will help keep feral cats anchored to their new home.

To ensure that the new cats don’t immediately run away, they need to be confined for 4-5 weeks for garden homes or longer for homes where wildlife might be present. They can be confined to an escape-proof room like a tack room or garage, or they can be kept in a large dog crate, chicken coop, etc, that is outfitted with food and water bowls, bed or box for sleeping, and a litter box.  This time is necessary to teach the cats where their new home is, where their food is, who brings the food, and to get a general lay of the land. We can help you get your yard set up for this acclimation period by lending you crates ($50 fee) and litter boxes.

The cats will be spayed or neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, dewormed, and treated for any fleas/ticks. The cost of adoption is $100 for each cat, which helps us pay for the costs of veterinary services and supplies.

Our barn cats often come from the euthanasia rooms of animal control facilities or from dangerous locations on the streets of Silicon Valley, so you will literally be saving their lives and should feel very good about offering your home to them!  

Please see our supply list for an idea of the kinds of things you’ll need to have on hand prior to receiving your cats.

More about barn cats.

Keeping your barn cats healthy.

Treating feral cats with health issues.

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