Humane society finds job for unfriendly cats | FOX 5 News 

My Humane Society used to call them barn cats but now they have switched to business cats.

My cats would die of shock and indiginity if they were told they had a "job" and were going to be outside😂😂😂😂

Unfriendly? Nah. Trust must be earned.

I am so happy to see someone who has a job they are qualified for and love to do.

I got a working car. In 4 months of being outside, she has brought me 7 rats and my neighbors have told me she is clean up their yards too. It is great 👍 plus she is friendly

We call them Barn Cats; however, they have to be fed by the owners because a well-fed cat is a much better mouser.

I hope they make sure the people that take them actually have adequate shelters for them as working cats as well as take care of them properly.

I love how they’re presenting this idea like its brand new 😅

Hooray for a Humane Society giving working cats another life.

My husband was homeless when he was a teenager and they had something similar where the shelter bought “mean” cats to control the rodent population. Well one of those mean cats loved my husband and he fell in love with that cat. The staff was shocked because It never let anyone but my husband touch him. It was therapeutic during such a tough time. I wish he could have adopted it but he was just trying to get a roof back over his head and was barely managing at that time.

I just adopted a kitten. My first 🥇 cat. I was a dog owner all my life .. and I'm so happy I switched 🎉

My cat should apply lol. But I can never give her up, unfriendly and all.

Are they offering 401Kitty plans?

Nice. My cats are free loading little couch potatoes.

Barn cats are a popular thing in many areas like Michigan. They do more than earn their keep by keeping critters away. Ive seen it firsthand. And if u have a gross neighbor whose hoard attracts rats, well the cats handle that too.

0:12 "one human society"

Great story! I live in Georgia in the woods on 28 acres, with creek and marsh on property, but thanks to my small colony of cats, I rarely see snakes, mice, and rats. I like snakes, but don't want them around my house. The last snake I saw was two years ago, and it was mangled and dead in the driveway, victim of a cat. Kudos to the Arizona Humane Society for this worthwhile program helping cats.

Why did I think the cat was going to be a DMV attendant? 😂

I’ve dealt with this type of program before! My parents had a farm and it was the type where mice and rodents could do serious damage. So they got a few outdoor working cats and they knew right away what to do. They were all hunters and they loved doing it. There was a shed that they would use for indoor shelter when needed and they would go to the local farming shop and buy them a HUGE box of plain cat food and feed them every night to keep them on the property. And for water, they were on well water and just simply run a hose in a bucket all the time.

What an awesome recognition of respecting the personality of each cat, assessing their needs, and then finding appropriate homes...love it! I adopted a brother/sister at 4 months, and living on a quiet cul-de-sac with a forested swamp in my backyard I kept them as outdoor kitties, living in my enclosed porch (with a doggy door). When we moved and they were now 6 years old, we introduced them to the indoors of our new home...they acted like they always lived inside! Took to the litter box day one and was very respectful of our furniture. They never attempted to jump on the counters or do anything other than lounge. Allowing them access to the outdoors at our new place still gave them their autonomy, and they basically stayed on our property, lounging now on our open porch Adirondack chairs, but equally spending most of their days inside (they came in at night and slept with us). Every morning they'd wait for me to open the door to let them out, scope out the property, do their business and then came back in (they learned to open the porch screen door by themselves lol). They lived wonderful lives intuitively staying safe. He lived till he was 15...she lived till 17 (missing him dearly). The biggest discovery of not having them scratch the furniture was recognizing that they loved scratching the coir rug I had on the patio when they lived outside...I brought that rug in and put it by the couch, then purchased a few more and put them by the front and back door, as well as one by our bed. Every time they would come inside they'd run to the rug and scratch it...the hard bristles called to them like catnip lol! So don't assume those outdoor kitties don't also want to be inside...they just want the autonomy to make the decision themselves.

We have neighborhood cats in my area that i and the other neighbor feeds. They’re all fixed with their ear tip clipped. We used to have bad mice/rats problem and they would crawling on the fence at night and now I haven’t seen one in years 🙌🙌

Now go adopt a cat ❤

Where I lived in NW Arkansas over 10 years ago had a feral cat program that most of the shelters participated in. Mainly farms would adopt feral cats after they were spayed/neutered with the understanding that they kept the program updated on how many cats they had and made sure they stayed up to date on vaccinations, and generally took care of the cats they adopted. It worked really well and actually increased the populations of native wildlife that had before been regularly poisoned by baits, or rodents that had consumed the bait, used by farmers (not to mention livestock that would occasionally accidentally get to it) while also funding the shelters to help with the spay/neuter programs to lower the populations of stray cats in the area.

I'm happy to see this. I had a feral issue in my neighborhood, worked with the SNR groups to bring the numbers down, and then captured the rest. The local 'humane society' told us they wouldn't take them in because they were feral and would likely send them to a local kill shelter ... We let them live out their days in the neighborhood, and we didn't have any pest problems for years.

I have a question what if the cats wants a union a cat union then we’re in trouble😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

Farmers have had "barn cats" for centuries to chase away rodents. Cargo ships, up until a century ago, also had cats for the same reason.

...I once went crazy to this cat I found an hour away from where I live; it had one badly bruised nose and I tried to administer medicine to it, call up SPCA/Animal Rescue nearby to capture it weeks after nothing happens. Next thing I know I virtually kidnap this poor kitten, bring it all the way to my home after buying $200 worth of kitty supplies. Of course the cat became stressed and would hide in corners, while my mom was like "Take it away if you aren't even sure if it had been vet-checked". Next morning she has let the cat go, and I donate all the materials I've bought in chagrine. ...Months pass by, and I see another cat which looks slimmer but seems like it has the same pattern. It has been just 2 days I put the food outside at night (where I live gets pretty hot. Florida weather) to find out they have been ALL CONSUMED. Surprise x2. Not sure if the cat now will be friendlier, but am willing to give out food the way I've been doing so far.

I have 3 of those working cats they live in the barn to help with our chickens we treat them well and all vaccinated they are very important to our little homestead

Given that I have a feral rescue currently sleeping atop me, who was 12 when we took her in, who had been TNR’d previously and deemed unadoptable by our “Humane” Society, not sure they really do a great job at assessing whether these animals are actually meant to be “outdoors”. Any cat who is an adult, they deem unadoptable or “too feral”. That means every cat over the age a few months. That’s just stupid.

They sound like my kitties, they don’t like the indoor life. ❤️♥️😻🥰😘🙏✝️

Many cities have barn cats needing homes. Ive seen some businesses with barn cats and family as well for their business too. We have a few, gifted not adopted through a program. Poisions aren't effective and kill wildlife too especially owls.

I had 4 at a small farm they were great no mice snakes really no rodents and they were actually friendly sometimes In the winter they slept in the garage with wood stove they loved that there easy to deal with 😊

We tried to keep our cat indoors because of predators. He got cornered by coyotes and killed

The humane society where I live gives farm cats for free. Once they’re on the farms they have wide open fields where they can run around, plenty of hiding places, and all the mice they can chase

So basically the entire reason cats were domesticated and the work they’ve been doing for thousands of years.

Will they get treats every 2 weeks as pay 😂

Me alegro mucho que hayan pensado en ésa solución, es excelente. Qué bueno que existan personas que ayudan tanto a los animalitos. No cabe duda que, aun existe la posibilidad de lograr tener un mundo más amigable con todas las especies. Aunque parezca lo contrario, es cosa de enfocarnos en los logros. Dios los bendiga.🙏

This is soooooo great ❤❤❤

I worked at a Lowe's that adopted a working cat for the garden center. Her name was Yvette and she was the best employee at the store. Everyone loved her, and she made working there a little better. Working cats are great for businesses!

My cat is both indoor and outdoor loves being outside and roaming around even jumping in the trampoline with the kids walking around the edges of the pool. He also loves being picked up and snuggled and sleeping next to the fan in his bed, he’s so special! My handsome good boy Ash I love him! 🥹

The SPCA used to (maybe still does?) not allow adoption to farms as there is a higher risk of injury. It's such a waste of a life to not allow it, I'm glad some places have come around.

yes, I worked in a chemical plant and the cats that got dumped off abandoned were the unofficial mousers, whenever an infestation in one part of the plant, a gang of the unofficial mousers would show up take care of the problem move to another part, the unneutered moms' kittens were adopted out before being neutered that's how I got one of the best cats that joined our family

I love it! This makes so much more sense than ruling out every other potential adoption because the individuals have an indoor/outdoor arrangement in mind, or want a cat for working purposes like pest control. This is a win/win both for the cats and those wanting outdoor or indoor/outdoor working animals.

I love this! Such a great idea and really thinking out of the box!

My improv character was a cat who was on “pest control” 😂😂

God bless these sweet souls ❤

I love this. Thank you for great people!

Out of the 12 cats i look after, only 2 are hunters

Songbirds are not pest.

That poor cat. His/her eyes look like they're draining

This is wonderful :) Any legitimate farmer will tell you that they need at least one cat on their farm. The fact that they usually love to have at least a few at any given time is great news for these kitties ❤

They will bond with you and will settle inside. Give them to to trust and feel safe.

My last cat was like that. Lived outside and greeted me when i got home.❤

What a great system! Props to whoever thought of this and make it work.

All hail cats! 😭❤️

My "Ghost" is a confirmed ACE, 5 mice so far... He's a tree climber and we have crows nests in the top of the maples.... The worst part is he's got his own flap, so I can't slam the door on him and his PRESENTS!!!

That’s cats natural job isn't it?

I monthly support Humane Society International (Washington) as well at my local Ottawa Humane Society. I WISH we had programs here for those less adoptable. I am 63 with health issues and l worry CONSTANTLY what will happen to my cat. He has attacked more than once. I don’t want him possibly killed😢 because there isn't the right home for him to spend the rest of his life in. I initially found him as an abandoned kitten in a bag Aug.2019. How could l ever let him feel abandoned again after promising him l would keep him safe all his life??🐾🌈☮️🇨🇦

I absolutely love this idea🤍🤍🍀

My kitty baby is half feral and half loungey house cat. We are both very happy ❤❤❤

That’s great!! I have my first kitty and I love this!

Where I live has a similar program. They used to call it Barn Cats, but changed it to Working Cats

That cat is loaded with tranqs

Bodega cats would probably vibe with these other working cats.

The humane society in Idaho also has this and they are called "barn cats."

I have a working cat I found as a stray! He’s the best and loves to cuddle. He keeps the bugs, snakes, and lizards out of my house and loves the outdoors!

The Ace Hardware by my house has a cat roaming around called Ace. He greets the customers and of course, does his job in the store.

You guys are awesome. What a great idea.

I've had this video showing up in my feed for a while and everytime it does I envision cats wearing ties at business meetings. I'm a bit disappointed. 😅

I love this! ❤

Thank you.

What a great program ❤❤❤

Love this!!!!

I've been by here and petted the kitties 😻. I can confirm that this is true. Given PHX's austere environment, these cats are only a reflection of their environment. The neighborhood around the AZ Humane Society is very rough and tumble. These cats are survivors and legends.

We adopted from a rescue group. She was a barn cat and she's horrible. I had no idea they could be awful but she's ours so I guess we will endure.

Oh, that’s something I never thought about. Really cool idea.

I loveeeee this!!! ❤❤❤❤❤

Where I come from, they are called barn cats.

I always forget there are also mean cats. I’ve always met such little sweethearts.

I live in rural Spain. I have two indoor cats and three outdoor employees. They're strays from the area that nobody bothered to care for. I feed and give them cuddles everyday and they keep the mice away from my home.

Whats SAFE for the Cats? Certainly not being outside if its not a Farm or a place away very from Traffic etc..

When i was young my sister had a cat. It lived outside for 17 years. He never wanted to come inside. He had two extra claws on both front paws so he was probably running the neighborhood.

Did she say Human Society? Anyway, putting cats outside is bad for wildlife but how can you tell them to just stick to mice and rats?

Brilliant!

Where one HUMAN society. Woman, there's an e at the end of that word ☠️😂

My sister has a ton of strays outside her house that she feeds. Ever since she started doing this the roaches outside and inside her property have disappeared

Working Cats sounds like a brothel 😅😅

This is great to hear! I Love cats! 😺

What do they do when the weather gets really bad? Do they have an air conditioned or heated shed they go to?

Please remember to keep fresh water, a little food and regular kindness available for working cats. They have to learn self sufficiency but they still need to know where home base is, especially case they need vet care etc.

My cat is an indoor / outdoor cat. I let him out in the morning and he comes back home by sunset. My neighbors praised my cat for controlling the gofer/mice population. The problem he brings those rodents inside my house 😅😂😭

Those are called “barn cats” where I grew up. They’re mousers! My mom always had a few when we lived on 15 acres.

I love this!

I used to work for an spca and it is super inhumane the whole process. Spay and release is the only humane option unless the animal is in need of medical attention.

I love how the title of this video makes it sound like every cat needs a job, but some of them can't get them because they're unfriendly.

cats??? as PEST CONTROL?? what a novel idea 🧐

But it's not really safe for the cats, is it? The average lifespan for an outdoor cat is about 2.5 years.

That crazy Arizona human society!

The thumbnail got me 😊❤❤

Did she call it a HUMAN society? lol