This handsome little man is named Arnie.  He was found at a dairy farm (I think?) and he was the last of his litter.  He was very young and tiny when he came to our farm but he has proven to be a wonderful barn cat.  He’s a great hunter but he’s also very affectionate.  When I do stalls he will come visit with me and meow loudly for attention.  Sometimes he even helps fill hay nets!

Every barn needs a couple of great barn cats.  Arnie is just one of our barn kitty crew.  With so many felines in the shelter looking for homes there really is no reason not to have them.  Some people argue that they aren’t safe or it’s a rough life for these animals…

Sure. Understandable. I don’t like the idea of them disappearing to the rough wilderness either…

But life on death row in the shelter is such a worse and more dismal fate, isn’t it? Wild animals and traffic are most certainly hazards for a barn kitty but the savvy ones stick around; especially when they know where there is always a safe place to turn to with protection, food, and water.  This “career option” is not for every feline but some thrive on it.

Barn cats hunt the mice that get into the grain and they can be great companions.