Humane Society of Huron Valley: Barn Cat Program

Barn Cat Program

Many cats brought to HSHV are not appropriate for additional in-home adoptions because they cannot adapt to indoor living. These may be feral (born and raised in the wild) or under-socialized cats that prefer little to no human contact, or they may be friendly cats that just cannot adjust to an in-home environment.

Whatever the reason, when cats are not truly house cats, we still believe that they deserve a happy life and that they can be placed with families that value them as much as we do. The HSHV Barn Buddies Program was started for just these types of cats.

Adopting a barn cat can be a mutually beneficial relationship - you will be saving the life of a healthy cat and they in turn will help scare off small, pesky rodents! To people that qualify, our barn cat adoption is FREE.

Plus, when you adopt a "Barn Buddy" from HSHV, they will be spay/neutered and will be up-to-date on vaccinations. Since each cat is unique, HSHV can't guarantee anything about the cat’s temperament. Some may never want human contact and others may seek attention if they feel safe.

Barn cats must have safe, permanent shelter with one or more areas of weather-proof covering, plus a continuous supply of fresh food and water. You must also agree to provide veterinary care for the cats if they should require it in the future. To ensure that the cats acclimate to their new environment and do not run away, they must be kept in a large homing crate for a minimum of three weeks in their new environment. After that time, they should be given free range of their new home. If you do not have a large crate, please ask us about providing one during your cat's transition period.

We strongly recommend having two of more barn cats because they keep each other company and can huddle together for warmth in cold weather.

To qualify for a free barn cat adoption, we require that you complete this online application. Once we receive your application we will contact you usually within 24-hours, but please allow two business days. Thank you for your interest in adopting a barn cat.

For questions, please call (734) 661-3523.