What is a working cat
A working cat is a domestic feline employed for pest control in farms, warehouses, and public buildings, offering a safe alternative to pesticides.
A working cat is a domestic cat employed to hunt vermin in exchange for shelter, food, and veterinary care. These cats are typically feral or unsuitable for traditional home adoption, and they are placed in environments like farms, warehouses, and public buildings where their hunting skills provide a safe, pesticide-free solution to rodent problems.
Why working cats exist
Working cats programs are designed to place cats in safe environments where they are valued for their hunting skills as an alternative to euthanasia. Shelters often use this approach for cats that are feral or did not acclimate to living in close quarters with humans, making them unsuitable for standard adoption. In exchange for their services, these cats receive a place to live, food, water, and necessary veterinary care, including being spayed or neutered and fully vaccinated.
Where they work
The primary benefit of using a working cat is that they alleviate the need for harmful pesticides, making them ideal for sensitive locations. They are commonly employed on farms, in factories, warehouses, stores, restaurants, harbours, and houses of prayer. They also serve on private property where rodent control is a priority. The specific role often depends on the environment, with distinct types including the bodega cat in convenience stores, the farm cat, the library cat, and the ship's cat.
Real-world examples
Working cats are kept to deter mice in public buildings around the world, often holding official titles. In the United Kingdom, the resident cat at 10 Downing Street holds the title Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office, a role necessitated by the frequent rodent infestations in the old building. Other notable examples include Tibs the Great, kept by the Royal Mail, the Canadian Parliamentary Cats, and the Hermitage cats at the Hermitage Museum in Russia.
How the arrangement works
These cats are placed in their environment as part of a structured working cats program, usually offered by animal shelters. The program ensures that the cats are spayed or neutered and fully vaccinated before placement, and any adoption fee is often waived. This arrangement allows the cats to live out their lives in a setting where their natural instincts are utilized, rather than being confined in a shelter where they might face euthanasia due to their inability to adapt to indoor living.