What Is a Working Cat?

When community cats — i.e., cats who live outdoors and are sometimes cared for by community members — are unable to be returned to their previous outdoor home and aren't good candidates for traditional adoption programs, they might become what we lovingly call "working cats." They're part of a group of community cats who don't live in homes as pet cats.

Working cats are healthy, independent cats who act as natural pest deterrents in businesses and other properties. They go by many names, including:

Home starts with you

When we work together to bring our best friends home, we help loving pets find the families they’ve been dreaming of, and we get the country closer to ending the killing of pets in shelters. Let’s bring our best friends home.

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Barn cats
Farm cats
Bodega cats
Ship cats
Warehouse cats
Brewery cats

Here's an example of working cats in an auto shop:

While some working cats are friendly with people, many are not entirely comfortable with human interaction, though they can be happy living in close proximity to people.

Caring for working cats is easy. After a proper acclimation period, you simply let them roam in their space and give them food and water.

Adopt a working cat near you »

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Community Cats Cat Training

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Community Cats Cats Feral or Stray

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Be our Best Friend

Best Friends Animal Society is working with you to save the lives of cats and dogs all across the country, giving pets second chances and happy homes.

Just a few short years ago, cats and dogs were killed in staggering numbers in this country simply because shelters didn't have the community support or the resources to save their lives. That number is now less that half a million per year, but there's still work to do to ensure a bright future for every dog and cat in America.

Best Friends operates the nation's largest no-kill sanctuary for companion animals and is committed to saving the lives of homeless pets by working with shelters and passionate people like you. Together, we will bring the whole country to no-kill in 2025. Together, we will Save Them All.