Animal Humane New Mexico helps stray cats find their home
New Mexico (KRQE) – A nonprofit animal adoption organization in New Mexico wants to help people get rid of mice and other small critters from their homes. They say they have natural pest control; Working cats.
“This gives them a good option for alternative placement,” said Adrian Lomason, Cat Program Manager at Animal Humane New Mexico.
According to the nonprofit, some of the cats are not from traditional adoption. Many of the feline friends who come through their doors are considered feral. Instead of being adopted into a family home, they are trained to act according to their natural behaviour.
“They have this natural tendency to hunt and catch prey. It’s just genetically built into them. In terms of training, we can never guarantee that a working cat will be that super hunter you want it to be. Sometimes they’re kind of lazy hunters. We don’t know,” Lomason said. Never until they are laid down.”
Lommasson stated that the mere presence of a cat in an area can deter prey. Businesses, warehouses, homeowners, and stables adopt these working cats to get rid of troublesome animals. The trick is to make the cat feel comfortable in her new home.
Getting cats acclimated to their new home is crucial. The process involves giving the cat an enclosed place outside to live. If done correctly, the cat will stay in the area and call it home, rather than wandering around. Most of the time, those who want to adopt will leave with two cats.
Lommasson added, “Especially if a cat is not social with people, we really like to put them with a friend because they need that social outlet somewhere.”
The amount of time it takes to prepare a cat for adoption can vary. As the weather warms, they notice a high demand for working cats with an existing waiting list.
“It provides natural pest control. Poisson and some traps can be really dangerous to other animals, but the poison, in particular, can affect birds of prey like owls and hawks.”
Those who are interested in adopting a working cat can visit the Animal Humane New Mexico website to fill out an application. Part of the rehabilitation process is making sure your home is not too close to major roads and making sure you have adequate shelter and pet food.
