Rodent Rangers
to the Rescue!
Got Mice?
FieldHaven Feline Center’s Rodent Rangers (Barn Cat) Program can help to match you up with the right cat to take care of those pesky little problems for you! They provide organic exterior pest control in exchange for safe living and working environments.
The Perks of Rodent Rangers
Perk #1
Rodent Rangers are an environmentally-safe solution to your mouse, mole, and barn vermin problems.
Perk #2
You will save a life by providing an otherwise “unadoptable” cat a second chance at life.
Perk #3
All Rodent Rangers are spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and have received a general health exam.
How the Program Works
Rodent Rangers are perfect for residential barns and ranches, commercial buildings and properties, wineries, agricultural properties, and more. Just give us a call and we’ll help you decide if a Rodent Ranger is the right solution for you.
You must be able to provide a safe environment with shelter, food, and water and be willing to “imprint” the cat(s) for six to eight weeks before releasing them. Next, you submit a Rodent Ranger application form.
You will be contacted by the Rodent Ranger Program Coordinator to discuss your needs and possible solutions. We may or may not have the cats within our shelter. As a community service, FieldHaven networks with area shelters to locate available Rodent Rangers and find the right match for your needs. A donation of $25 per Rodent Ranger is greatly appreciated. Please note there may be an additional adoption fee from the shelter you adopt your cat(s) from.
The Rodent Ranger Program Coordinator will work with you and the source shelter to ensure a smooth transition for both you and your Rodent Rangers. Cages are available for loan if you don’t have a secure area for imprinting.
Have more questions? View our Rodent Ranger Frequently Asked Questions below.
Types of Rodent Rangers
Lone Ranger
This Ranger is the shy type that thinks you might not be all bad, but they’re just not quite sure. They will keep a safe distance, but every now and then, you might have the honor of petting them on the head. They are, after all, extremely serious about their work.
Raging Bull
You might catch a glimpse of these kids when you go out for a late-night barn check. During the day, you may spot them snoozing high up in the hay barn or in a secluded sunny spot. These feline employees don’t waste time socializing and are storing energy for the night shift.
Already Have Barn Cats Breeding Out of Control?
If you have existing unaltered barn cats, our Trap, Neuter, and Return (TNR) Program can assist you with trapping, altering, vaccinating and maintaining the colony you have, as well as providing financial assistance through our Spay/Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP).
Rodent Rangers FAQs
Q. Where do barn cats come from?
Answer: Most barn cats are strays that have been abandoned, unadoptable cats scheduled to be euthanized at a shelter, or feral cats that need to be relocated from a Trap, Neuter, Return (TNR) project due to dangerous conditions where they are living.
Q. Why do I have to feed my Rodent Rangers? Can't they just eat rodents?
Answer: Cats don’t eat every member of your rodent population: it’s the presence of cats that keep the rodents at bay. The cats need to be fed and watered well to keep them in prime shape for hunting and chasing. Mousing becomes entertainment and sport for healthy fed cats. If not fed, they will generally only mouse when hungry and not to be as energetic. Feeding also encourages them to stay on your property – it becomes their territory!
Q. What is imprinting?
Answer: Relocating an outside cat requires some commitment. Imprinting helps ensure your Rodent Ranger will stay on your property doing his job. The imprinting process consists of confining them for six to eight weeks in a barn, shed, garage, cage, etc. where you will be feeding them. This allows them to not only get acclimated to their new location, but to learn they will always be provided with food, water, and shelter once they are released as well.
Q. What if I already have barn cats breeding out of control?
Answer: Our Trap, Neuter, and Return (TNR) Program can assist you with trapping, altering, vaccinating, and maintaining the colony you have, in addition to providing financial assistance through our Spay/Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP).
Q. What kind of shelter do I need to provide?
Answer: Your Rodent Ranger will require a place where he is protected from the weather, provided with a safe escape from predators (such as a barn, shed, out-building, or under a deck), and has access to dry food.
Q. What is considered a predator?
Answer: A predator is any animal that preys on and/or could harm your cat, such as a coyote or dog.
Rodent Rangers Resources
About 2nd Chance Ranch
Opened in October 2017, the 2nd Chance Ranch is currently our Trap, Neuter, Return (TNR) and feral cat holding facility. Originally designed to temporarily house semi-feral and feral cats awaiting jobs as Rodent Rangers in barns, 2nd Chance Ranch is now the hub for our TNR programs. If at all possible, we no longer remove feral cats from their locations/colonies and perform TNR on them instead.
Camp Joe Willie
Camp Joe Willie (named in memory of Mark M. Glickman’s beloved tuxedo cat) is home to about twenty “sanctuary cats.” These are cats who cannot be returned to their community or colony for various reasons and are not suited to be housecats. They are technically adoptable, but most live out their life here. Each group of five to seven cats has a cozy indoor area attached to a large “catio” with lots of greenery, climbing structures, and dirt to starch and roll in. Volunteers care for and provide enrichment. Barry is a volunteer who has a special chicken recipe that he cooks up then gives as a special treat to the camp residents.
Meet the Residents of Camp Joe Willie
Thank you to Mark M. Glickman and Camp Joe Willie for giving these cats a place to live.
Buck's Barn
Buck’s Barn (named in memory of long-time volunteer Buck Ewing) also doubles as a resource center for people who manage feral colonies, offering traps, cages, and all the necessary equipment, as well as temporary housing during TNR projects. We also tend to cats in need of medical attention before returning to the colony.
