Pesky mice, moles, voles, rats and insects don’t stand a chance against calculating felines. Find out what local breweries, wineries, warehouses, farms and other businesses already know – how Heritage Humane Society’s special group of carrier cats continues their tradition as Mother Nature’s most cost-effective pest control agents.
What is a carrier cat?
Most people have heard of barn cats. They come with a variety of stories, from stray cats looking for shelter, to a single male cat, or even a pregnant mother who gives birth to kittens and takes up residence there. In the end, barn cats are there to stay, and the barn becomes the closest thing they have to an indoor home where they can feel comfortable without being confined.
Carrier cats are also outdoor cats that are not suited to an indoor life. Many of the cats in Heritage Humane Society’s Carrier Cat Program are under-socialized, meaning they didn’t learn at an early age that humans can be their friends. As a result, they tend to be shy and fearful of people.
Carrier Cat Gifts
Carrier cats, although nervous around humans, have a lot to offer. Instead of endless head scratches and playing with catnip-scented toys, carrier cats prefer to “work” as natural pest controllers. They are most comfortable stalking pests. For businesses, these cats protect facilities and equipment from costly damage. Pests can wreak havoc on structures like walls, insulation, plumbing, and electrical wiring, supplies like food and textiles, landscaping, gardens, and crops. They also protect businesses from diseases and pollution caused by pests.
Career cats are freely adoptable at The Heritage Humane Society in exchange for a second chance at life and the fulfillment of having a “job.” All they ask for is a place to stay protected from the weather, fresh water and food, and veterinary care.
Introducing our current employees
Each year, Heritage Humane Society places many of these workers with area businesses and individuals. Currently, 12 carrier cats are available for adoption. Like the pets available at the shelter, each carrier cat is spayed/neutered, has basic feline vaccinations, is tested for FIV and feline leukemia, is microchipped, and receives flea and tick prevention treatment. Unlike most pets at other shelters, carrier cats have their ears clipped, which indicates they are spayed/neutered.
Career cats currently available for adoption include Tapatio, Creamsicle, Lady Grey, Boo, Barcode, Anderson, Twix, Alex Frank, Hissin, Pino, Stoney and Will Ferrall.
Like everyone else, they each have their own story.
We tend to think of career cats as people who spend 24 hours a day catching mice and who often stay away from people, but each career cat has their own story to tell, and Will Ferrall’s is one of them.
Lisa Lalonde, who discovered Will Ferrall, said the kitten had been living near her family’s home for about three years and had gradually become more socialized over the past six to seven months. Will started out as a stray cat who was scared of the neighborhood. Over time, with regular feeding and patient, repeated interactions, Will began to trust the family, eventually allowing himself to be petted and even interacting with their dog, Chaz. The family recently had to move and had to make the heartbreaking decision not to take Will with them due to allergies. The stubborn guy even ended up in photos of the house they took to list it for sale. Though the family had to say goodbye to Will, they miss him and realize that he had become an integral part of their daily lives.

The Lalondes brought Will to the HHS shelter. Will currently lives in a cat colony room and hopes to find a home where he can live as an indoor-outdoor cat. Despite having lived outdoors his whole life, Will is slowly getting used to people and is approaching them at the shelter. One of Will’s biggest supporters is current HHS Auxiliary Chair Deborah Jane Wells, who visits him regularly as he awaits his next chapter as a career cat.
Adopt a carrier cat or other shelter pet
There are currently about 250 dogs, cats and small animals in the care, and adoptable pets can be met during visitation and adoption hours at The Heritage Humane Society, Tuesday through Sunday from 12-4:30pm.
For more information, visit HeritageHumane.org, call 757-221-0150 or visit The Heritage Humane Society at 430 Waller Mill Road, Williamsburg, VA 23185.
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