We’ve all heard of Cat Ladies, but what about a Barn Cat Lady? People may not think much about barn cats unless they live around them. Often, uneducated people have the attitude to just let them breed as free rodent control. However, what they don’t know is things will certainly get out of control as the cats overpopulate the area. It happens fast, and then what?
What comes next is so hard to deal with that they have to call for help. Suddenly, there are seriously sick, injured, and struggling cats and kittens everywhere. And help is hard to find when rescuers are generally overwhelmed to begin with. It’s why spaying and neutering is a must whether cats are indoors or out.
For one rescuer from central Louisiana, helping barn cats has been a passion for 30 years. Yet, the more cats she helps, the more they appear. This means vet costs are always going through the silo roof and straight up into the sky!
If efforts are ever going to be sustainable, everyone has to change how they look at barn cats and cats in general.
“Tweety and Lucy here have an interesting relationship. They like each other!” shared Barn Cat Lady on Facebook.
Tweety and Lucy the horse via Facebook/Barn Cat Lady
‘Barn Cat Lady’ Keeps Finding More Cats
Rochelle, who goes by ‘Barn Cat Lady,’ works with horses where cats are always around. Even though the equestrian centers spay and neuter them, more always show up. Why? People irresponsibly dump them there.
It’s an endless cycle, putting more strain on the rescuer and the Barn Cat Network she founded. Costs for veterinary care for just one cat can quickly sideline efforts. But then more show up.
Below is one example: four spotted kittens left for her to save. How could anyone say no to them?
“I can’t even, y’all,” she said.
Kittens dumped at the barn via Instagram/Barn Cat Lady
Video via Instagram
And here’s a cute kitty named Maisie. Once again, the cat just showed up. This time, Maisie needed immediate veterinary care for a ‘gnarly ear infection.’ Considering how friendly she was, it seems somebody dumped her because they couldn’t afford the vet bill. But that unfairly puts the burden on others. It’s also illegal to abandon animals, including in Louisiana.
Video via TikTok/barncatlady
Changing How People See Barn Cats
Despite often becoming exhausted financially and otherwise, this heroic rescuer continues to help. But one person can only do so much though. One day, she hopes people will change how they see barn cats.
Each of them should be permanently adopted, spayed, neutered, and given vet care.
“My focus is to get people in agriculture, barns, farms, ranches, or warehouses to stop letting their barn cats breed and to start adopting community cats for their barn cat needs,” Rochelle says.
“Aster the barn cat” via TikTok
Barn Cat Myth
After three decades with barn cats, Rochelle is an expurrt on feline behavior. A common myth she sees is that barn cats need to be kept hungry to repel rodents. However, they’ll hunt for fun and need to be fed daily to stay healthy. It’s the same thing we’ve seen with the Big City cats in Chicago. They will scare off rodents simply by being around and well cared for.
“STOP believing myths & old wives’ tales. If there are no rodents in the barn, they will roam around trying to FIND something to hunt. Forcing them is unnecessary. Try not to let them eat the kills. But that’s why we deworm our colony cats!”
Video via TikTok
Barn Cats Have Complex Colony Behavior
After all this time with felines, Rochelle is a bit like the Jane Goodall of outdoor feline behavior. At her frequent vet visits, they are fascinated when she discusses colony cats’ complex social structure. She knows them all and their specific habits in great detail.
“To be honest, despite humans familiarity with cats, we don’t know that much about them! It fascinates my vet when I explain colony dynamics. And when we spay and neuter colony cats, males will then join the colony while they live outside the colony while intact,” she shared.
Video via Instagram
To see more, follow and support the Barn Cat Lady on Instagram, Facebook, and Tiktok. You can also follow the Barn Cat Network on Facebook and Instagram.
You’ve done an ameowzing job for cats and the community in Louisiana, Rochelle! We think you’re pawesome!
“My cat Buddy and I freezing in the barn.”
Rochelle via The Barn Cat Lady
