Philadelphia and the surrounding area has a deeply rooted horticultural history and is one of the most extraordinary places in the country and the world for amazing gardens and arboretums. Home of the fabulous Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) and annual PHS Flower Show along with many display and historical gardens, the region is quite rightly considered the Garden Capital of America.
Our area also has a long equestrian and farming tradition with many public and private riding stables and working farms.
Throughout time, the incomparable, sublime beauty of cats in the garden setting has inspired and charmed gardeners, artists and cat lovers alike.
Cats also provide a natural, invaluable monitoring of moles, voles and field mice in gardens, barns and stables.
We strongly advocate natural, organic gardening and farming methods for both humane and environmental reasons. Many cats die needlessly from chemical herbicides, pesticides and poisons. In a sad turn of events, a chemically poisoned mouse can also poison the cat who catches him.
ADOPT A BARN OR GARDEN CAT! We have many wonderful cats are unsuited as indoor pets but purrfect for controlling the mice in the barn/stable/garden for compassionate adopters. Our cats are completely vetted, in good health and adapt very nicely to country life and horses after a hard life on the mean streets!
Spring / Early Summer / Fall are the ideal time for placing barn cats during more temperate weather to settle into their new homes as the cats must be crated 6-8 weeks to bond to their new surroundings. Placement during the dead of summer / winter will be considered if cooling/heating sources are available during acclimation.
Barns/stables/sheds must be located at least 500 feet off roadways. Cats are placed based on the size of the area to be moused & number of existing barn cats. Existing barn cats must be fixed or we can help you with this.
Our Barn Cats are:
- spayed or neutered and left ear-tipped
- tested negative for leukemia and aids
- vaccinated for rabies, panleukopenia (distemper), rhinotracheitis, calicivirus
- treated for fleas, ticks, mites, & worms
There is a small adoption fee and donations are gratefully appreciated to continue our life saving mission!!!
Local Celebrity Garden Cats
Longwood Gardens, Chester County
One of the world’s premier display gardens, Longwood Gardens. Longwood has many working cats who patrol the gardens as part of their Integrated Pest Management to maintain vigorous rodent control in return for food, shelter, and medical care. All cats were stray or feral cats and each cat has an assigned area of the garden and a human caretaker. The cats’ primary job is on the Rodent Control Task Force, but they also work as greeters, work supervisors and highly skilled catmint pruners in exchange for food, shelter and a health care plan. The cats all receive annual vet care and vaccinations.
Longwood Gardens – Purr-fect Partners
Bartram’s Gardens, Philadelphia, PA
Beautiful Bartram’s Gardens is a true jewel on the banks of the Schuylkill River in Southwest Philadelphia, one of only a handful of identified prehistoric locations in Philadelphia. Settled in 1648, it is also home to beautiful gardens and several resident cats who resolutely mouse the gardens. Working with Bartrams’ head gardener, PCCC undertook a TNRM project in 2006 to humanely reduce the population of cats.
Favorite links for garden cats:
Cats in Gardens Blogspot
Pinterest – Cats in Gardens
Pinterest – Cats in Gardens
Great Pictures of Cats
Books
Cats in Their Gardens
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DETERRING CATS FROM GARDENS & YARDS
While there are tremendous benefits of the cat’s mousing skills in the farm and garden setting, there are also HUMANE methods to keep kitty out of particular garden beds or off properties altogether.
*Always check with neighbors and local vet offices, shelters and rescues to see if the cat is a missing pet who can be reunited with his/her family. You can check out our Lost/Found Cat Link for additional information.
If a neighbor is feeding cats who are not fixed, please contact your local no-kill cat rescue for assistance. Local rescues can be found using zipcode through Petfinder.com or check with your local vet office and rescues at petstore adoption centers.
As cats are creatures of habit, consistent and repetitive use of HUMANE deterrents is very effective in creating an aversion for the cat to that particular garden or yard and they will soon go elsewhere. A quick squirt with the hose a few times works wonders!
*IT IS AGAINST PA STATE LAW TRAP CATS OR WILDLIFE AND RELOCATE ELSEWHERE.
There’s tons of great links on the internet on methods to deter cats, here are some of the most popular, the activated sprinkler seems to work like a charm:
Alley Cat Allies Alley Cat Allies – How to Deter Cats PDF – PDF brochure and Neighborhood Cats How to Keep Cats Out of Gardens and Yards -excellent info on humane deterrent methods such as:
• Motion activated sprinklers
• Ultrasonic Devices
• Scent Repellants
• Physical Barriers
• Outdoor Litterbox
additional links:
DIY Cat Deterrents
How to Deter Cats
Cat Repellants
