Rescued Farm Cat For Hire To Guard Harvested Crops From Rodents

Alex Lemieux

Nov 2, 2022 7:00 PM EDT

Farms across America are threatened by a myriad of issues. While droughts, supply chain concerns, and rising inflation may present risks to those who grow and harvest food, problems can be smaller and furrier. Fortunately, this is an area where cats with a wilder side can help.

In October, the Richmond Animal Care & Control (RACC) rescued a live-in farm hand from an abandoned local property. Upon his arrival to the shelter, the RACC decided to name him Hungry Hungry Hippo for just how much he was willing to put down in his first few days in the shelter. Yet, Hungry Hungry Hippo is not a semi-aquatic, sub-Saharan pachyderm but a fine-looking feline.

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Although most house cats love human contact, attention paid to them at all hours of the day and night, and stimulation through a wide variety of toys, Hungry Hungry Hippo is much different. Biologically, he may be a domesticated cat, but he is not suitable for life indoors.
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The RACC explains, "this fine feline is lookin' to be a workin' cat." This designation doesn't mean he'll be great at harvesting crops or stacking hay, but he does play a role in their protection.
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Barn cats thrive as guardians of picked produce and mechanical equipment. In most rural farmland settings, rodents are an issue that can damage packaged food supplies destined to be sent to markets and destroy equipment when wires are chewed through. Every year, rodents are responsible for millions of dollars worth of economic losses, and barn cats are an easy way to defend the food supply chain.
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Hungry Hungry Hippo will enjoy minimal human contact. While he may let you sneak in a pet or two, he's much more focused on policing properties for rodents and other harmful pests.
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via iCanHasCheezburger

Luckily, a dedicated guard cat comes at the small price of food, water, and a dry place to get some rest when it's too rainy to catch rodents. The RACC is waiving the adoption fee for Hungry Hungry Hippo so he can get to work with the business of being a wild cat.