Looking for a way of keeping down stable vermin?
An animal charity is appealing for yard-owners to consider taking in one of its rescued “farm cats”.
Cambridgeshire-based Wood Green is looking for homes for cats which cannot live in houses and may not appreciate human contact, but would benefit from open spaces in which to roam.
A spokesman said stable yards would be “ideal” for the felines, which would be able to hunt any vermin.
He added: “Not all cats want a lap to curl up on, some of ours are very independent and love the freedom to come and go as they please.
“All you need to give them is regular food, somewhere warm and dry to sleep, human contact if they seek it and veterinary attention if it’s needed.”
The charity said that cats can be effective at keeping rodent numbers down as long as they are fed, as this keeps their energy levels high enough for them to hunt.
“Puffin and Penguin are one pair,” said the spokesman. “They came to us as strays, and are very shy of humans.
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
“Our team have worked wonders and they have grown in confidence but they will never be your typical domestic house cat. Their ideal home would be a rural area where they can roam to their hearts’ content.”
Related articles:
- How to deal with horsefly bites this summer
- Helpless donkey trapped in sewage after falling through tiny hole
- Hovis’ Friday diary: mother suggested more than once my dam might have been a harlot with the morals of an alley cat and no taste
Another cat looking for a stable home is Mitten, who was kept in a small flat and was “so bored and stressed that she over-groomed most of her body and had lost most of her fur when she came to us”.
“We would love to find her a new home with some open land where she can roam and play,” said the spokesman.
All cats are neutered, microchipped and treated for fleas and worms.
Anyone who could offer a home to one or more farm cats, or other animals at the charity’s centres in Heydon, near Royston, Godmanchester or London should call 0300 3039333 or click here.
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.