INC’s Working Cat Program
Relocating community cats to safe outdoor environments requires seamless teamwork across the entire city. When outdoor cats cannot safely remain in their original locations, our Working Cat Program provides them with fixed, vaccinated, and purposeful lives as working barn cats—a mission made possible through strong community partnerships.
Three Separate Stories, Three Positive Outcomes
The best way for you to understand our Working Cat Program is for us to just show you. So, in that spirit, let’s talk about three amazing outcomes for some very special community cats who wouldn’t have had this opportunity without compassion and cooperation.
1. Cross-Agency Collaboration for Barn Cat Placements
Relocating outdoor cats is a complex project, but working together multiplies our impact. In a this particular barn relocation, six cats representing three different animal welfare organizations—Indy Neighborhood Cats, IndyHumane, and FACE Low-Cost Animal Clinic—were placed together at a new farm site.
This project showcased true inter-agency collaboration: INC took in two undersocialized kittens from IndyHumane for working placement, and in return, IndyHumane welcomed five adoptable kittens who needed traditional forever homes. Representatives from Indiana Humane Services also joined to observe the relocation process. Thanks to the expertise and hard work of everyone involved, all six cats landed in a fantastic new home.
2. From Sanctuary to Barn Freedom: The “Cattens”
A group of three bonded teenage siblings, affectionately known as the “Cattens,” spent time hanging out in IndyHumane’s feral enclosure while awaiting their working placement.
The bonded trio was transported to their new permanent home with Mary Jo. In their new setup, these three siblings get all the freedom of an amazing barn paired with all the human care, interaction, and love they could want.
3. A Multi-Agency Rescue Mission
Relocating unsocialized cats requires extreme care to minimize stress. When Every Dog Counts Rescue needed to relocate their remaining feral cats after their sanctuary property was put up for sale, INC stepped in. Because these five cats (Mufasa, Joey, Roxy, Bitsy, and Flash) relied on each other for comfort, keeping them together as a bonded group was top priority.
INC matched the crew with a farm on the Illinois border offering a safe, temperature-controlled environment. To prepare them for the journey without causing extra stress, a multi-organization team sprang into action on a rainy summer day:
Veterinary Care: Dr. Leslie Brooks from SOAR (Street Outreach Animal Response) came out in the rain to administer vaccinations before their trip.
Expert Trapping: INC trappers joined forces with a trapper from FACE, safely trapping and vaccinating all five cats in under 40 minutes.
Transport & Logistics: Friends of Indianapolis Dogs Outside (FIDO) provided the transport van and ride to the farm.
Transitional Housing: INC also worked on-location to move a large cat enclosure onto the SOAR property to give safe haven to street cats in transition.
Today, Mufasa, Joey, Roxy, Bitsy, and Flash are living their best lives on the farm alongside new animal friends.
No One Organization Can Do It Alone
When rescue groups, veterinary partners, logistics providers, and dedicated caretakers come together, there is nothing we cannot accomplish for our community cats. Thank you to everyone who continues to collaborate with us to turn challenging relocations into happy endings!
Quick Links
Working Cat Links
INC Contact Info
- 317.386.6916
- info@indyneighborhoodcats.org