48 DECEMBER 2022 By Luke Chatham Not all cats can be domesticated. Some felines, including many feral cats rescued by the Arizona Humane Society (AHS), are simply not suited for life indoors. To help those, AHS created the “Working Cats” program, which is dedicated to helping them find a new way of life while helping the environment through pest control. “This is a great way to save the lives of cats who wouldn’t quite thrive in an indoor environment,” Kelsey Dickerson, spokesperson for the AZ Humane Society, said. While traditional pest control methods rely on poisonous chemicals and inhumane traps, the Working Cats program uses rescued cats to act as “pest control” by searching out bugs and smaller animals in places like bars, barns, warehouses, workshops, greenhouses and sheds where chemicals could affect the location. The cats are taken in pairs to their “jobs” and undergo a training program to get acclimated to their new home. They are cared for by the owner of the location. “It is a great alternative for cats who wouldn’t be quite right for adoption,” Dickerson said. Laura Worthington lives in Dragoon Mountain Ranch in Saint David, about 65 miles southeast of Tucson. She employs Moon, Grayson and Sherman to help with the rodent population. “When we first moved here, we were woken up at night by the sound of rats scurrying around inside the walls. We would find their nests in our vehicles, and various items chewed up and destroyed. We’d set traps for them, but it was ineffective and difficult to deal with,” Worthington said. “A neighbor suggested we hire some working cats to handle the problem.” The trio came to the Humane Society as a group from a previous home. They had likely spent most of their lives living outdoors without much interaction with people. Within days of their arrival to the ranch, the family noticed a decrease in the rodent population – apparently, just the scent of cats deters rodents’ presence. “They are healthy, beautiful cats, who love to live out here, free to come and go as they please. We provide them with a safe and comfortable place to live, outdoor shelter, access to our garage with lots of cat beds,” Worthington said, “we feed them and keep dry food and fresh water available to them at all times, and in return, they handle the rodent population!” The “cats for hire” are not used to being in a home with other people. Some are rescued from traumatizing home situations. AHS places them in adoption to be cared for while also “working.” “They thrive while using their instincts to hunt and be indoors and outdoors, or be in a larger space than what a home environment would provide,” Dickerson said. This natural method of pest control allows businesses that adopt cats to reduce the pest and rodent population in their buildings and surrounding areas and keep it free of chemicals that can affect the animal population. Poisonous pesticides used on rodents and other pests have already made their way up the food chain, affecting animals like coyotes, bobcats and raptors who prey on them. Using the natural hunting skills of cats in the program allows for a more environmentally-friendly method of getting rid of pests in the workplace. The Working Cats program has been around since 2014 and continues to thrive as one of AHS’s best rescue programs. So far this year, the organization has placed 200 cats in business across Arizona, where they work in pest control and get food, water, and shelter as “payment.” “There aren’t many shelters that offer this alternative for kitties to have an outlet that they normally wouldn’t,” Dickerson said. “Being able to have someone care for them, in an environment they’re comfortable with, while also providing a service to our community is a great way to save hundreds of lives that normally wouldn’t be able to be saved.” These furry felines have a chance to live their lives in a way that benefits them and many businesses. And just like working from home has become a new normal for many of us, these cats get to do it every day! azhumane.org ‘Cats for hire’ are the new pest control Nala, one of Arizona Humane Society’s working cats, in their warehouse. Simba works hard keeping the AHS warehouse free of pests. PHOTO COURTESY OF ARIZONA HUMANE SOCIETY T H E XAVIER EFFECT Young Women Always Take Center Stage For More Information Visit xcp.org Dates to Remember! Admissions Placement Exam Sat., Dec.3, 2022 | 7:30 a.m. Sat., Dec.10, 2022 | 7:30 a.m. Registration for exam and application information at xcp.org . 9th Grade applications are due Mon., Jan. 9, 2023 . Affording a Xavier Education Financial Aid Workshops available to interested parents during the Entrance Exam Testing. Sat., Dec.3, 2022 | 7:30 a.m. Sat., Dec.10, 2022 | 7:30 a.m.

5 B E D S I 5 . 5 B AT H S I O F F I C E I D E N I 4 C A R G A R A G E I 1 + A C R E S 1 B E D I 1 B AT H G U E S T C A S I T A $ 6 , 2 5 0 , 0 0 0 N E W L Y C O M P L E T E D P A R A D I S E V A L L E Y H O M E JOSH PETERS 480.788.7556 Josh@StatelyLiving.com www.StatelyLiving.com @joshstately