WSET.com - ABC13Mousing in Exchange for Room & Board

Reporter: David Tate

Roanoke, VA - One local rescue group is having a tough time placing cats that aren't used to being around people.

Barn Cat Buddies's mission is helping feral cats live good lives. But because it's so hard to find them new homes, those cats are most often euthanized.

The pitch is simple:

"Well, if they could write their own ad they would say, "Will work in exchange for room and board," said Dianne Novak, founder of Barn Cat Buddies.

Novak says the trade off is well worth it.

"Mousing comes naturally, it's green, it's non toxic. It's a great win/win for farms, a marina, a warehouse... even people who may have a mouse problem in their garage or shed. It works for any facility," she said.

Any facility is the key. These cats are considered feral, which usually means a death sentence once caught. That's the motivation to find people like Lois Slotnick, who has a century old barn filled with mice and no kitties around to keep them in check.

"Rastas and Oscar. As soon as they are comfortable, we'll take care of them and hopefully they will stick around and they will be a part of our Barn Cat Buddy family," said Lois.

It's more people like Lois and her husband Gerry that Novack is looking to find. There is no shortage of cats out there that need a home. Barn Cat Buddies saved 204 last year alone with a good start to 2012 underway.

"They're happy, we're happy. I love to see them run around and chase mice and romp around with each other. So we're going to look forward to a lot of happy times," said Lois.

If you think you could provide a fit for some of these cats, the people at Barn Cat Buddies would like to hear from you.

The process is a bit more involved than just getting cats let loose on your property. Check out Barn Cat Buddies website if you're interested.