The Calvert County Animal Shelter is highlighting 13 adoptable animals that have been at the facility for more than six months. All 13 long-term residents are cats.
Many of these cats are working cats prepared to serve as natural rodent control in barns, warehouses, or workshops. Others await the right family setting that will give them a permanent chance. Shelter officials note that the cats may not always be the first ones noticed by visitors, yet each one deserves a place to belong.
The shelter encourages anyone who has considered giving a cat a second chance or adding a hardworking helper to their property to consider adoption now. Potential adopters can view the available cats online at www.calvertcountyanimalshelter.com/Cats or explore working-cat options at www.calvertcountyanimalshelter.com/WorkingCats.
The Linda L. Kelley Animal Shelter operates the county’s official Working Cat Program for under-socialized outdoor cats not suited to typical indoor homes. According to the program, a working cat is an under-socialized outdoor cat that can provide natural rodent control on a property.
Working cats deliver eco-friendly, non-toxic pest control, making them an ideal choice for properties with barns or sheds, farms, warehouses, retail stores, body shops, car dealerships, stables, greenhouses, nurseries, vineyards, distilleries, scrap yards, large garages or similar structures.
Adoption through the program follows a clear process. Interested residents must complete the Working Cat Adoption Application or Questionnaire Form and provide proof of residency or landlord approval if renting. Shelter staff review the application and use tools such as Google Maps to confirm the location is suitable. Once approved, the staff matches the adopter with an appropriate cat.
The $20 adoption fee helps cover supplies and medical costs. All cats in the program are altered, ear-tipped, tested for feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus, vaccinated for rabies and distemper, microchipped, and dewormed. Adopters receive guidance on the required three- to four-week acclimation period, during which the cat stays in a secure crate with a hidey box, litter box, blanket, food, and water dishes at the new location.
During acclimation, the cat learns the sights, sounds, and smells of its new home and establishes feeding grounds. The shelter stresses that premature release can cause the cat to return to its original location. Adopters must also obtain a county license through Animal Control, provide routine veterinary care, flea preventatives, food, and water twice daily, and a secure shelter.
The shelter’s mission is to provide compassionate care and responsibly rehome animals, including those not suited for standard adoption. Officials hope the focus on these long-term residents will help connect the cats with caring owners and free up space for other animals in need.
Residents can contact Volunteer and Rescue Coordinator Jamie Hash by email at Jamie.Hash@calvertcountymd.gov or by phone at 410-535-7387 for more information. The shelter is located at 5055 Hallowing Point Road in Prince Frederick. Hours are Monday for reclaim and surrender only from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and closed Sunday. Holiday hours may vary.
