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Working Cats Looking For Jobs Helping With Pest Control

By Dominic Garcia

(CBS4) - The Denver Dumb Friends League is waving adoption fees for some interesting felines, but these are not your everyday family cats. These are called working cats.

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(credit: CBS)

"A working cat is cat that has been given a job," said Joan Thielen with the Denver Dumb Friends League. The cats have temperaments that may not be suited for an indoor lifestyle.

"They can help people who have a barn with pest control. Some companies may use them, big warehouses," said Thielen.

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She says their facility has 10 working cats that are up for adoption. They have all been checked out, spayed and neutered, and gone through a behavior assessment. They launched their working cat adoption program in 2013 and since then have found homes for more than 1,600 cats.

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CBS4's Dominic Garcia interviews Scott Tucker. (credit: CBS)

Scott Tucker, owner of Mother Tucker brewery in Thornton, adopted his cat Blondie more than a year ago to help with the mice and rats on his property. He says since she's been around the rodents have disappeared.

"I've seen no evidence of any mice or rats all winter long, so we're really pleased with he job they're doing," he told CBS4's Dominic Garcia.

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Blondie (credit: Scott Tucker)

He says she mostly keeps to herself and only comes out at night. That said, they're happy to share their space with her.

"We want to make them as comfortable as we can so they'll stay around. So every night we put a bowl of food and water out for them."

For more information on the working cats program visit: https://www.ddfl.org/adoption/adopt-a-working-cat/

Dominic Garcia anchors CBS4 News at 5 p.m. and reports for CBS4 News at 10 p.m. Connect with the Denver native on Twitter @cbs4dom & on Facebook.

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