From Alley Cat to Store Cat

Many times a Store Cat comes to a business as an informally adopted local alley cat; or in case of Powell's Technical Bookstore, the employees found an abandoned cat inside the building they were just moving into.

While adopting your neighborhood alley cat for your place of business is an idea worthy exploring, keep in mind that some cats (feral cats) cannot be domesticated -- and probably won't stay around very long. For those that can be adapted to a retail or office environment, there still remains a challenge of transitioning the cat from outdoor survival to a primarily indoor existence.

Perhaps you can test waters by initially placing a bowl of cat food and water near the front door (not the back alley or near the dumpster; this will be a good way to ascertain if this cat avoids people or likes people) for a while.


Sometimes, though, friendly cats may be lost and announced missing by someone in your area. It is therefore also a good idea to keep an eye out on utility pole posters.