A retrospective study was conducted to investigate outcomes for barn cat adoptions between 2010 and 2013 at two rural New York shelters: Lollypop Farms - Humane Society of Greater Rochester (LPF) and the SPCA of Tompkins County (TC). An online branching survey of nine to eleven questions was designed and distributed among 62 households (HH) which adopted 106 barn cats (number of questions differed based on whether the cat was present or not at time of survey). At the time of the survey, 75% of cats were on the property; 87% of households used some sort of introduction protocol. Households were asked to classify the temperament of adopted cats into three categories (feral, aloof, friendly): 25 cats were described as feral, 36 as aloof, and 45 cats were described as friendly. Retention rates per temperament group were analyzed: at the time of the survey 81% of aloof cats (P < 0.0001) and over 90% of friendly cats (p < 0.0001) were still present on the property, as compared to 44% of feral cats. The relative risk of a feral barn cat being missing or dead at the time of the survey was 2 times greater than aloof barn cats and 8.3 times greater than friendly barn cats. Friendly and aloof cats had a much higher risk of moving (or trying) to move into the house. Of the 44% of feral cats still at their barn placement, none were living in the home; however 42% of friendly cats were spending all or some of their time in the house. While use of introductory protocols was not statistically linked to greater rates of retention, socialization status of the cats did appear significant. The utilization of introductory protocols is likely useful for some cats. Areas for further research include barn cat outcomes on a large scale, the relationship between shelter-reported and adopter-related temperament assessments, and the impact of introductory protocols on retention.