“With Cats, some say, one rule is true:
Don’t speak till you are spoken to.
Myself, I do not hold with that —
I say, you should ad-dress a Cat.
But always keep in mind that he
Resents familiarity.
I bow, and taking off my hat,
Ad-dress him in this form: O Cat!’
– Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot
There’s a lot of cool cats in the world, and many of them are looking for a place to rest their paws. Right now it’s kitten season, which means pretty much every cat that can is giving birth to eight or more cats. I guess it’s an abundance of riches, but all these fluffy new friends need a loving home. That’s where Cat House on the Kings comes in.
Why the Cat House is Deserving of Support
Located in Parlier, Cat House on the Kings is California’s largest no-kill lifetime sanctuary and adoption facility for felines. Their noble goal is to find a happy home for all of these homeless kitties and, while they’re at it, help control the pet population by spaying and neutering.
Over 700 cats roam the property, inside and out. (Additionally there is a Cat House on the Kings adoption center at the Petco on Ashlan and Blackstone avenues in Fresno.) Excitingly, twice a year, the Cat House opens its doors to visitors, and on Saturday, May 6, you can visit and take a guided tour of the 12 acres that make up the sanctuary.
Since Cat House is a non-profit organization, admission to this Open House is donation based. This means you can write a check or bring canned cat food, dry cat food, paper towels, pine cleaner, bleach or even kitty litter as your admission. How many events can you say you got into because you were carrying a gallon of kitty litter?
Additionally, this year the sanctuary is celebrating its 25th anniversary. During the Open House you can enjoy a DJ, a silent auction, quilt raffle and free refreshments — but let’s not kid ourselves, the highlight is the acres of cats and kittens. Thanks to founder Lynea Lattanzio, the Cat House has rescued over 24,000 cats and 7,000 dogs, but the kittens keep coming, so they could really use your help.
My Experience with Cat House
I’ll admit I’m a cat person. What can I say, I like to be ignored and glared at for no reason. I also hate going for walks, so I need a pet in my life that sleeps all day. I personally have adopted a cat from the Cat House on the Kings. It’s a fairly simple process: I looked online for a cat I loved (requirement: pretty and NOT a kitten) and filled out an application form. It took a few days but I was approved. Then, I hiked over to the Petco adoption location to meet “Candy” (I changed her name to Ghost Cat, you’re welcome, world). I’ll be honest, Candy wasn’t especially excited to see me. Finally, I took her home, and she promptly hid in my closet for six months (get it? GHOST cat?!).
This might be a problem for some, but she was exactly what I wanted. Eventually she stopped being completely crazy and now walks around the house from time to time. She even sleeps next to me, and sometimes her whiskers go up my nose. It’s a thrilling way to wake up at 3 a.m. I also enjoy it when she sits on my keyboard when I’m trying to write. Basically she’s my type of cat, but I’ve met quite a few cats and they aren’t all mellow and shy.
The beauty of adopting a pet is that you can find the right pet for your lifestyle. As a bonus, all the cats adopted are already spayed/neutered, microchipped, and up on their shots, so it can actually be cheaper to adopt. The staff is also very helpful, especially when you take home a nervous rescue like I did. It was comforting to have an expert to call when I thought my cat would never, ever leave the closet. So, whether you want a friendly cat or a cat that likes to visit you on Leap Year only, you can probably find it through The Cat House on the Kings. I mean, there are 12 ACRES of cats.
What if you hate cats, you ask? Good news! A donation to the Cat House will help curtail that pet population. As I said, they’re very committed to spaying and neutering. So if you want to see fewer cats roaming around, send them your money!
Do you wish you had a cat but you’re allergic or something? The Cat House also has cat sponsorships available. It’s a great chance to help a feline in need without having to stock up on Benadryl.
Open House Details
Lattanzio and her staff have created a fabulous place for these felines (and sometimes their doggie friends). It’s definitely worth a visit because chances are, you won’t get to see that many kittens in one location anywhere else.
When: Saturday, May 6, 10 a.m.- 2 p.m.
Where: The Cat House on the Kings, 7120 S. Kings River Road, Parlier, CA
Additional Information: Raffle tickets are $1 each and the prize is an amethyst and citrine ring appraised at $1,300. To purchase tickets, send check or money order to the address above or call the office at (559) 638-0030 to purchase by credit card ($20 minimum).
• The Cat House Open House has a Facebook Event page here.
• Animals available for adoption are found here (you must fill out an application before you can adopt).
• Make a tax-deductible donation to the Cat House or sponsor a cat here.
• Check out this great video from Nat Geo Wild about Lynea Lattanzio and the Cat House:
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