Community Chat

[Lovingq]

LANAI CITY, HAWAII Lanai Cat Sanctuary The island of Lanai in Hawaii is a paradise for cats and cat lovers. 

The island of Lanai is tiny: The population hovers around a little over 3,000 people, mostly staffing the island’s Four Seasons resort. However amid the Hawaiian island’s turquoise waters and endless green foliage, hundreds of cats live in their own secluded paradise at the “Fur Seasons,” a sprawling sanctuary for the island’s feral cats. 

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The Lanai Cat Sanctuary is home to some 500 furry felines, who happily roam and play on 25,000 square feet of land on one of the most remote islands in the United States.

The cat paradise was created in 2009 to rescue the island’s cats that were being hunted due to overpopulation. It now opens its doors to thousands of cat lovers a year, some of whom travel to the island just to visit the “Hawaiian Lions,” as they are lovingly known. 

Lanai became overpopulated with cats after the animals were first brought to Hawaii more than a century ago on whaling boats. Strays were crawling all over the island, begging for food from residents and tourists. Viewing them as pests, residents took to trapping and killing the cats. So a volunteer program was started to catch the feral felines, neuter them, and release them back to the wild. But when it was discovered the cats were also endangering the native ‘Ua’u birds, a shelter was created to rescue the island’s cats and protect its birds at the same time.  

Upon entering the eternally sunny sanctuary visitors will hear happy mews as they become the center of attention for a few Lanai kitties looking for love. Each of the cats is also available for adoption. The site lies on a plot of land with fresh running water but not much else. There is no electricity or plumbing. The sanctuary runs entirely off of donations from tourists, money the organization has been trying to put toward expanding the sanctuary and establishing a medical system for the feline residents. Lanai is so small and remote, there are few if any veterinarians on the island.

Know Before You Go

The sanctuary is near the Lanai airport and can be accessed from a couple dirt roads. After passing the airport, take the second dirt road on the left. There should be a rock denoting a highway labeled "Kaunolu." Turn left and look for a gate on the right. Visitors are welcomed to the tiny paradise from 10 am to 3pm.

source: http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/lanai-cat-sanctuary?utm_source=Atlas+Obscura+Daily+Newsletter&utm...

[Kachina624]

Looks as though they have an extensive selection of potential adoptees. 

[Lovingq]

Regarding our ever changing cat family.....a feral passed away last year, one that we had been feeding for about 7 years so that was very sad for us.  But, we have another to take his place as a neighbor at the other end of the street moved and abandoned his precious cat.  The cat was already familiar with our house and would periodically sleep in our converted garage during the hot searing summer and then go back home at night.  He's here with us every day now.  So cute and gets along with the other animals.  We put a cat condo in the converted garage and two love sleeping on it. Two others live in the house and also have a cat condo.  They are not allowed in the garage or outside.  That 2nd cat in the garage was also abandoned and found us and while he does like to come into our house, really loves that converted garage for serious sleeping,  

[Annabellethecat66]

@Lovingq I had to get out of this quickly.  I do not, repeat do not want my furbaby/son Bill to see this.  He'd have his bags packed and his Dad's Hawaiian T-Shirt on.

[Spurt]

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@Moretofollow wrote:

Regarding our ever changing cat family.....a feral passed away last year, one that we had been feeding for about 7 years so that was very sad for us.  But, we have another to take his place as a neighbor at the other end of the street moved and abandoned his precious cat.  The cat was already familiar with our house and would periodically sleep in our converted garage during the hot searing summer and then go back home at night.  He's here with us every day now.  So cute and gets along with the other animals.  We put a cat condo in the converted garage and two love sleeping on it. Two others live in the house and also have a cat condo.  They are not allowed in the garage or outside.  That 2nd cat in the garage was also abandoned and found us and while he does like to come into our house, really loves that converted garage for serious sleeping,  

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@Lovingq

Thank you for having a kind heart for kitties and especially for that poor abandoned kitty........hugs to you!

[Spurt]

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@Annabellethecat66 wrote:

@Lovingq I had to get out of this quickly.  I do not, repeat do not want my furbaby/son Bill to see this.  He'd have his bags packed and his Dad's Hawaiian T-Shirt on.

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@Annabellethecat66

LOL!!! I think at least one of my kitties would pack their bags too   Although my other cat is a bit shy and likes her air conditioning too.....

[Annabellethecat66]

@Spurt Let me tell you about my cat (other cat) Katie.  She's insane, cat style.  She won't let me come near her ..... except when I laying down in my bed...then she comes and goes crazy to be petted!  She does flips you should see her!  My family have never even seen her.  It's been over 3 years since she's been here.  She loves Bill to death, but me, not so much.  I have to toss the food to her because if I come near, she runs away.

Supposedly they are brother and sister, but I don't believe it (totally different in color, etc).  They came from the same adoptive parents though.  My friend (who helped me adopt her) says no one else would put up with having her because she's so weird.  I accept her the way she is put it does hurt my feelings.  I need to take her in for a check up.  My friend says she'll keep her at the Vet's overnight if I can catch her.  I think she'd have a real heart attack at the Vets if left alone.  I can never do that.  I tried to catch her one morning and dove for her and landed flat on my face two times!  I gave up!

He's just the opposite.  He sits on my chest to love me.

Anyway, anyone who has cats we all know they 'bless' us with their presence.   Ha!  I think that's why some people don't like cats, because they are so independent.

[Spurt]

@Annabellethecat66

Awww......poor Katie......I'm glad she found an understanding couple that puts up with her idiosyncrasies.......you and your husband have kind hearts to make do with her unique personality.  It sounds like she's very insecure.  That's cute that she does flips....It does hurt ones feelings when they are too scared to reciprocate the love you give her.  

I have a cat much like that, Puddy......Her mom was the community feral cat that everyone fed and took care of .....but she was a very fearful and you couldn't get near her......Puddy was abandoned by her mom after she was weaned.....a neighbor mentioned she was going to bring the kitten in, but she never did and the neighbor moved away. Puddy hung around but a new neighbor was really mean to her and would throw things at her and schoo her away......when I saw him try to kick her I took Puddy in and took her to the vet where she got her shots, a flea bath, and was spayed.......but from her experiences she is very shy. When I pick her up she just collapses like a rag doll. She likes me and will sit on the couch with me and go outside on my fenced in patio and sit in the sun......She is a bit like your Katie because she meows when its time for me to go to bed.....and loves to be petted in bed......My other cat, Figaro, doesn't like her much and sometimes chases her and prevents her from going outside..... Puddy is very scared of strangers and will go hide in the bedroom or if she hears a loud noise (garbage trucks, landscapers for the yard etc.........  Figarao was also a rescue, but she's a diva, she hisses at people that come over that she doesn't know well.... but she is always on her best behavior when she goes to the vet----they think she's an angel--LOL!!!

I hope you catch Katie to take her for her checkup.........

Cats are independent but they also have very different personalities....Ive had some that were real people pleasers and very much want to sit in everyone's lap, I've had others that were dog like and growled if someone knocked at the door, some liked to fetch and play, others more passive....You are right, regardless of their personality, they are a blessing ......

[ROMARY]

'Would be nice' if enough funds could be raised to have a few part-time veterinarians on the island.  Or part-time volunteer vets. ............. Wonderful sanctuary, btw.  Warms my heart, and it looks as though they get along quite well.  

[Bridgegal]

I'm pretty sure our 2 would stick around here, although the sanctuary looks great.   Their human daddy feeds them almost every time they meow or sit and stare at him.  They wouldn't get that there.