Whatâs better than vacationing in paradise? Paying a visit to purr-adise at Hawaiiâs âFur Seasonsâ resort, as the Lanai Cat Sanctuary is affectionately called. As People reports, the nonprofit sanctuary provides shelter to about 620 stray cats on the small island of Lanai. (And yes, you can visit, play with, and even adopt any of the adorable residents.)
The felines live on a piece of outdoor, fenced-in property thatâs roughly half the size of a football field. They have cubby holes, baskets, and other structures to climb in and on, and according to executive director Keoni Vaughn, they have plenty of space to sprawl out.
âThe average person whoâs not a crazy cat person thinks, âOh my God, [the sanctuary] has got to be gross and stink'âbut itâs the absolute opposite,â Vaughn tells Mental Floss. âThe two compliments we get the most are: A) It doesnât smell, and B) It doesnât feel like 600 cats.â
Expansions are currently underway, and the sanctuary will someday have the capacity to hold up to 1200 cats at once.
The sanctuary was founded by former nutritionist Kathy Carroll, who set out to tackle the islandâs feral cat problem. She began by capturing, neutering, and releasing the cats. However, those plans changed when she learned about the plight of the islandâs endangered birds, which are hunted by wild cats. As a win-win solution, she established a sanctuary where the cats would be happy, and the birds (including the âUaâu, or Hawaiian petrel) would be out of harmâs way.
The sanctuary was formally established as a charity in 2009 and now receives about 200 new cats per year (roughly 50 of which are adopted annually). The center also receives about 12,000 visitors each year, which is âalmost four times the human populationâ of Lanai, Vaughn says.
Although most of the cats are feral, about 40 percent of them become socialized, thanks to the steady stream of visitors. When the sanctuary opens its front gate to visitors at 10 a.m. each day, about 40 cats line up to compete for human affection. âItâs like they report to work. Theyâre conditioned,â Vaughn says. âWhen the first guests come, theyâre meowing and everything because they know theyâre going to get treats.â
Although the sanctuary is free to visit, the staff appreciates donations. This goes toward microchipping, spaying, and neutering the cats, as well as flying in a veterinarian from Oahu twice per month. Cat lovers can also support the sanctuary by âsponsoringâ a cat, which means theyâll receive monthly updates and photos of one of Lanaiâs kitties in exchange for making a monetary donation.
Scroll down to see more pictures of the sanctuary, and for more information about how you can help, check out the organization's website .
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