Lana’i Cat Sanctuary
Are you a cat lover? Does lounging around with 100s of cats sound fun? Do you lovingly call yourself a Crazy Cat Lady, Crazy Cat Guy, or celebrate Caturday each week? Then this might be the end of summer vacation destination for you!
Lana’i Cat Sanctuary is located on the 3rd smallest Hawaiian island, Lana’i. One of Hawaii’s more remote islands, Lana’i has no stop signs, one school that serves kindergarten age children through 12th grade and is also known as the Pineapple Island for its historical island-wide Pineapple plantation. So you can imagine why this is the perfect site for a cat sanctuary.
Dedicated to the conservation of endangered birds on the island, and in an attempt to tackle the growing stray cat population, the sanctuary was started back in 2004. A small group of cat lovers, led by founder Kathy Carroll, started sterilizing and giving a home to street cats in the absence of animal shelters or veterinarians. They housed the cats in a horse stable back then and by 2009 they were established as a nonprofit charity organization and moved to their current site. Their mission of protecting cats and endangered birds still drives their activism today. They capture strays that have made their way to protected bird habitats and give them a place to live happily and with a hope of being adopted into a loving family and Forever Home.
Funding for the organization comes from like-minded vacationers who visit the sanctuary and support its mission. All the cats at the sanctuary are adoptable and adoption is completely free. They let their kitties go to homes on the island, on other islands, and even other states. The ultimate in vacation souvenirs!
If you’re interested in supporting, there are several ways to help. You can donate, send them items from their wish list, or even sponsor a cat from afar. The Cat Sanctuary site is a great place to see pictures of the birds they strive to protect and, of course, all the cute kitties.
The only way to get to the Cat Sanctuary is by taking the second dirt road past the airport, then when you see the big rock, make a turn. If planning a visit is starting to sound complicated you can always visit their Facebook and Instagram instead.
