Published Feb 10, 2025
When a wildfire blazed out of control in Hawaii, it took the lives of humans and animals alike–including damage to the area’s feral cat population. Thankfully, over 200 cats were rescued from the fires, eventually making it to “purradise” at Lanai Cat Sanctuary.
A difficult start
The cats’ story starts when they were taken in by the local humane society. Although Maui Humane Society rescued the cats from immediate danger, they were left wondering what to do with the cats in their care.
Feral cats are difficult to place. They’re deemed unadoptable due to their distrust of humans. While feral cats can be socialized, it takes time, dedication, and resources that most shelters in the United States simply don’t have. Especially when there are so many friendly, sociable cats looking for homes as well!
A cat for a cat
Luckily, Lanai Cat Sanctuary stepped in to help. They made a deal with the shelter to take in all 220 feral cats in exchange for their own adoptable cats. This allowed the sanctuary to clear space for the ferals, and the shelter to dedicate their resources to cats who could be adopted to the public.
A home in “Purradise”
Some call Lanai Cat Sanctuary “purradise,” as it contains the perfect balance of safety and freedom for feral cats to thrive. The sanctuary houses over 800 cats in outdoor enclosures that allow cats to explore a large outdoor space, but not to free roam unsafely.
They also provide veterinary care, despite the challenges they face due to location. Since there aren’t veterinarians on the island, they fly in a veterinary team once a week to help the cats by offering spay and neuter procedures, other surgeries, and anything else the cats need. The sanctuary also employs vet assistants 7 days a week for round-the-clock care.
Taking in the ferals from the wildfire was a slow process, as the sanctuary had to be sure that the cats didn’t have contagious diseases or pests that they could pass onto the other cats. This is important whether you’re running an 800+ cat sanctuary or bringing a second cat into your home. Diseases like Feline Leukemia Virus can take out entire cat colonies, and fleas are pesky to get rid of once they’ve spread.
When it came to behavior, the cats got on great with the resident cats at the sanctuary, likely aided by the wide open space. They didn’t hide away but quickly adapted to their new home and began to explore.
How you can help
Most sanctuaries have limited resources and Lanai is no exception, but they’ve made a commitment to never turn down a cat from the island for any reason. Still, it’s a big feat to take on over 200 cats at once!
To fund their endeavors, they offer creative opportunities for the cat community to help out. You can sponsor a cat in need on their website, or even “rent” a cat bungalow with your own custom nameplate.
Lanai sanctuary also offers human activities, offering on-site yoga classes, stargazing, and even hosting weddings. With free admission, guests can visit with the cats and take one home.
