Frequently Asked Questions

A cat sanctuary is a safe, loving environment where cats—especially those who are stray, abandoned, abused, or have special needs—can live without fear of harm or neglect. At Happy Cat Sanctuary, we provide lifelong care for cats who may not be easily adoptable due to age, health issues, or past trauma. Our sanctuary offers medical care, nutritious food, enrichment, and plenty of affection, ensuring every cat has a chance to live a happy and peaceful life.

Before the tragic fire, there were approximately 500 cats at the sanctuary. Our founder, Chris, has always had an enormous heart and a deep love for animals in need, which led to taking in more cats than most could manage. Unfortunately, over 120 cats perished in the fire—a heartbreaking loss for all of us. We recognize that caring for such a large number of animals is extremely challenging, and going forward, we are committed to limiting the number of cats to a level that ensures the highest quality of care and safety for every animal in our sanctuary.

After the fire, 353 cats were rescued from the sanctuary. In an incredibly difficult and chaotic situation, there was no time to keep all the cats in one place—space was limited, and safety was the top priority. Each rescued cat received updated medical care, vaccinations, and microchipping before being placed with trusted partner rescues to ensure they continued receiving the care they needed. Sadly, 22 cats had to be humanely euthanized due to severe injuries or trauma from the fire. While every loss is heartbreaking, this was a small percentage, and we are incredibly grateful to everyone who helped save so many lives in such an urgent and tragic moment.

After being safely trapped, the cats were transported to a secure warehouse, where they were each placed in separate 42" dog crates to ensure their safety and comfort. Every cat received individual medical attention and a full health assessment. Dedicated volunteers worked tirelessly—feeding, cleaning, and caring for the cats throughout the day—to make sure they were as comfortable and well-supported as possible during this critical transition period.

Due to space limitations and the urgent need to keep rescuing cats from the burned site every day, we had no choice but to place many cats with trusted rescue partners. The temporary setup at the time simply didn’t have enough crates or room to safely house hundreds of cats long-term. Leaving them in the burned-out lot was never an option.

Now that we’ve established a new temporary facility, our team plans to reconnect with each partner rescue. Once things stabilize, we will begin bringing back the feral cats as needed, to ensure they’re placed in the most appropriate long-term environment.

We’ve heard the concerns, and we understand—these cats were used to outdoor life. But after the fire, we had to make a critical decision: leave them in unsafe conditions, or bring them into a protected, well-equipped space. We chose safety.

Our new indoor facility is over 6,000 square feet with natural light, fresh air from a new ventilation system, air conditioning, a sprinkler system, remote cameras, and an alarm system for 24/7 monitoring. It’s clean, secure, and designed to keep the cats comfortable and stimulated while we rebuild and plan for a future outdoor space.

Letting feral or outdoor cats loose without a proper, enclosed area would be irresponsible and dangerous—especially after everything they’ve just been through. This indoor setup isn’t a forever solution, but it’s a safe and compassionate one. The cats are not in crates—they have new clean beds, cat trees and stainless steel fountians, and they’re receiving care, attention, and space to decompress. And they’re safe.

Approximately 200 cats will be moving into the new indoor free-roam facility to start. Around 125 will be coming from our remote warehouse setup, and another 75 from the upstate facility.

Once these cats are settled and have had time to acclimate, we’ll begin reaching out to our partner rescues to bring back feral cats as space allows. Our goal is to create a safe, stable environment for every cat, and we’re carefully managing the transition to make sure it goes as smoothly and safely as possible.

While it might seem like a simple solution, the upstate property was still in the very early stages of development and not ready to safely house cats—especially in large numbers. Without Chris there to lead the project, and although a few individuals remain on-site, we don’t feel confident that the cats could be properly monitored or cared for without the daily oversight of our longtime volunteers and board members.

Our priority is always the safety and well-being of the cats. Right now, that means keeping them close to our experienced team on Long Island, where we can ensure they get the care, attention, and supervision they need. We’re continuing Chris’s dream—but doing it in the most responsible and sustainable way possible.

With Chris’s heartbreaking passing, plans for the upstate sanctuary have changed. Chris had been under pressure—from online critics and the local county—and was being forced to relocate. Following that, he directed the board to purchase land upstate, with the intention of moving there, living on-site, and running the sanctuary day to day.

However, his true wish was always to stay on Long Island, where he built this community and where the volunteers who supported him for years still live. The upstate property was only in the very early stages of development, and without Chris to lead that vision, the board has made the decision to keep operations closer to home. This allows us to continue Chris’s legacy in a more stable, familiar, and supportive environment—just as he would have wanted.

All of the cats brought into the new indoor free-roam facility have been microchipped, and their current medical information has been uploaded to a secure cloud-based system.

Our volunteers are trained to observe each cat carefully. If a cat appears lethargic, stops eating, or shows signs of illness, they’ll gently bring the cat—or use a humane net if needed—into our dedicated medical attention room. There, the cat is scanned for their microchip, and their full medical history is immediately available for review. This ensures our vet has all the necessary background information to provide the best care as quickly as possible.

Unfortunately, we are not accepting surrenders at this time. Until we are fully settled into a permanent indoor-outdoor facility down the road, our focus needs to remain on caring for the cats already in our care and rebuilding safely and sustainably.

That said, if you're facing a difficult situation, please feel free to reach out. While we may not be able to take the cat in, we’re happy to offer guidance, resources, or referrals to other trusted organizations that may be able to help.

At this time, we will not be handling adoptions directly. However, we do plan to build relationships with reputable 501(c)(3) rescue organizations in our area that have strong, responsible adoption processes in place.

If a friendly, adoptable cat comes into our care, we may choose to surrender that cat to one of our trusted partner rescues so they can be placed in a loving home. Our focus remains on ensuring every cat ends up in the best possible environment—even if that means partnering with others to make it happen.

Yes, we were fortunate to receive an outpouring of support after the fire, and we’re deeply grateful. But the reality is—caring for hundreds of cats, especially after such a disaster, is extremely costly.

So far, our medical expenses alone have already exceeded $200,000 and continue to grow. Setting up a temporary facility to get the cats out of crates—including construction and lease—will cost well over $60,000. We also invested more than $100,000 to build out a separate medical staging site in the warehouse for intake, triage, and care.

Looking ahead, building a new, sustainable sanctuary that meets all safety, medical, and quality-of-life standards will far exceed the remaining funds—which is why ongoing fundraising remains essential.

We’re also in internal discussions about using future funds to support Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs. This would directly address the root causes of overpopulation that led to the crisis at our original Medford location, and help prevent it from happening again.

Our mission is not just to rescue—but to advocate, to improve, and to be part of the solution.

At this time, we are not allowing public visitors. The cats in our care have been through significant trauma, and it's important that they have time to fully decompress and adjust to their new environment without added stress.

We may revisit the idea of public visits in the future, but for now, our focus is on healing and stability. This decision is made with the cats’ safety and well-being as our top priority.

Great question. The current board of directors will be overseeing all aspects of the temporary free-roam facility to ensure everything runs smoothly and responsibly. In addition, trusted and experienced volunteers will be assigned to shifts throughout the day, so there is always a reliable on-site presence.

To further ensure safety and accountability, the facility is also equipped with remote cameras, allowing board members to monitor activity around the clock.

No one can ever replace Chris—his passion, his deep love for the cats, and the selfless way he gave his life to this mission touched countless lives. He built something extraordinary, and his spirit remains the heart of Happy Cat Sanctuary.

Our goal moving forward is to carry out Chris’s mission of love, kindness, and compassion—for the forgotten and unwanted—while learning from past challenges and growing in a more organized, responsible, and sustainable way. This will be a group effort, guided by the same values Chris lived by.

We want to continue advocating for the cats just as Chris would have wanted—but also build a model our community can be proud of and one that other organizations across the country might one day look to for inspiration.