Quite a few cats that have come to SAFE Haven have a rough start in life and go on to find a happy, fur-ever home on their first try. Others are not so lucky.

Pharrell came to us in 2014 when his owners could no longer keep him, but he was quickly adopted by another family who loved him very much. Unfortunately, they too could no longer care for him and he was returned to SAFE Haven. You can imagine how that might affect a kitty like Pharrell. This time when he came back, he didn’t adjust to shelter life and so he went to a foster home. After a little time learning to trust people in a home again, he became the sweetest, snuggliest kitty ever. Finally, he was adopted from his foster home in late 2019 and all the staff were so happy for him. The gentleman who adopted Pharrell couldn’t have been better for him. It was love at first sight!

Then the unthinkable happened. Tragedy struck for poor Pharrell, who was called Murray, when his human suddenly passed away. Murray was alone for two days by his human’s side. Everyone was heartbroken for Murray and his adopter’s family. We were able to take him in again but it wasn’t easy for poor Murray.

After spending some time in our office suite, Murray is once again the sweet, goofy boy he was in a home. He enjoys looking out of the windows, laying around watching the staff and assisting with work by laying on our desks. He demands to be loved and we love providing it for him! And now, his fur-ever family will love him just as much as we do since he’s found his new family.

Meet the cats just like Murray looking for a fur-ever home!

Learn more about the Serenity Surviving Cat Program, which can help ensure your cat is cared for after you’re gone.

Our shelter director, Patti, has a special bond with our extra special kitties that need a little help finding their healthy shape. We should probably rename her office to the Patti Weight-loss Spa! She’s cared for many of them over the years, but one big little lady really stands out. Her name was Peanut Cluster.

Peanut Cluster came to us from Guilford County Animal Services. She was four years old and weighed in at over 21 pounds when they evaluated her. The staff at Guilford County started her on a weight loss diet and when she arrived at SAFE Haven in February of 2019, she weighed about 18 pounds. Peanut Cluster couldn’t groom herself properly, so she needed a little help keeping clean. She moved in with Patti and quickly became a shelter favorite. She had a couple of nicknames, “The Girl” and “PC” for short. She loved being brushed and petted and could often be found sitting in Patti’s lap. Staff and volunteers made sure to give her lots of love and chances to exercise. After about six months with us, she weighed about 15 pounds. It was time to help her find her fur-ever home.

In August of 2019, she was adopted by a wonderful lady who continued to help PC on her weight loss journey. We checked in on The Girl recently and are happy to report she is still very happy and healthy. She was renamed to Nui, which means “enough” in Hawai’ian (her cat mom is Hawai’ian) and can also translate to “plenty.” “She is enough of a personality that we only need one and because she was hefty, the name fit even better.” Nui has been using an auto-feeder so now she eats tiny portions many times a day. We are pleased to report that she now weighs in at 13 pounds! Way to go Nui!

Meet the cats just like Peanut Cluster looking for a fur-ever home!

Turn your daily walk, run or bike ride into a donation for SAFE Haven for Cats!

Register by June 30 to participate in a virtual walk/run/bike race that will support animals in need, including SAFE Haven cats! $10 of your fee will come to us when you choose us at registration and you’ll get a special race shirt!

Choose from one of the following options and walk, run or bike between June 1 – July 14:

• Virtual Run/Walk: 1 mile or 5K distance – $25 registration
• Virtual Bike: 5-mile distance – $25 registration

This year, there’s a new challenge Rescue Challenge. All you have to do is see how many miles you can run or walk during the month of June – $40 registration.

No matter what option you choose, you’re helping animals in need across the country and right here at home.

Click here to learn more and register.

SAFE Haven for Cats exists to help homeless cats find their fur-ever homes. Sometimes we do make exceptions in certain cases. Cam and Scarlet’s story is one that has been experienced by many families. In 2011, at four months old, Cam and Scarlet were adopted from Best Friends by a very kind and loving cat lady. She was also one of SAFE Haven’s biggest supporters and a longtime volunteer. When she passed away in 2019, we chose to help find a new home for these two wonderful seniors.

When they first arrived in August of 2019, Cam and Scarlet were very upset about their situation. We reached out to our volunteers and were able to find a foster home for the pair, where they really thrived. Cam was described as a very sweet, fluffy “mama’s boy” that loved to be around his human all the time. Scarlet was labeled the sweetest cat you will ever meet that loves to sleep with her human at night. When the time was right, they were made available for adoption from their foster home.

In May of 2020, after a long but love-filled wait, Cam and Scarlet met their new mom. We checked in with Danielle to find out how they are doing. She said “I renamed them to Riku and Roxie. They settled in very nicely! They love to play with feather toys and the laser pointer. Riku enjoys sitting in my armchair (which is basically his armchair now) while Roxie prefers kitty huts. They hang out with me during the day while I work and sleep in bed with me at night. They have been the best companions for me during quarantine.” A happy ending for a pair of lovely seniors.

Their story also allows us to highlight a program you may not be aware of, the Serenity Surviving Cat Program. Though Cam and Scarlet were not a part of that program, it is an all too familiar situation. At SAFE Haven for Cats, we are frequently contacted by caring cat owners who are making plans for their cats in their estates. If there are no friends or family members who are willing or able to care for your cats, it is possible to include instructions for your executor to place your cats with a shelter such as SAFE Haven for Cats. SAFE Haven may be able to take these cats and find wonderful new homes for them. Contact Pam Miller at pam@safehavenforcats.org or 919.582.7834 if you are interested in learning more.

Meet the cats just like Cam & Scarlet looking for a fur-ever home!

Learn more about the Serenity Surviving Cat Program, which can help ensure your cat is cared for after you’re gone.

Every cat deserves a chance at a safe, loving home.

Our mission is to continue saving as many cats and kittens as we can every year until there is no more unnecessary euthanasia in the Triangle. That is why we expanded our shelter and clinic so we could help more animals and people.

As our lifesaving programs increase, euthanasia in the Triangle decreases. In fact, in the last two years, 7,500 fewer cats were euthanized in our county shelters. Within two or three years we should have a positive outcome for all the cats entering our county shelters.

We served over 6,000 people with animals in 2019/2020 through all our programs. That is a 17% increase in the last 4 years.

In the SAFE Care Clinic, we have increased our surgeries by 75% in the last 4 years and adoptions have increased 8%. We have fed almost 3,000 cats and dogs through the Pet Food Pantry.

View the impact statement to see how your donations make a difference.