Happy Tails Cat Sanctuary

23/12/2023

Some Colorful Holiday Cheer:

29/11/2023

The accompanying photos show male cats Banana (orange and white) and Puzzles (white and black), both of whom are “FIV-positive” but quite adoptable. (Banana is almost 4 and Puzzles is almost 8 years old.) FIV is an immune deficiency condition, but many cats who test positive for it live normal life spans if they are provided with good nutrition and stay indoors. FIV is only spread through s*x (and Banana and Puzzles are neutered) or deep bite wounds (and these two cats aren’t aggressive). Also worth noting is that FIV is only contagious (under the previously mentioned circumstances) to cats, not to other animals or humans.

We would be delighted if Banana and Puzzles get adopted (either separately or together), but if not, we would still be grateful for your helping Happy Tails to support their care. Your help is also greatly needed in general to pay for all our cats’ veterinary care, pharmaceuticals, canned and dry cat food, kitty litter, cleaning supplies, and maintenance of our no-kill, mostly cage-less facility. (Unfortunately, inflation continues to drive up those costs.) While some of the sanctuary’s cats (and cats in our foster homes) are adoptable, some are old, feral and/or have special needs, so they will probably stay in our care for the rest of their lives. Our non-profit organization doesn’t pay salaries to anyone, so all donated money helps the cats.

You can make a tax-deductible donation via this website or you can mail a check or money order to: Happy Tails Cat Sanctuary, P.O. Box 581, Chesterland, OH 44026. If you have questions, call or text Doreen at 440.759-0076 or email [email protected]. (Remember: There is no “r” in “Tails”!)

Meanwhile, please save Sunday afternoon, April 21, 2024 for our next benefit at The Banquet Center at St. Noel in Willoughby Hills. We had a very positive response about the food, the room, etc. from attendees at our event there earlier this year, so we decided to use that banquet center again. Thank you for your support, and we hope you enjoy the holiday season!

08/08/2023

18/03/2023

Tracy, the extremely shy and frightened cat who was at the Willoughby PetSmart store, is very temporarily in a foster home, but she still desperately needs a very patient person to adopt her (or at least to foster her for a number of weeks or months until she gets way less shy and frightened). Please call Doreen at 440.759-0076 if you, or someone you know, can help.

14/03/2023

Happy Tails Cat Sanctuary volunteer Michelle Brady has been spending a lot of time and effort to help Tracy overcome her shyness. Tracy is available for adoption at the Willoughby PetSmart store (under the auspices of the South Euclid Humane Society).

10/03/2023

Charlie is enjoying life in his new home

06/03/2023

AFFECTIONATE, ELDERLY, “FIV-POSITIVE” CHARLIE YEARNS TO BE ADOPTED

Charlie, 10, has been at the Happy Tails Cat Sanctuary for most of his life, and is one of the sanctuary’s
“special needs” residents. He is affectionate and still yearns for a loving adoptive home in which to spend his
remaining senior years. His challenge is that in addition to being elderly, he has tested “positive” for FIV, an
immune-deficiency virus. In recent years, many veterinary professionals have determined that FIV isn’t as
contagious or fatal as was once thought. It’s contagious only to other cats, and is transmitted via s*x or deep
bite wounds. FIV-positive cats can live a normal life span, but they ideally should have access every day to
good-quality food that provides proper nutrition, and they should be indoor-only cats. Charlie is neutered and
doesn’t get into fights, so he would pose no threat to other cats. If he is adopted, he will be a loving pet. To
help Charlie and other cats at Happy Tails, the sanctuary will hold a benefit on April 23rd (in the Banquet
Center at St. Noel in Willoughby Hills) featuring a family-style Sunday dinner, silent and Chinese auctions, a
50-50 raffle, and more. For reservations or inquiries about the event, call or text Doreen at 440.7

05/03/2023

Hope to see you there.

26/01/2023

It is our sad duty to report that Richie, a sweet cat who the Happy Tails Cat Sanctuary rescued after he had been attacked with a sharp object, has died. The sanctuary spent a lot of money for treatment at two different veterinary practices, and the staff at the shelter facility gave him medicine and other care multiple times a day, but his injuries (which also apparently aggravated a tumor in his ear) eventually took their deadly toll on this beautiful little guy. We take some consolation in the knowledge that his final days were filled with loving attention.

We are grateful to all the people who made contributions for Richie's treatment as well as for insulin for Luigi, a sweet, 11-year-old, diabetic cat who fortunately is still alive and well at the sanctuary. We would love for him to get adopted, but it’s very possible that he will spend the rest of his life at Happy Tails. We continue to deal with the challenges of inflation for Luigi's insulin (as well as for insulin for a cat in a foster home), so contributions would still be greatly appreciated. There are, of course, other cats in our no-kill, mostly cage-less facility as well as in Happy Tails foster homes. Some are adoptable, but there are also old, feral, and/or special needs cats in the care of our non-profit organization.

If you are willing to make a tax-deductible donation, checks or money orders can be mailed to: Happy Tails Cat Sanctuary, P.O. Box 581, Chesterland, OH 44026. Or you can donate via PayPal at www.HappyTailsCatSanctuary.org. (Remember: There is no “r” in “Tails”!) If you have questions, call or text Doreen at 440.759-0076 or email [email protected].

Chesterland, Ohio

08/08/2022

Celebrate your beautiful furbabies

28/03/2022

27/02/2022

HAPPY TAILS WILL CELEBRATE 40TH
ANNIVERSARY YEAR WITH APRIL 9TH BENEFIT

We will celebrate our 40th anniversary year with a benefit on Saturday, April 9, 2022, at the Orchard Hills Party Center, 11414 Caves Rd., Chesterland. (Parking will be available behind the Patterson Fruit Farm Market, a short walk from the party center.) The event will be held from 5 to 8 p.m., with registration beginning at 4:30. The ticket price of $40 per person covers (in addition to access to silent and Chinese auctions and a 50-50 raffle): wood-fired pizza baked on-site, salad, side dishes, snacks, dessert, soft drinks, and bottled water. Wine and beer will be available at a cash bar.

Checks or money orders can be mailed to: Happy Tails Cat Sanctuary, P.O. Box 581, Chesterland, OH 44026. Event ticket payments and/or donations can also be transmitted with PayPal via our website (www.HappyTailsCatSanctuary.org.) And remember: There is no “r” in Tails! For more information, call or text Doreen at 440.759-0076, or send an email message to [email protected].

In 1982, the sanctuary’s founder, Jeanne Bones, took some abandoned cats into her home in Chesterland. She eventually took in many more “cats in need,” and she and some volunteers constructed or retro-fitted “cat friendly” buildings on several acres of her property. Their efforts resulted in the Happy Tails Cat Sanctuary, officially named as a non-profit charitable organization in 2005.

Our sanctuary has overcome some challenges over the years, including a fire in 2010 that resulted in a lot of damage, including the destruction of Jeanne’s home. She was determined that the sanctuary – with the assistance of many determined volunteers – would continue to provide good care for the cats in the buildings undamaged by the fire. She stayed in a trailer on her property for many months until her house was rebuilt. Jeanne passed away in 2015, but Happy Tails survived that crisis as well. Now the sanctuary is located inside Cats’ Inn in Newbury, and has remained a no-kill, mostly cage-less facility. There are also a number of Happy Tails cats in foster homes.

Among the sanctuary’s furry residents are elderly and “special needs” cats, some who are adoptable if people are patient with them. The “special needs” include diabetes, limited eyesight, and FIV, an immune deficiency virus. In some animal shelters, cats who test “positive” for FIV are euthanized, but at Happy Tails they are kept in a separate room – and often FIV-positive cats live normal life spans with good care and proper nutrition (which our sanctuary provides). Some of the other cats are adoptable and others aren’t. We have feline residents with personalities ranging from very shy to extremely friendly. Cats who aren’t adopted can stay at the sanctuary for their entire lives. (At this time we can’t take in any new feline residents.)

Veterinary care and the sanctuary’s daily maintenance are expensive, and donations would be greatly appreciated. Inflation has significantly increased the prices of cat food, kitty litter, cleaning supplies, etc., but the cats’ needs continue, of course. If people can attend our April 9th fund raiser, that would be great, but if not, we hope they will still be willing to donate to help our sanctuary’s cats.

27/02/2022

Please join us for an evening of fun!

20/12/2021

DONATIONS NEEDED FOR SURGERY FOR SENIOR CAT “LIAM”

“Liam,” a senior cat at our sanctuary, will have surgery later this month to get a small tumor removed from his neck to prevent serious future health issues – and while under anesthesia he will also undergo a dental procedure. He is expected to fully recover and then be available for adoption. (His brother, “Yossi,” who looks very similar to Liam, is already adoptable.) Happy Tails President Tom Vasko reported that for the second consecutive year, donations to Happy Tails have decreased due to the pandemic, so financial contributions to help with Liam’s upcoming surgery, as well as with considerable ongoing expenses at the sanctuary, would be greatly appreciated. Tax-deductible donations can either be transmitted via PayPal (just follow the link on our website at www.HappyTailsCatSanctuary.org) or a check or money order can be mailed to: Happy Tails Cat Sanctuary, P.O. Box 581, Chesterland, OH 44026. Further details are available by calling or texting Happy Tails volunteer Doreen Lazarus at 440.759-0076 or by sending an email to [email protected]. (Mr. Vasko pointed out that there is no “r” in “Tails”!)

10/12/2021

DONATIONS NEEDED FOR SURGERY FOR SENIOR CAT “LIAM”

“Liam,” a senior cat at our sanctuary, will have surgery later this month to get a small tumor removed from his neck to prevent serious future health issues – and while under anesthesia he will also undergo a dental procedure. He is expected to fully recover and then be available for adoption. (His brother, “Yossi,” who looks very similar to Liam, is already adoptable.) Happy Tails President Tom Vasko reported that for the second consecutive year, donations to Happy Tails have decreased due to the pandemic, so financial contributions to help with Liam’s upcoming surgery, as well as with considerable ongoing expenses at the sanctuary, would be greatly appreciated. Tax-deductible donations can either be transmitted via PayPal (just follow the link on our website at www.HappyTailsCatSanctuary.org) or a check or money order can be mailed to: Happy Tails Cat Sanctuary, P.O. Box 581, Chesterland, OH 44026. Further details are available by calling or texting Happy Tails volunteer Doreen Lazarus at 440.759-0076 or by sending an email to [email protected]. (Mr. Vasko pointed out that there is no “r” in “Tails”!)

2 “JUMBO SENIORS” ARE AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION AT THE HAPPY TAILS CAT SANCTUARY June 22, 2021 News and Events Among the adoptable cats at the Happy Tails Cat Sanctuary are two male “jumbo seniors.” They are: Domino, 10, who is black and white and weighs 26-and-a-half pounds; and Tom, 12, who i...

08/08/2021

🥰 🥰 🐈‍⬛🐈🐈‍⬛🐈

23/06/2021

Please join us 🙂

22/06/2021

“A SUMMER FELINE FUND RAISER”
WILL BENEFIT THE HAPPY TAILS CAT SANCTUARY

“A Summer Feline Fund Raiser” on Saturday, July 17, 2021 will benefit our non-profit, no-kill, mostly cage-less sanctuary. The event will be held at the VFW Hall, 752 Water St. (Route 6) in Chardon. Registration will begin at 4:30 p.m., and the event will take place from 5 until 8. Overflow parking will be available at Sage’s Apples across the street.
The $35 per person cost covers: wood-fired vegetarian and meat pizzas baked on-site by Wood Fire Catering and Baking, appetizers, salad, side dishes, soft drinks, lemonade, apple cider, and dessert, plus access to a silent auction, Chinese auction, 50-50 raffle and a “treasure scoop” in a (never used) kitty litter box to win prizes. Alcoholic beverages will be available a short walk away at the VFW’s cash bar. Space is limited, and reservations are recommended by July 9th. Tickets will be held “at the door” unless requested in advance.
Happy Tails Cat Sanctuary President Tom Vasko said, “We’re delighted that most people will have their COVID vaccinations by mid-July, and that restrictions on events are easing up. However, we will still have plenty of hand sanitizer available to use at the event – and we will even give away hand sanitizer wipes to our attendees to take home if they want them.”
He continued, “The event will provide much-need assistance for the care of Happy Tails’ cats, many of whom are old, have special needs, or both. Due to COVID, contributions have decreased, but expenses remain for general sheltering, veterinary care, etc.
For reservations to, or inquiries about, the July 17th event, call or text Doreen at
440.759-0076; email [email protected]; utilize PayPal; or send a check or money order to Happy Tails Cat Sanctuary, P.O. Box 581, Chesterland, OH 44026. (Remember: There is no “r” in “Tails!) Tax-deductible donations to the sanctuary can also be mailed to the post office box address or transmitted via PayPal.

09/05/2021

Happy Mother's Day