Our Mission

At The Cat House, our mission is to:

  • provide a no-cage, no-kill sanctuary for feral and abandoned cats and kittens for the State of California, primarily serving the Central Valley;
  • facilitate the adoption of cats (primarily), dogs and other rescued animals into safe, loving, healthy and permanent homes;
  • educate the public on how to become directly involved in improving the quality of animal welfare;
  • offer low cost spay and neuter referrals.

Our No-Kill Commitment

We are committed to saving every animal in our care who can be saved. We do not end the life of healthy or treatable animals even at an owner’s request. We only euthanize an animal if:

  • A veterinarian has assessed that there is no chance of recovering an acceptable quality of life, or
  • It would be clearly inhumane or unsafe not to do so immediately, or
  • In cases of irremediable canine aggression when (1) a veterinarian has eliminated medical treatment as a solution; (2) rehabilitation by a specialist in canine behavior has failed; and (3) staff and public safety cannot be reasonably assured, or other management protocols seriously compromise quality of life.

You can also read the details of our Euthanasia Policy here.

Our History

After a difficult divorce in 1981, Lynea Lattanzio, our founder, wanted to move to the quiet afforded by a place on a river. She settled on this 6 acre parcel in 1983. She often mused, "What was I thinking, single woman with no children living in a big house on 6 acres?" Nine years later, Lynea's father asked for her help to replace his 2 Manx cats who had died of old age. In her quest to locate Manx kittens, Lynea visited a local animal shelter, and carried home a box of 15 abandoned kittens (none of them Manx!). By the end of the year, she had rescued and placed 96 homeless cats. Lynea had found her calling, and the rest, as they say, is history.

In 1993, Lynea came out of retirement to become a surgical veterinary technician with a local veterinarian. This experience helped increase her medical knowledge, and helped pay for the veterinary expenses of her growing feline population, which now numbered 150. Lynea sold her 1973 Mercedes 450 SL, her pride and joy, and her two-karat diamond wedding ring. There would no longer be a need for these with the life she had chosen.

In 1997, the Fresno County Board of Supervisors approved a zoning variance for Lynea's property. This variance pushed The Cat House into the public spotlight, and brought much-needed volunteers and financial support; in 2002 The Cat House on the Kings achieved non-profit status. In 2003, Lynea, with more volunteers and money, continued to expand The Cat House and added an area dedicated to the care of FIV positive cats.

By 2004, The Cat House population had grown to over 500 cats and kittens. The Cat House was well known, but donations had not kept pace with expenses. A very generous donor, Doreen Wallet, left much of her estate to The Cat House on the Kings. This money was used to purchase the neighboring six acres and install cat-proof fencing around the entire 12 acre perimeter.

Today, more than 700 cats and kittens and several dogs enjoy life at The Cat House on the Kings, a no-cage, no-kill shelter. Take a tour of our facility!

Our Services

The Cat House on the Kings offers a variety of services:

Advice and Education

We offer assistance and education in behavioral problems with cats and assist people in finding new homes for their cats. We also advise thousands of people from around the world who contact us through our website (we have sponsors as far away as Denmark and Australia) and at our local, public events about all manner of cat issues.

Adoption Center

All of our cats are available for adoption. We do our utmost to find the best possible homes for our cats; none are euthanized except to relieve suffering. The cats live out their lives in our sanctuary until they are either adopted or die of old age — however long that may be. Every year, The Cat House adopts out approximately 500 cats (and some dogs).

Sanctuary

We are best known for our sanctuary, where we care for over 700 unwanted cats and kittens. Individuals surrender their cats to us and, for a fee of $5000 per cat we provide lifetime support and care. As a courtesy, payments towards the fee may be made monthly at a minimum rate of about $2.00 per cat per day. Upon arrival at The Cat House, every cat is given any necessary medical care, and is spayed/neutered and vaccinated. They are then placed in cottages where they can become familiar with their surroundings. Once they're comfortable with their new digs, they are released onto the sanctuary grounds, and can roam about at will. The grounds are fully fenced and secure.

Low cost spay/neuter

The Cat House works with local veterinary clinics to provide affordable rates for spay/neuter surgery. We also provide transport between The Cat House and the surgery clinic. Please contact us for rates and to schedule spay/neuter surgery for your animals.