Bed full of cats
Siglinda Scarpa, founder of The Goathouse Refuge
Many wonderful animal rescue groups have gone unnoticed. Today we have chosen the Goathouse Refuge to accept the fund we raised through the Save Meow Project (we donate 5 cents for every comment you make on LoveMeow.com) and we would like to share their stories with all of you. Thanks Licia Grainger for referring this lovely organization to us. The Goathouse Refuge (located in Pittsboro, North Carolina) is a no-kill animal sanctuary dedicated to providing cage-free care for cats regardless of age, medical issues or disposition until a permanant loving adoptive home can be found.
All the rescues can roam freely all day except for the sick cats who are taking medication and the new arrivals who are temporally caged until they are vetted and ready to transition into the population as a whole.
Who is the hero behind the organization? Let’s hear the story from her, Siglinda Scarpa, founder and primary benefactor of The Goathouse Refuge.
When I was a little girl my father, who sometimes worked late at night, came home with a little gray tabby cat wet and cold and put him under the blankets in my bed. I warmed him up and kept him on my heart until he started purring and for the rest of the night. There was where he slept for the rest of his life. I called him Muci.
He’d become sick when he was just about one year old and all my bicycle trips to the veterinarian didn’t save his life. The pain of his death was so devastating that I started to bring home and care for as many cats as my mother would allow me to bring into the apartment. I loved animals, especially cats, and many shared my life. Many are not here anymore, but I remember them all.
So I formulated a dream … a dream of a sanctuary for cats. This would be another chance; a safe haven for cats that were dispossessed or scheduled for euthanasia by public shelters. In my dream, no cat would be euthanized unless it was suffering with no hope of recovery. The Refuge would be a place where even cats that were unadoptable could live in comfort, with the care, attention and love they deserve. No cat would be refused due to age, illness or disposition.
Goathouse Cats -All at attention
The ultimate goal for each cat would be adoption into a loving home. But the Refuge would be designed so that they could spend ample periods of time living comfortably, awaiting adoption. In fact, it would be designed so that a cat could spend years, or its entire lifetime, at the Refuge. This meant that the cats would be cage-free. Groups of cats would live in large rooms, where they could roam and play without restraint. And, of course, all of the cats would be given human attention and interaction, along with high-quality food and on-site medical care.
Day by day my dream is unfolding. Though still in its infancy, The Goathouse Refuge has placed many cats and kittens in forever homes and more then forty are permanent residents here. One building has been dedicated for their home and more construction and improvements are planned. The Refuge was founded with my personal resources and with income from my pottery, I find a way to feed and care for all the creatures in transit and in residence. Along the way some immensely valuable friends and volunteers have joined the Refuge.
In order to carry on fulfilling her dream, Siglinda has dedicated her life to the animals. You can check out this beautiful cat sanctuary at their facebook page or their website.
Geo is a striking cat with a huge heart.
Leona hanging out in the hammock 
Victoria likes to be petted on her back and would love to come curl up happily in your home.
Abel
Abel is an orange tabby with an adorable round head. He loves to be held and to follow you around. Abel will be a perfect lapcat for some lucky person!
Meet "The White Brothers": Orville and Wilbur! These friendly fellows are a lively pair of beautiful all-white brothers.
Cat nap, Bluestar woke up
Regan and Tom
Katy loves people and being petted and held, and would love nothing more than to go to a peaceful home where she can be a lap cat.
Trevor may be the most laid-back cat at the refuge. He enjoys walking along the fence catching the rays of the sun, or lounging around the studio on his back, legs akimbo. He enjoys being held like a child, on his back, you name it. Belly rubs? He loves 'em.
Tuesday, after too much catnip
Cookie (also known as "Crookie" because of her bent tail) is an extremely sweet and gorgeous cat. She came to the Refuge in the summer of 2009 with a litter of kittens and was a very loving mother to her babies.
The Goathouse Refuge completed a 3-acre enclosure for the cats to roam outside earlier this year. “This was captured just moments after we opened the gate for the first time so that our cats could enjoy their new, 3-acre enclosure!”
You may also like:
Alert Kitty 
Cat Feeds Dog – And Feeds and Feeds and Feeds 
Kitten Catches His ‘Prey’ 
Paramedic Revives Cat Rescued from Fire 
Seattle Firefighters Save and Revive Cat From Condo Complex Fire 
20 Cats Found with Dumped Chair 
Stray Tabby Cat Finds Foster Home for Her Kittens 
Kitties and Christmas Trees! Merry Christmas!
what a wonderful place!
oh my god! so many cats… and so beautiful! keep going the nice job!
i´ve 7 cats too in a appartment i hope one day i can buy a home with a garden or a open space to have much more =) lovelly! wish me luck meooooow to everybody here
overcated
Fantastic! Good for you. Thank you for helping the kitties
I know how much dedication it takes. Best of Luck.
I would love to do be able to do soething like that… cats are just the best
The cats look so content all sleeping together!!!
Love seeing the happy Cats! Free to roam as cats should!
Fills my heart with joy
What an awesome place! I would be in absolute heaven there! God Bless You for being such a wonderful, loving person for these precious babies!!!!!
A heaven on earth for our lil furry friends. GBU guys
How wonderful, they are so beautiful, healthy and clean looking. I wish there were more places like this and more people like you. I wish you the best and the cats too. I wish I could help every single cat in this world.
What a amazing natural place for cats to await their forever homes. Every rescuer wishes they could have such a sanctuary where unwanted, in danger, abandoned and homeless cats and kittens would be safe.
Aw..thanks for sharing info about this wonderful haven for the helpless cats. I will check out the web site and plan to donate a small contribution to help.
this is great! I'm so glad there are compassionate people out there who love and want to care for cats!
That is so wonderful! Every town should have a couple of those!
I love this cat sanctuary!! I have placed and rescued many unwanted kittens and found homes for them! This place looks amazing. They ALL look so healthy and happy. Thanks to all of you for what you do! XOXOX
I used to have something very similar in Canton, CT., a few years ago. I cared for over 50 cats, plus whatever else came in as a rescue (rooster, dog, bunnies, etc.). Constant incoming and outgoing. Brings back many fond memories…
Good luck and I feel the love!!!
What an awesome place! If I could I would love to do something like this.
Loved seeing this wonderful place and all your cats. They look so healthy and happy. Bless you for taking care of them. I have three cats and would have three more if I only had the room for them to be happy. Good luck and thank you for all you do for the cats!
i don't understand how such adorable cats are unadoptable!
so beautiful.
What a truly amazing place!!! Best of luck always!!!
What a wonderful woman with a huge heart you are. The place looks great and all the kitties look healthy & happy. Thank you for having such a beautiful dream, and for making it come true.
a fabulous place. so many wonderful furbabies!
What a wonderful sanctuary for the kitties!!! <3
I love it! keep up the amazing work.
Aw, that's great! I love the ginger cat that was just running around and around. SO MUCH SPACE!
I love all the pictures of the cats and their distinct personalities. I have a soft spot for tuxes like Cookie and Victoria. I love "the White brothers" and the kitty in the dish drainer, as well
Keep up the great work!
i'm so glad that there is such a place for cats in that area. it looks wonderful! =)
It's an amazing place, full of life and love!
What an amazing story and place. All these kitties are so adorable. I hope they all find wonderful homes.
Bless you and THANK YOU for all you're doing for these beautiful, precious kitties! I would LOVE to operate a place like this for all the cats that have no place to call home. It would be my dream job since I love cats SO much!! I wish I had the money and space to open up a place like this where I live. Keep up the wonderful work you do for these "babies!"
MEOW,
Kathy Lee
God bless you for what you're doing <3
This is just amazing!!OMG, its like a dream. God bless U all for doing such a wonderful job for these cats with unconditional love. :3
Thank god for people like Siglinda and her helpers…bless your hearts x
WOW!!! So wonderful to see this place being featured!! And to see the article so appreciated by everyone too, but then again, it is natural, this is indeed a beautiful oasis for all these adorable kitties and one look at them you can see each one of them are loved and well looked after. Thanks Siglinda for creating such an enchanting place, and well done also to each one of volunteers!!
what a wonderful place!
Such a wonderful idea!
Wow! Thank you SO much to Amy and all you other cat lovers. If you are ever in North Carolina, please come visit the refuge (we are open daily to visitors from 12-3:30 pm). The kitties will be happy to see you!
Beautiful dream,
Amazing dedication,
Labour of Love,
Truly Inspiring