The Cat Chronicle – May 2026

May 7, 2026 | The Cat Chronicle

Cat of the Month: Lulu Lemon

Meet Lulu Lemon. The sweet, gentle soul who’s ready to bloom in the right home. 🌸

This 1-year-9-month-old brown tabby girl is shy at first, but don’t let that fool you. Lulu has a quiet strength and a personality that unfolds beautifully when given time and patience.

She’s happiest in her cozy hut bed, where she feels safe and secure. But come mealtime? She presents herself like clockwork, proving just how food-motivated (and routine-loving) she really is. Food is definitely the way to her heart!

Lulu enjoys gentle pets, though you’ll need to go slow and let her set the pace. She won’t ask for affection, but when you approach her calmly and respectfully, she’ll show you just how sweet she can be. She’ll even play by herself when the mood strikes, exploring on her own terms.

Lulu would thrive in a quiet, patient home where she has time to acclimate and come out of her shell. She’s not a cat who rushes into anything, but once she trusts you, the bond you’ll build will be worth every moment.

If you’re looking for a gentle companion who appreciates the slower, softer things in life and who needs someone willing to meet her where she is, Lulu Lemon might be your perfect match.

Meet Lulu Lemon and our other amazing adoptable cats!

Kitten Season is Here: What to Do When You Find Kittens

Spring and summer bring adorable kittens, but if you find kittens outdoors, the best thing to do isn’t always what you might think.

Before you scoop them up, pause. In most cases, the best place for kittens is with their mother. She’s likely nearby, searching for food or waiting for a safe moment to return.
If you’ve found kittens outdoors, here are some helpful resources to guide your next steps:

Leave Them Be: A Guide to Kittens Outdoors – Alley Cat Allies. Learn when to intervene and when to wait for mom to return.
Kitten Outdoors Poster – Alley Cat Allies. A quick visual guide to help you assess the situation.
Kitten Season Flow Chart – Wake County Animal Services. Step-by-step guidance on what to do when you find kittens.
Found a Kitten? Here’s What to Do – Best Friends Animal Society. Practical advice for assessing kittens’ age, health, and next steps.

When in doubt, observe before you act. These resources will help you make the best decision for the kittens and their mother.

Learn More

Kitten “Baby Registry” Supply Drive – May 11-22

Kitten season means SAFE Haven needs your help! From May 11-22, we’re hosting our Kitten “Baby Registry” Supply Drive to stock up on the essentials our tiniest residents need to thrive.

This year, our supply list is online, making it easy for you to shop from home and have supplies shipped directly to SAFE Haven. From kitten formula and bottles to heating pads and tiny toys, every item helps us care for vulnerable kittens during their most critical weeks.

How to participate:
Visit our Kitten Baby Registry and choose items to donate. Supplies will be shipped directly to SAFE Haven to support kittens in our care. Thank you for helping us give kittens the care they need to grow strong and healthy!

Shop the Kitten Baby Registry

Upcoming Events

May 11-22, 2026: Kitten “Baby Registry” Supply Drive
May 25, 2026: Memorial Day Observance (Closed)

Thank YOU for Your Support

Meet Lulu: Our May Cat of the Month

May 6, 2026 | Cat of the Month, News

Meet Lulu: A Gentle Soul in a Loud World

If Lulu were a person, she’d probably be part of the crowd choosing quiet over chaos.

In a world that often celebrates being outgoing, always-on, and constantly social, more and more people are embracing something different. Slower living. Protecting their energy. Finding comfort in safe spaces. Building trust at their own pace.

Lulu is your perfect companion on this journey.

This shy, sweet brown tabby isn’t the kind of cat who rushes up for attention. She prefers to observe from her cozy hut bed, taking in her surroundings before deciding it’s safe to step out. And honestly? There’s something really beautiful about that.

Lulu reminds us that it’s okay to:

Take your time warming up to new spaces or people
Need a safe, cozy place to recharge
Let others come to you with kindness and patience
Show up when it matters (especially for dinner, she’s very food motivated!)

Every afternoon, Lulu quietly makes her appearance, ready for her meal. It’s her routine, her comfort, her way of engaging with the world. And once she trusts you? She loves gentle chin scratches and neck rubs. She just needs you to go slow.

Going slow doesn’t mean going alone. Lulu would benefit from having a cat companion in the house. She would likely do well with another cat-friendly kitty. Having a more outgoing cat could show her she doesn’t need to be so scared in her new forever home!

We love a calm queen

Like many people navigating overstimulation, Lulu won’t ask for affection, but she deeply appreciates it when it’s offered with care. She would thrive in a calm, peaceful home, one that understands that connection doesn’t have to be loud to be meaningful.

And just like the shift toward prioritizing mental well-being, Lulu is a reminder that: Softness is strength, and taking your time is not something to fix, it’s something to honor.

At nearly 2 years old, Lulu is ready to find someone who sees her, respects her pace, and builds trust one quiet moment at a time.

Ready for a peaceful companion?

If you’re someone who values calm, connection, and creating a safe space for yourself and for others, Lulu might just be your perfect match. Come meet her and see what a gentle, kind love feels like.

Make an appointment to meet Lulu today

The Cat Chronicle – April 2026

Apr 15, 2026 | The Cat Chronicle

Cat of the Month: Jazz

Meet Jazz, the buff tabby with personality, presence, and a weakness for head scritchies.

This 11-year-old showgirl is a true performer. She knows how to work a room, and she’s not afraid to let you know she’s arrived. Jazz has that classic entertainer energy, confident, charming, and ready for her spotlight moment.

But don’t let the showgirl persona fool you, Jazz is also incredibly loving and has one major weakness: head scritchies! If you’ve got good head scritch game, you might just win her heart.

As the only cat in her future home, Jazz will have center stage all to herself (exactly as it should be). She’s looking for someone who appreciates a cat with personality, presence, and a little bit of pizzazz.

If you’re ready to welcome a showstopper into your life, Jazz is waiting in the wings.

Ready to see if she’s the one for your home? Meet Jazz!

Won’t You Be My Neighbor? After Hours Event

On Wednesday, April 15, from 6:30–9:00 PM, we’re opening our doors for a special After Hours Event that’s all about reaching out to our neighbors to spread kindness, compassion for cats and people. You are welcome to stop by to learn more about what we do.

This evening is part of the Raj Mehta Day of Good, a celebration of kindness in action. We’re also gathering in memory of Tricia Crowe, a longtime volunteer whose gentle spirit helped make SAFE Haven feel like home for so many, both human and feline.

If you’ve been thinking about welcoming a cat into your life, this might be your moment. There’s a special kind of comfort in knowing someone is waiting for you at home.

Learn More

How Energy Healing Can Help Your Cat

Curious about how energy healing can support your cat’s well-being? Join SAFE Haven for a special Community Education session with Kelly Bolz, a certified Healing Touch for Animals practitioner and intuitive energy healer.

You’ll learn how energy healing works, how it complements traditional veterinary care, and simple techniques to support your cat’s behavior at home.

Energy healing can help cats who are scared, anxious, or adjusting to change, as well as those experiencing illness, injury, or recovering from surgery. Many guardians have seen positive shifts in hiding, litter box challenges, and stress-related behaviors when energy work is used alongside veterinary care.

Kelly had been working with Swiffer, our January Cat of the Month, and our team witnessed him become noticeably calmer. Learn a new way to help your cat feel their very best.

Dates:

Tues, April 21 – 10:00-11:00 am

Wed, May 6 – 6:30-7:30 PM

Cost: Free

Space is limited to 15 participants per session.

To RSVP, email Annie Schmidt at annie.schmidt@safehavenforcats.org with your preferred date.

Tuxedo Cat Ball – Last Chance To Buy Tickets!

Don’t miss the Tuxedo Cat Ball, our biggest celebration of the year!

Connect with fellow cat lovers for an unforgettable evening of delicious food, wine, inspiring stories, and exciting live and silent auctions, all while celebrating the incredible impact we’ve made together.

Tickets: $150 per person

Space is filling up fast! Secure your spot today and be part of this special night.

Each ticket includes:

Buffet dinner, coffee, and dessert
Two drink tickets per person
Silent & live auctions
Free valet parking
An evening celebrating 78,000 lives saved

Save the Date

April 10, 2026: Tuxedo Cat Ball

April 15, 2026: Won’t You Be My Neighbor? After Hours Event

April 21 and May 6, 2026: How Energy Healing Can Help Your Cat

Thank YOU for Your Support

It’s Jazz: Our April Cat of the Month

Mar 27, 2026 | Cat of the Month, News

What can I say about our girl Jazz… In her younger days, she was constrained by others’ expectations: Be quiet, be serious, be still.

How BORING…

In her heart, Jazz knew she was meant for so much more, for her dearest dream was to become… a SHOWGIRL. And this is what makes her a FABULOUS Cat of the Month for April!

Ready for the spotlight!

When she arrived at SAFE Haven, she knew this was her shot. No one’s going to take away her sparkle now. And sparkle she does…

She sings! A mouse toy is all the inspiration she needs to bring the house down with her voice.
She dances like Ginger Rogers (one of her early inspirations) when you bring out a feather toy.
She’ll make you laugh when she gets the zoomies and melt your heart with her sweet invitations to pet her.

In short, she’s a showstopper. She has wowed multitudes, delighting young and old alike. Her big number has to be seen to be believed. Picture this: Jazz, cute and orange-y, surrounded by BUBBLES. She spins, she trills, she leaps and stomps, all athleticism and grace as she pops each and every bubble as they fall around her. Brava, darling girl, brava!

Could you be her stage hand, blower of bubbles, adoring fan-for-life?

There are a few things you should know before signing the contract to manage our starlet Jazz:

She’s a girl who knows what she wants, and sharing the spotlight with another cat ain’t it.
You gotta have the scratch to keep her in mouse toys and bubbles – a girl has standards, you know.
Like all divas, she can be a bit prone to over-grooming.

Ready to meet the star of your home?

Jazz is waiting to take center stage in a forever family of her own. Visit SAFE Haven to meet her in person or start your adoption application today. Your front-row seat to a lifetime of love, laughter, and a little bit of sparkle is just one “yes” away.

Bring Home A Diva Today

Cogsworth’s Story: When SAFE Haven Says Yes

Mar 18, 2026 | News

At SAFE Haven for Cats, there are moments when a decision has to be made quickly. A cat is sick. A kitten is failing. A family calls with nowhere else to turn.

In those moments, our answer is simple. We say yes.

Yes to treatment.

Yes to the long nights and difficult cases.

Yes to the cats who need more care than most shelters can provide.

Cogsworth is one of those cats

He arrived at SAFE Haven in mid-June of 2025 with his mom, Princess Belle, and four siblings – Beauty, Beast, Gaston, and Lumiere. A partner shelter had reached out and asked if we could take them in. The kittens were still neonatal. Even with their mother caring for them, they needed careful monitoring and extra support to grow strong.

The family was placed into foster care with Brandi, our former Clinic Services Manager. For six weeks, Brandi watched over them as they grew bigger, stronger, and more playful. Most of the kittens thrived. But Cogsworth struggled.

He had always been the smallest of the litter, the runt, and as his siblings returned to SAFE Haven ready to be adopted, Cogsworth began to decline. Our medical team examined him and delivered difficult news. He had Feline Infectious Peritonitis, commonly called FIP.

FIP is a serious disease caused by a mutation of feline coronavirus. In Cogsworth’s case, fluid began building in his abdomen, causing his tiny belly to swell until he looked like a little gourd. Treating FIP requires patience, expertise, and resources. The treatment involves daily medication for 12 weeks and constant monitoring from veterinary professionals.

SAFE Haven started Cogsworth on treatment immediately. Slowly, he began to improve. Week by week, the fluid subsided, his strength returned, and the playful kitten underneath began to emerge. After months of care, Cogsworth was finally healthy enough to be adopted in mid-January 2026. For a brief moment, it seemed his difficult start in life was finally behind him.

But just a few weeks later, his adopter noticed something was wrong. Cogsworth had become unsteady on his feet. They rushed him to their veterinarian, but in the short time it took to arrive, his condition worsened dramatically, and he lost the use of his back legs.

The diagnosis was devastating. FIP had returned, this time in a neurological form affecting his nervous system.
Relapses like this are extremely rare. Research shows that fewer than 10% of treated cats experience a recurrence. In fact, out of the 38 cats SAFE Haven has treated for FIP, Cogsworth is the first relapse case we have seen.

His family was heartbroken. They did everything they could to get him help, but the complexity and cost of treatment were overwhelming. They reached out and asked if SAFE Haven could help him again.

Our answer did not change.

Yes, we took Cogsworth into our care.

It was the weekend, but waiting was not an option. Caitlin, one of our dedicated Shelter Veterinary Assistants, rushed Cogsworth to an emergency veterinary hospital. The emergency team worked closely with SAFE Haven’s Medical Director to develop a treatment plan immediately. The emergency visit alone cost $2,300. Cogsworth would also need another full 12 weeks of medication costing $26 per day.

Within days of restarting treatment, something remarkable happened. Cogsworth began to regain the use of his back legs. He stood. He walked. He started exploring again.

By this point, Cogsworth had already spent more of his young life receiving medical care than living in a home. With another 12 weeks of treatment ahead of him, SAFE Haven knew he needed something more than an enclosure at SAFE Haven.

Our Executive Director, Annie, stepped in and opened her home to him. She learned how to administer his medication and brought Cogsworth home to foster during the remainder of his treatment.

Today, Cogsworth spends his days exploring every corner of Annie’s house like a curious archaeologist on his first big discovery. He proudly shows off how strong his back legs have become by standing tall and jumping as high as he can. While he desperately wants to be friends with Annie’s two resident cats, they remain the aloof older siblings who are not quite sure what to make of the energetic newcomer. Annie makes sure he gets plenty of extra love.
Cogsworth’s recovery has been a true team effort. Our staff coordinated emergency care. Our medical team designed and monitored his treatment plan. Tagteam Annie & Brandi opened their homes so he could recover in comfort.

But stories like Cogsworth’s also reveal something many people never see – the hidden cost of lifesaving care.
Cogsworth’s emergency visit alone was $2,300. His medication for this second round of treatment will cost more than $2,000 over the next 12 weeks. These numbers do not include the first round of treatment he received, the months of veterinary monitoring, or the staff and foster care that continue to support him.

SAFE Haven takes on these costs because cats like Cogsworth deserve every opportunity to heal.
And because tomorrow, another cat will arrive who needs the same chance.

Cogsworth still has weeks of treatment ahead of him, but his progress has already been extraordinary. Every jump, every curious exploration, and every playful moment is proof of what is possible when a community comes together to care for cats who need it most.

Cogsworth’s story is one of resilience, dedication, and a community that refuses to give up on a cat who needs help. But stories like his come with real costs. Emergency veterinary care, specialized medication, and months of treatment quickly add up, and Cogsworth is only one of many cats SAFE Haven cares for each year.

Your support makes this lifesaving work possible

If Cogsworth’s journey moved you, please consider making a donation to SAFE Haven for Cats. Your gift helps provide the medical care, time, and compassion cats need to heal and find the loving homes they deserve.

Support SAFE Haven and Our Mission