One former nurse has made a name for herself in Rochester, New York, after turning her home into a sanctuary for rescue cats who might otherwise struggle to find stable, long-term care.
As of publishing, she's housing nine cats with severe medical needs, after dropping $17,000 on renovations to keep them safe and comfortable.
What happened?
Sarah Carolyn and her sister, Emily, first started rescuing pets in 2020, but their focus quickly evolved to centering around cats, according to People.
"The rescue that I ended up spending years with transitioned to cats only because the need here is so great for cats," she told People. "We have a feral cat problem."
Carolyn, who used to be a nurse, began to handle cats with "severe medical needs" and would "give fluids, IVs, steroid injections."
"Anything you can think of, I was able to do," she told the outlet.
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A year and a half ago, the sisters moved into a new home where Carolyn envisioned transforming the space into a proper sanctuary for their rescue cats, which included ones that are "blind, deaf, in a diaper, [and] paralyzed," she said. "They're all the ones that were either pulled from a euthanasia list, or they're the ones that an average person would not be able to take care of."
@sar_carolyn Okay guys please be nice I worked sooo hard 🤣 #renovation #catsanctuary #basementremodel ♬ Almost forgot that this was the whole point - Take my Hand Instrumental - afterlives
"That is what inspired me to make the sanctuary, is because I knew that they deserved a space and a place to call home as much as a normal cat would," she said.
@sar_carolyn This video makes me SO emotional. Every one of our cats is a rescue. Each one was abandoned, hurt at the hands of a human, left in the snow etc. So to see the beautiful life they get to live now makes me the happiest human alive. ❤️🐱 #catio #newhome #catiotour #rescuecats #sisters ♬ Little Sparrow - Paul Alan Morris
Why does it matter?
Studies have found that dogs and cats with medical conditions often wait four times longer than the average pet to get adopted. They may require more patience, added medical care, adjustments at home, or simply a caregiver willing to take on a more demanding routine.
By creating a safe and lasting home for cats with disabilities and other challenges, Carolyn is caring for animals that might otherwise be overlooked in traditional adoption systems.
@sar_carolyn No more gate keeping, the secret is out….👀 We only use Really Great Cat Litter by @Tuft & Paw in this house🏡 you can use code MELI20 to get yours!!🐱 #catsoftiktok #catlitter #ad ♬ original sound - Sarah
"We take in the most severe, worst, most terrible cases, and we'll bring them in, and then we'll rehabilitate, and then we'll find the best fit for them," she told People. "It takes a minute to find a family or find someone who's gonna be willing to take on a cat with special needs."
At a time when vulnerable animals are too often left for someone else to help, she has made room in her own home and life to care for them.
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