The Happy Cat Sanctuary

Outside of the bustling city and deep within the quiet suburbs of Long Island lies a sanctuary for our feline friends. Back in 2006, this sanctuary was nothing but a poorly maintained open area of land. The area is now occupied by hundreds of cats all living in peace and harmony together.

Chris Arsenault, a retired train conductor, established the cat colony after suffering a terrible loss. In the summer of 2006, Chris lost his 24-year-old son in a motorcycle accident. When the grieving father stumbled upon a litter of kittens in need of a home, he knew he had to do something. He couldn’t bear with another loss, and decided to take the kittens in, feed them, nurse them back to health, and provide them with the loving home he knew they deserved.

In an interview with the New York Post, Chris says, “There were 30 little kittens and I could tell they were sick. I knew if I left them there they would die so I brought them home with me. After my son died, those cats gave me something to do.” In the years to follow, Christ stuck true to his word, and found himself on a new life journey. He began working with local shelters and animal charities to be able to adopt and comfortably accommodate more animals, to make sure no kitten is left to die without a fighting chance.

The Long Island Cat Sanctuary is now home to over 300 cats, and Chris relies on help and support from the local community to ensure health, safety, and happiness inside his home. Nearly every dollar that comes in goes towards food and veterinary care, but the cost is worth it to keep these furry friends around for as long as possible!