Kitty Harbor

The Cat's Meow was founded in 2004, and our initial focus was on spaying and neutering the feral cats in our community. Feral cats have not been socialized and are generally afraid of people. They are the offspring of tame cats who have been lost or abandoned. When kittens are born and raised without human contact, they can become feral.

Because they avoid human contact, feral cats are usually not adoptable. They live outside in family groups called colonies. In Anacortes, the Cat's Meow has managed several feral cat colonies ranging from small groups of 4-6 cats to our largest colony at a local shipyard where there were more than 200 cats.

We began by spaying and neutering. This halted the cycle of reproduction and stabilized the colony size. Over the years, we provided outdoor shelters stuffed with straw and volunteers provided fresh food and water for the cats each day. The cats were allowed to live out their lives with dignity in the environment where they were most comfortable and their population diminished over time.

By 2014, the feral cat population in Anacortes had naturally declined by quite a bit and the Cat's Meow was fortunate to receive a special gift that allowed us to build a comfortable home for the remaining cats. The sanctuary is currently at capacity with 30 kitty residents.

Welcome to Kitty Harbor!

A view of a boat and a cottage in Kitty Harbor feral cat sanctuary.

The view from the front entrance to the sanctuary. The cottage has a small door on each end so the cats can find shelter whenever they like. Inside the cottage is an upper loft filled with fleece blankets -- a favorite napping spot.

Three cats nap in the sun on a cedar deck in Kitty Harbor feral cat sanctuary.

Mr. Chow enjoying the afternoon shade with Ruby and Nikko.

A row boat with a custom built two story cat house sits in a garden at Kitty Harbor feral cat sanctuary.

The boat, with its two story pilot house, is a favorite resting spot for the kitties. If you look closely you can see a black cat, Mimi, sitting behind the Welcome kitty sign.

An orange cat named Louie crouches in the bottom of a boat at Kitty Harbor, while a tabby cat named Natalie peeks out from the upper deck.

Louie sits in the bottom of the boat, while Natalie snacks on some treats on the upper deck.

Multiple cats swarm around the legs of a visiting volunteer in Kitty Harbor feral cat sanctuary.

Patty, a volunteer, comes to visit the cats almost every day. They know she has treats for them so they are always excited to see her.

A black cat named Mimi and a siamese cat named Nikko sit in the garden at Kitty Harbor feral cat sanctuary.

Mimi naps on the cedar platform to the left while Nikko enjoys the garden.

A view of cottage and landscaping in Kitty Harbor feral cat sanctuary.

A view of the second cottage added this summer. After installing the first cottage, we realized it would not be enough indoor space for all the cats in the winter, so we added a second slightly larger cottage. The cats love to sit on the deck railings and watch all the activity in the street nearby.

Two orange cats named Mr. Chow and Louie nap in a sunny spot in the back of the boat in Kitty Harbor feral cat sanctuary.

The boat is a favorite napping spot. Here, Mr. Chow found a sunny spot on the top deck while Louie curled up below him.

An orange cat named Mr. Chow sits on a gravel path in Kitty Harbor feral cat sanctuary.

Mr. Chow, one of our oldest residents. He was one of the original shipyard cats and has become very friendly with his caregivers over the years. He keeps the younger cats in line and they seem to respect his authority.

A white cat with black markings named Lucy and an orange cat named Mr. Chow sit in the back of the boat in Kitty Harbor feral cat sanctuary.

Lucy and Mr. Chow together in the back of the boat.

A white cat with black marking named Lucy sits on the stone patio in Kitty Harbor feral cat sanctuary.

Lucy. The cats love to lay on the stone patio because it absorbs the heat from the sun all day.

A brown tabby cat named Natalie peeks out from the boat's pilot house in Kitty Harbor feral cat sanctuary.

Natalie, sitting inside the boat pilot house.

A black and white cat named Pikabu looks out from inside the boat in Kitty Harbor feral cat sanctuary.

Pikabu keeps an eye on things from inside the boat house.

Nikko (a siamese cat) and Junior (a black cat) sit together under a cedar deck in Kitty Harbor feral cat sanctuary.

Nikko and Junior under the cedar deck.

A tortoiseshell cat named Ruby sits in the front of a boat in Kitty Harbor feral cat sanctuary.

Ruby in the boat. Ruby is very shy and we hardly ever saw her before we put the garden in. Now that the plants are in, Ruby is enjoying the garden quite a bit. She is also one of the original shipyard cats. She survived the busiest part of the shipyard for many years.

A black cat named Mimi sits on a high shelf, looking over the sanctuary.

Mimi, in her favorite spot, where she can keep watch over the whole sanctuary.

An interior view of one of the cottages in Kitty Harbor.

Inside the first cottage. The loft is a favorite sleeping spot.

Interior view of one of the cottages in Kitty Harbor.

Inside the second cottage. This building is a little larger, so we were able to install a double loft with walkways in between. The cats love to curl up on the pillows during the night.

A black cat named Bozley peeks over the edge of the upper loft in his cottage home.

Bozley, peeking down from a loft inside one of the cottages. The lofts are filled with fleece blankets to keep the cats warm in cool weather.