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Sensitive &
Misunderstood
These animals are the ones with “issues” that make placing them in the average household a challenge. Most of the time these issues are behavioral and/or special medical needs.
They are silly, affectionate, smart. They have favorite treats, toys and beds.
They are whole beings with personalities and preferences just like us.
But they just don’t fit in the “mold” of perception of how a companion animal “should be.” Society has created a role and identity for our companions that not all animals can live up to.
Our sanctuary program is foster based. They get all the love and care a “normal” companion animal would, but they remain under the rescue so we can provide the lifetime support these animals and their foster families need.
When you sponsor a sanctuary animal, you are providing monthly funds for their food, treats, toys and vet care.
Sanctuary Cats
Dragonfly has had a rough start in life. She was born in a cat hoarding house. There were over 70 cats in this house and no litter boxes. The conditions in this house were horrific.
Many kittens died from the ammonia, filth and lack of nutrition and vet care. Dragonfly though survived.
Unfortunately an untreated upper respiratory infection left her one eye scarred and we don’t think she has any vision in it.
While she solicits attention and doesn’t hide from her foster mom, she is still hesitant to let humans touch her. She will shy away. She does play and take treats from her caretaker and seems at time like she wants to be pet but is also still scared.
Eddie came to us from a cat hoarding house. He was one of over 70 cats living in a home. There were no litter boxes, no electricity in parts of the home and the cats had gotten into the walls in some rooms.
While most of the cats rescued, went on to be adopted, Eddie became a Sarama sanctuary cat. Eddie has a condition called radial hypoplasia. He is missing his radius bones in his front legs. He was born this way. He gets around well and can run, jump and climb like the other cats. It doesn’t seem to affect his daily life. He just walks a little different than other cats.
Eddie is also semi feral. He doesn’t want to be touched by his caretakers but he’s finally comfortable being out and about in front of his foster mom but stays just out of reach. Eddie likes the other cats and enjoys spending time outside on the new catio.
BamBam came to us from a community cat colony where it wasn’t safe for him to live. He was an older kitten at the time. It took many months before he warmed up to his foster mom but still remains cautious at times.
He also hides whenever anyone else visits, making it really hard for him to be adopted. BamBam is a curious cat who loves to be outside on the catio and watch the birds and other wildlife.
He gets along well with all the other cats and likes to be petted, as long as he is the to one to approach. He still gets scared if he is approached by a human.
BamBam is thankfully a healthy cat. His expense are for regular vet checkups, preventative meds as well as food and daily care items.
Bubby was originally part of an outdoor cat community that was well cared for. Unfortunately neighbors didn’t want the cats there and threatened to poison them. Bubby was taken into Sarama for his safety.
While shy around humans, Bubby seems to love the companionship of other cats. He is often found cuddling with a friend in his foster home. Bubby is also FIV +. Though this does not affect his daily life, we keep a close eye on him to make sure he is healthy and happy.
Because Bubby is cautious around humans, it’s hard to find an adopter for him. He doesn’t want to be touched and likes to have his space. He’s comfortable being around his foster mom and comfortable in his foster home with his feline companions.
Ollie was abandoned in a carrier at one of our partner shelters. The person who brought him in said Ollie’s owner had died but left before any other info could be obtained.
He is one of the friendliest and flirtiest cats we have ever met. He’s curious, silly, loves to be pet and is a lap cat. We were sure he would get adopted quickly. And he did. And then returned quickly. And same thing again.
Since returning to us, Ollie has been doing great. He loves to greet the volunteers and supervise any cleaning that happens in the cat room. We decided it was best not to stress him more and just keep him where he is happy and we can actively manage his environment. In July of 2023, Ollie officially became a sanctuary cat and Cat Room Volunteer Manager.
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Her name is Gia. She was adopted from us a few years ago by a woman who loved her very much. Unfortunately Gia attacked her for no known reason and animal control had to come get Gia and bring her to the shelter where she served a ten day bite hold.
Today I went to pick her up. She is scared but not aggressive. I don’t know what happened in her former home. It’s possible something spooked her and things escalated. But I don’t know if we will ever know.
Gia will remain with us as a sanctuary cat. That really is her only option at this point due to liability issues.
Pony is a feral kitty who decided to move onto our director’s front porch a few years ago. She had been feeding him for a few weeks when he showed up one day limping with a horrible gash on his leg and side. She trapped him and took him to the vet to have him neutered and have his wound treated. Luckily it wasn’t as bad as it looked and he was able to be released after a few days of recovery. He stayed after that but was very wary of her and kept his distance. But slowly over the course of a few years he has warmed up and now doesn’t leave the porch much. Pony has two houses and he loves dry food but is picky about wet food. Wet food he doesn’t like he shares with the opossums and raccoons. He must be at least four or five years old now. Pony is an important part of the Sarama family and we love him very much.
Ananda is one of the cats that came with our new sanctuary property. Some of them we don’t see every day but Ananda is always here. She doesn’t want to be touched by humans or be too close but she seems comfortable here as long as we give her space.
When she was brought to the clinic for her spay, we learned that she was pregnant. The vet estimated her to be 4 years old.
We aren’t completely sure but Ananda seems to have a mild case of Cerebellum hyperplasia which affects her balance and coordination. This may be why she doesn’t wander far and tends to stay close to the house.
Ananda seems to be closely bonded to the other cats here but especially to Maple who also stays close to the house.
While we weren’t expecting so many cats to already be on the property , we feel honored to be able to care for these beautiful souls.
Matt was named after our friend from sponsored his neuter.
He is one of the cats that we acquired with the new property. He, along with all of the others, are very skinny. Matt also has some hair loss , likely from flea allergies. When he was neutered he was also treated with Bravecto, vaccinated and microchipped. Matt isn’t feral. He’s shy but friendly. He’s still getting used to us but has been tentatively approaching and vocalizing when we bring out food. There is another tuxedo cat on the property who we think is Matt’s brother. They seem bonded and when we returned Matt after his neuter surgery, they were so happy to be reunited.
We can’t wait to get to know him better, help him get some more weight on and help heal his skin.
Sachi is one of three kittens who are living in the wood pile at the new sanctuary property. He is about three months old.
Sachi was trapped and neutered, vaccinated and tested. He was pretty congested at the time but with some meds and extra TLC it seems to have cleared up.
He was released back outside and he was happy to be with his friends and vice versa. This is his home and we will provide him with food , shelter and vet care as needed.
Paw Paw is Matt and Yamuna’s sibling but he is much more shy. He stays mostly on the other side of the property and hides in the wood pile.
He was neutered , vaccinated, treated for fleas and microchipped. The vet said he was on the thin side so we are leaving out more food. There are many cats we are feeding and we need to get a camera to make sure everyone eats.
Lamb is one the cats trapped from our new property.
Lamb is estimated to be 5 years old. She is a female who is post partum but not lactating. She could be the mom of the three kittens in the woodpile (Ducky, Sachi and Panda).
Lamb is one of the shyer cats who we don’t see everyday but we suspect she is around hiding, waiting for us to leave to eat.
He is one of 12 cats that came with our new sanctuary property. He is approximately 4 months old and is brother to Sachi and Panda.
Ducky often hangs out with Ananda and Maple on the back patio and likes to sleep in our egg chair. He looks so similar to Ananda we thought maybe she was his mom, but we really aren’t sure. He also spends time with his siblings as well.
Ducky is scared of humans and will be a sanctuary cat. We are committed to caring for him and his friends for life.
Maple is another one of the cats who came with the sanctuary property. The previous owners named her and told us she has been there forever but they never could catch her and she was wild. Maple is always on the back patio and we see her everyday.
Maple is very thin, has a poorly kept coat and seems to have some congestion. It also appears she is in need of dental care. She’s in pretty bad shape. She is eating and drinking and getting around okay. She seems to be bonded with all the other cats and they seem to love her too.
We are sure she will need more cat care than the clinic can provide at a spay appt and she likely would not be approved for surgery. But we’re hoping we can get her care quickly and return her to her colony and to where she feels safe afterwards
Sanctuary Dogs
Benjamin came to us from Puerto Rico. He was six months old at the time. Though he is very social with dogs and cats, so many other things terrify him including new people. Ben has adjusted to life here and he feels safe on his bubble but we respect his boundaries and don’t try to push him past his comfort level.
When he first got here Ben wouldn’t come out of his crate for a day. And even when he came out, he wanted nothing to do with us. A few days later with the help of some other puppies we had, Ben started to trust our director and let her pet him. From there he got pretty comfortable with soliciting attention from her and even likes to climb in my lap for pets.
Ben is really good with other dogs and loves to play in the yard. He has babysat many puppies who came after him. His current BFF is a dog named Gina. Ben is one of the few dogs Gina likes!
Benjamin came to us from Puerto Rico. He was six months old at the time. Though he is very social with dogs and cats, so many other things terrify him including new people. Ben has adjusted to life here and he feels safe on his bubble but we respect his boundaries and don’t try to push him past his comfort level.
When he first got here Ben wouldn’t come out of his crate for a day. And even when he came out, he wanted nothing to do with us. A few days later with the help of some other puppies we had, Ben started to trust our director and let her pet him. From there he got pretty comfortable with soliciting attention from her and even likes to climb in my lap for pets.
Ben is really good with other dogs and loves to play in the yard. He has babysat many puppies who came after him. His current BFF is a dog named Gina. Ben is one of the few dogs Gina likes!
Thor has been in our rescue for several years. He came to us from New York after he was found tied up to a fire hydrant in the middle of the night. He was severely emaciated and in bad shape. Soon after he arrived at Sarama and was settling into foster care be developed pneumonia and needed to be hospitalized on oxygen for several days. Thankfully he made a full recovery. However once he started to feel better, that’s when he began to show some quirky behavior. Thor has a lot of anxiety, he also gets very over stimulated quickly and can be guardy with his toys and food.
Thor has progress evaluations twice a year plus he receives ongoing behavior modification visits in the home from the tech.
Last year we decided that it’s in Thors best interest to make him a sanctuary dog. His foster parents love him so much and continue to go above and beyond for him. Thor’s foster family needs the support of the rescue and vet behavior team to ensure Thor is living his best life.
Benjamin came to us from Puerto Rico. He was six months old at the time. Though he is very social with dogs and cats, so many other things terrify him including new people. Ben has adjusted to life here and he feels safe on his bubble but we respect his boundaries and don’t try to push him past his comfort level.
When he first got here Ben wouldn’t come out of his crate for a day. And even when he came out, he wanted nothing to do with us. A few days later with the help of some other puppies we had, Ben started to trust our director and let her pet him. From there he got pretty comfortable with soliciting attention from her and even likes to climb in my lap for pets.
Ben is really good with other dogs and loves to play in the yard. He has babysat many puppies who came after him. His current BFF is a dog named Gina. Ben is one of the few dogs Gina likes!
Neighbors had witnessed Buddy’s previous “owners” punching him and kicking him when he was chained in the yard. Eventually the humans moved out and left Buddy there.
Buddy is cautious of new people but loves and trusts his foster family. We work with a Veterinary behaviorist to help manage his fear and anxiety and give him the best life we can.
Since he’s come to Sarama, he’s had two cruciate/meniscus surgeries to repair his back legs but is otherwise healthy and happy. Except when it storms. He’s terrified of thunder storms and his foster mom has to sleep on the couch with him. But he loves toys, all food, long lasting chews and chasing the hose water in the summer time.
In addition to the standard costs of monthly flea, tick, and heartworm medications, food and treats and regular vet visits, Buddy is also on three other types of meds for anxiety and joint supplements.
Benjamin came to us from Puerto Rico. He was six months old at the time. Though he is very social with dogs and cats, so many other things terrify him including new people. Ben has adjusted to life here and he feels safe on his bubble but we respect his boundaries and don’t try to push him past his comfort level.
When he first got here Ben wouldn’t come out of his crate for a day. And even when he came out, he wanted nothing to do with us. A few days later with the help of some other puppies we had, Ben started to trust our director and let her pet him. From there he got pretty comfortable with soliciting attention from her and even likes to climb in my lap for pets.
Ben is really good with other dogs and loves to play in the yard. He has babysat many puppies who came after him. His current BFF is a dog named Gina. Ben is one of the few dogs Gina likes!
Bear is a gorgeous mixed breed dog in need of a home. He is shy and scares easily and takes time to warm up to strangers. But once you’re in his circle of trust he is devoted for life.
Bear was rescued as a puppy from down south and adopted out to a family with kids. The unpredictable and sometimes chaotic nature of a household with children was too much for Bear who stresses easily. He was surrendered to Sarama.
He lives with one of our most experienced fosters who has a back ground in dog training and behavior. He’s also currently under the care of a vet behaviorist and takes medication which helps with his anxiety.
Benjamin came to us from Puerto Rico. He was six months old at the time. Though he is very social with dogs and cats, so many other things terrify him including new people. Ben has adjusted to life here and he feels safe on his bubble but we respect his boundaries and don’t try to push him past his comfort level.
When he first got here Ben wouldn’t come out of his crate for a day. And even when he came out, he wanted nothing to do with us. A few days later with the help of some other puppies we had, Ben started to trust our director and let her pet him. From there he got pretty comfortable with soliciting attention from her and even likes to climb in my lap for pets.
Ben is really good with other dogs and loves to play in the yard. He has babysat many puppies who came after him. His current BFF is a dog named Gina. Ben is one of the few dogs Gina likes!
More information coming soon.
Benjamin came to us from Puerto Rico. He was six months old at the time. Though he is very social with dogs and cats, so many other things terrify him including new people. Ben has adjusted to life here and he feels safe on his bubble but we respect his boundaries and don’t try to push him past his comfort level.
When he first got here Ben wouldn’t come out of his crate for a day. And even when he came out, he wanted nothing to do with us. A few days later with the help of some other puppies we had, Ben started to trust our director and let her pet him. From there he got pretty comfortable with soliciting attention from her and even likes to climb in my lap for pets.
Ben is really good with other dogs and loves to play in the yard. He has babysat many puppies who came after him. His current BFF is a dog named Gina. Ben is one of the few dogs Gina likes!
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More information coming soon.
Benjamin came to us from Puerto Rico. He was six months old at the time. Though he is very social with dogs and cats, so many other things terrify him including new people. Ben has adjusted to life here and he feels safe on his bubble but we respect his boundaries and don’t try to push him past his comfort level.
When he first got here Ben wouldn’t come out of his crate for a day. And even when he came out, he wanted nothing to do with us. A few days later with the help of some other puppies we had, Ben started to trust our director and let her pet him. From there he got pretty comfortable with soliciting attention from her and even likes to climb in my lap for pets.
Ben is really good with other dogs and loves to play in the yard. He has babysat many puppies who came after him. His current BFF is a dog named Gina. Ben is one of the few dogs Gina likes!
More information coming soon.