Our Mission:
To improve the welfare of cats and kittens on the island of Puerto Rico
Contact email:
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Your donations support TNVR (trap, neuter, vaccinate, return) efforts for cat colonies, as well as the care of adoptable cats and kittens from these groups. They also help cover veterinary care as needed. Additionally, your contributions fund public training and education on the importance of spaying/neutering household pets and proper cat colony management.
We are entirely operated by dedicated volunteers and are a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. Click here for documentation.
Our Foster Program:
Just fill out our foster application and we will call you and place you on our foster list. When we need a foster residence in your area, we will contact you. Fostering is very flexible! You can say "no" if the timing isn't quite right. We will keep you on the list and when we contact you again, you can let us know if you are ready! No pressure.
We need fosters on and off island! Thousands of homeless cats and kittens in Puerto Rico are in need of help. Please fill out our Foster application below!
By transporting these animals off the island, we increase their chances of finding a loving forever home. Our foster program provides temporary care for these animals while we search for permanent adopters.
At no cost to you, we arrange a flight to the closest major airport to you. Together, we arrange transfer of the cat(s) or kitten(s) into your care. You can then provide affection, security, care and a nurturing environment so a sweet kitten(s) or cat(s) to flourish.
We provide expert guidance and assistance throughout the fostering journey, a special "cat bag" containing your feline's food, a collar, his or her toy, and their favorite blanket.
We will continue our efforts until we find permanent homes for the kittens or cats we place in your care.
Cat Adoption:
Mango and Tango are headed to their forever home in Massachusetts! Anna and Miriam (traveling buddies) are accompanying them for the entire flight until they hand them to their new family at the airport.
Check out our Facebook and Instagram pages for available adoptees!
We need adoptors on and off island!
But, did you know that taking a Puerto Rican cat or kitten home for adoption on the mainland is as easy as 1-2-3?
Please fill out an ADOPTION APPLICATION. We will review your application and meet you via FaceTime or Zoom. Each cat and kitten has a unique character and we want to match the best home to the best pet.
If you are traveling to your off-island home with your new cat or kitten, you will need to purchase a ticket for your pet (costing between $95 to $150) which can be added to your existing reservation. The Sanctuary can help you organize this. We are happy to provide you with the required airline approved carry-on bag for $35.
If you live off island, the Sanctuary can organize cat or kitten travel through "Flight Angel" networks of traveling cat buddies that will accompany your future pet during travel.
Ruth Kaplan, President
Linda Kee, Vice President
Sarah Wexler, Vice President
Laurie Powsner, Treasurer
Leadership, Caregivers and Volunteers
Each of these compassionate and loving caregivers and volunteers
brings a special skill set to our nonprofit!
Ruth
Ruth Kaplan brings her expertise in business management and compliance to Chateaux De Gatos Sanctuary. A Doctor of Physical Therapy, Ruth owned and operated a thriving physical therapy clinic in Princeton, New Jersey, for 12 years, where she honed her skills in bookkeeping, state and federal compliance, and operational efficiency. Since relocating to Rincón, Puerto Rico, Ruth has dedicated her time to animal welfare. She has a lifelong passion for cats, and her leadership as President is rooted in both professional expertise and a personal commitment to improving the lives of Puerto Rico's stray and feral cats.
Linda
With a Master’s degree in Speech and Language Pathology and 35 years of experience in Special Education, Linda Kee’s career demonstrates patience, empathy, and a commitment to teamwork. Her expertise in navigating complex systems and implementing policies aligns well with Chateaux De Gatos’ mission. Splitting her time between California and Puerto Rico, Linda and her husband have fostered and cared for abandoned cats, contributing significantly to local rescue efforts. Her background in team-based problem-solving and her lifelong love of animals make her a key asset to the Sanctuary’s leadership.
Rick
Rick Jeffries brings over 35 years of experience as a mental health professional, including 24 years working with incarcerated adolescents with severe psychiatric conditions and 13 years in private practice. His career has centered on compassion, empathy, and improving lives—values that extend to his work with Chateaux De Gatos. Raised in a pet-loving family, Rick has actively supported animal welfare through rescue, fostering, and transportation of animals from Puerto Rico to the mainland for adoption. His dedication to both people and animals makes him a passionate advocate and a strong contributor to the Sanctuary’s strategic growth.
Danielle
With over 25 years of entrepreneurial experience, Danielle Michail is a dynamic leader with a passion for animal welfare. After running a successful bodywork business in Los Angeles, she managed a pet care business in Colorado, blending her skills in service and operations. Now residing in Puerto Rico, Danielle partners with organizations like Santuario de Francis de Assisi and Puerto Rico Dog Fund to champion large-scale TNVR efforts. Her entrepreneurial mindset and hands-on experience in animal care position her as an invaluable member of the Sanctuary’s leadership team.
Laurie
As a licensed social worker with over 30 years of experience at Penn Medicine Princeton Hospital, Laurie Powsner brings unparalleled expertise in counseling, advocacy, and nonprofit governance to the Sanctuary. She specializes in grief, aging, and chronic illness counseling, and she currently serves on several nonprofit boards, including the Funeral Consumers Alliance of New Jersey and Marian’s Natural Burial Grounds. Laurie’s dedication to community service is evident in her volunteer work with Meals on Wheels and her fundraising efforts for local organizations. A long-time pet owner, Laurie’s meticulous approach to financial management ensures the Sanctuary operates with transparency and accountability.
Danielle Michail, Secretary
Sarah
Sarah embarked on her veterinary nursing journey in 2012, after graduating from a private veterinary nurse college in Australia. Inspired by a desire to make a tangible difference in the lives of animals, she ventured to Thailand to practice shelter medicine. In 2016, driven by her passion for animal welfare, Sarah founded Pawesome, an organization dedicated to providing veterinary care in Southeast Asia. With a vision to expand her impact globally, she has worked to promote community outreach and education programs. In 2024 Sarah’s commitment to advancing animal welfare led her to Puerto Rico, where she launched Spayversity as an extension of Pawesome’s mission. Through Spayversity, Sarah continues to empower students with comprehensive training fostering a new generation of compassionate professionals. With experience in Emergency and Critical Care gained from her work in Australia and the United States, Sarah is recognized as a leading advocate for animal welfare. Her extensive travels, spanning over 40 countries, has exposed her to diverse animal welfare challenges, fueling her determination to effect meaningful change. Driven by her unwavering dedication to animal welfare and her passion for global travel, Sarah remains committed to alleviating suffering and championing the rights of animals worldwide. Through initiatives like Spayversity, she continues to make a profound and lasting impact on the lives of animals and communities around the globe.
Rick Jeffries, Vice President
Business address:
9 Erdman Avenue Princeton, NJ 08540
We are located in Rincon, PR 00677
EIN: 93-3287424
100% of your donation goes towards the care of the cats at the Sanctuary, public education regarding spay/neutering, and feral cat colony care (TNR.) All workers are volunteer and receive no salaries. Your contributions are tax-deductible for federal income tax purposes.
This nonprofit was incorporated in October, 2023. Annual Report and Form 990-N will be published in April of 2024.
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