In Upper Kirby, Houston, USA, there is a $600,000 plain brick residential home. It is well maintained without any indication that it is occupied exclusively by rescue cats and is used as a cat rescue facility. Nearby is another property which is used as a permanent showroom for the cats to enable them to be adopted. Both are owned by Patti Thomas who lives in Ghana, Africa. A friend of hers, Brenda Fraley, manages the rescue which is called Save a Purrfect Cat Rescue.
The highly unusual aspect of this cat rescue organisation is that Patti has given over her chic, vintage home that she owns in central Houston to the exclusive use of rescue cats and another nearby to show the cats off to adopters. Inside the cat rescue it is like an ordinary residential home because they believe that domestic cats feel better in this sort of environment.
The photographs are by Karen Warren, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer. They link to larger versions so please click on them if you want to see the pics in large format.
There are not many people who have the will, commitment and money to be so generous with respect to expensive real estate in giving it over to cat rescue.
Patti Thomas is 71 years of age and described us “tall and talkative, with the air of a pioneer woman able to vanquish any obstacle on the trail”. She is a graduate from the University of Chicago where she met her husband, Len Thomas. He worked for the Peace Corps in Ghana, Africa and Patti followed him there. He died around 10 years ago.
The Peace Corps is a volunteer program run by the US government. It’s objective is to provide social and economic development abroad and a better understanding between Americans and people served. It was established by John F. Kennedy in 1961.
Patti met Brenda Fraley in Houston when Brenda was involved with TNR work and adopting out adoptable cats and Patti was living in the house given over to cat rescue. They became friends and today Fraley runs the cat rescue while Thomas remains in Ghana. A group of volunteers help to run the rescue.
The neat, vintage home in Huston which houses the cats is near the Houston university campus. Thomas’s daughter persuaded her to buy it and she vowed to never give it over to developers. As descried, one thing led to another which is the current state of affairs. An unusual state of affairs and a very generous one. I think it is the most discreet cat rescue I have read about – until it was discussed so much on the internet! It seems the address remains unpublicised and confidential.
Note: I have been as accurate as possible but there is some doubt, based on the report, as to whether Patti Thomas owns or rents the second home. My assessment is that she owns it and at one time rented it out.
