Building The Dream

From two stray kittens on a highway to a 3-acre permanent sanctuary. We are building a model of compassion and ecological stewardship in Hawaii.

Milestones

Phase 1: Foundations

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Secured 3 acres of permanent land in Volcano

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Cleared and leveled the first acre

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Laid gravel foundation across the site

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Installed cat-proof, dog-proof, and pig-proof fencing

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Completed and installed our beautiful entry gate

The Current Mission

Currently Fundraising

As we work on building out our first main cat enclosure at our permanent sanctuary site, we are fundraising to help pay for the cost of the land (which we invested up front out of our own pockets). If you can help us, we will be that much more prepared for the recurring costs at the sanctuary, as well as dealing with emergencies when they arise. This is a long game, and every bit helps.

Cat Shelters

Building weather-proof, enriched enclosures for residents.

Infrastructure

Installing electricity, water lines, and facilities.

Guest Area

Storage and a greeting area to eventually open to the public.

Weekly Build Log

Real-time updates from the site

October 15, 2026

We’ve Got WALLS and WINDOWS!

We’ve Got WALLS and WINDOWS! Watch our cat sanctuary get built in under 3 minutes, here on the Big Island of Hawai’i! You can see our latest montage/timelapse of the build, from beginning to now, on either facebook, or instagram: Facebook Reel of Sanctuary Build Instagram Reel of Sanctuary Build You’ll notice we’re not quite done yet…but we have come SO SO far, from determined dream, to non-profit, to buying property, to clearing land, building the first enclosure, and now finishing the main building to house our operations and some kitty shelter for our residents and rescues! The most recent update is that we have walls up, and windows installed, and right now our contractor is working on finishing the interior of these enclosed portions of the sheltered part of the sanctuary. Since this will be where our rescue primarily operates from, it is important that we have more than just shelter from rain for the kitties. We also need to be able to have our caretakers, volunteers, and other staff be able to use the space to do what they need to. We need to be able to welcome visitors, once it is open to the public. We are also having to make a change to our initial solar system equipment, as the one originally planned on will not meet our needs. And we are hiring an electrician! Lots of necessary moves! We’re currently fundraising for this stage of the build, as costs have ended up exceeding our original budget due to some very important and unavoidable changes that had to be made, as we’ve shared in previous updates. Although these changes are not ideal for us, we know that in the long run it will set us and the kitties up for success, and make the transition period to the new site much smoother. You can help us get these additional build costs covered! From now until Oct 16th, ALL DONATIONS WILL BE DOUBLED, and we are an official non-profit, so all donations are fully tax deductible! As of the date of this being posted, we’ve raised a combined total of $17,741, which will mean we get $35,482 once that is doubled! You can donate here, to help us get closer to our goal! https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/help-us-finish-our-sanctuary Mahalo for all your support so far. If you dream it, you can do it!

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July 14, 2026

WE’VE GOT A ROOF!

Sanctuary build update - 07/13/26 You saw the headline. The roof panels are officially on! Despite quite a day of building, including all the build team getting soaked to the bones, they pulled it off! If you’ve seen our recent build updates, you’ll know that all the rain this year has been challenging for certain stages of the build, in an already rainy area. Some things you can push through the wet weather, and others you can’t, but the roof was the next key piece that HAD to be done before we could continue with the rest of the interior areas under it. So, we are THRILLED to say that it’s completed! WOOOOOOO! We’re checking those boxes off, and getting closer to move day for the kitties.

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July 10, 2026

Progress Report!

We've made great progress so far: land prep, leveling & gravel, gate & fencing, footers & portapotty, posts & beams, roof framing & staining, concrete floor pour, and wall framing! What's left on this push: roof panels, walls & windows & doors, solar, gazebo, finish wood staining, kitty shelters, planting/landscaping, and the BIG CAT MOVE!

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June 29, 2026

Floors are done, framing out the walls, and looking for roofing help

The concrete floors are poured! Cheee hooo we’re so excited that’s done. And now, our builders have been framing out the walls, and getting ready for windows and roofing! Speaking of roofing, our builder needs help to complete the roofing over the main shelter at our site. This is a paid position ($25 per hour) that will last for a period of several days, but will be dependent on weather.

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June 11, 2026

We’ve Got Concrete! A Major Milestone for Our Sanctuary

We’ve got CONCRETE! We’ve been crossing all our fingers and toes over here at Volcano Cat Sanctuary, to get a break in the rain that is long enough to get our concrete pouring done. The first enclosure at our permanent sanctuary site here on the Big Island of Hawaii can’t be done soon enough! Thankfully we got a break on Monday that was long enough to get it done, and now look! It’s drying and curing, and we’ve got the main flooring DONE for the section of our sanctuary shelter that will be concrete. We’re also going to be really depending on some good weather to get the roofing done, so fingers and toes are crossed once again, so that we can get the panels up and be one step closer to our permanent sanctuary site being functional and ready for kitties! It’s a funny thing, watching people do build projects who live in places where there is a real “dry season”, without rainy days, because that does not exist here, especially within certain micro climates on the island. And it’s been an especially rainy year in some areas here, even beyond the Kona Low storms we had. There’s just a few more steps right now that are super dependent on the weather, and once those are done we can make a LOT more progress. Can you please put some good wishes for good weather out into the universe?

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May 19, 2026

Fingers crossed for some rain-free build days

We’ve got concrete framing! Under the big roof that will cover a portion of our first kitty enclosure at our new, permanent cat sanctuary site, we are planning to have part of the ground area be covered by concrete floor. We’ve got some framing completed, as we wait for the weather to cooperate with some of the other major steps in the build that will not tolerate any rain. It has been a seriously rainy spring here in Hawai’i, and the Big Island is no exception. So for now, our builder is sneaking in progress in between cloud bursts!

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May 12, 2026

The rafters AND purlins are done!

So, it’s more of a mini update, but we wanted to keep folks in the loop as we keep moving towards our goal. The rain has been slowing progress on some pieces, and the build can’t move any further until these pieces are done, so it’s a bit of a start/stop, start/stop game right now. But, as of yesterday… The rafters AND purlins are done! Which basically means all the roof framing is complete. Our lead has also started the staining process on the structure, and we are now doing that familiar island dance of figuring out if a special order will be needed for the amounts required. If you’ve never built anything here in Hawai’i, it can be hard to understand how different it is to try to access materials consistently, the cost of materials, etc. It’s a fun experiment to go online and find a build project, including estimated budget, and what materials are used, and then try to cost out that project and actually source the materials and experts to build it here on the Big Island. Now compare that cost and timeline to most places in the continental US, and you’ll probably be clutching your pearls. Timelines, costs, shipping costs, so much can be different. But we roll with it here! It’s part of the package, living in this incredible place. You have to be ready to move at an island pace, and be adaptable to reality! Stay tuned for more build updates, coming soon!

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April 30, 2026

Raising the Roof!

We are making big progress on framing out the roof, and dare we say, it’s starting to look like a genuine building??! We are so excited, so ready for the roof panels to be added, but we’re juuuuuust a little ways from that still. There’s a bit more framing to do on the roof still. Stay tuned for the roof reveal, very very soon!

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April 21, 2026

All the cross beams are up!

We had to hire a forklift to get them up, but we are now one step closer to putting a roof on our first major shelter at the permanent sanctuary site!

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April 14, 2026

Posts Are UP!

Another short, sweet, and oh so victorious cat sanctuary build update! We’ve got POSTS! That’s right, all the main posts for the shelter we are building are now UP! Right now there are still some temporary supports holding them in place, so they’re not completely solid as of yet, but soon the structure will be getting framed in, more solid, and then the roof will begin to be assembled! If you know the Volcano area of the Big Island of Hawai’i, you’ll understand how crucial and central having a very solid roof and shelter from the rain is. When designing our sanctuary (which will expand in phases), we’ve got our own unique considerations that are different, even from sanctuaries and rescues on other islands, or different parts of our SAME island! The Big Island of Hawai’i has 4 out of the 5 major climate zones of the world, and 8 out of the 13 subzones of the world. That means that we are an island of diverse climates, and take the phrase “microclimate” to a whole new level. So with that in mind, we’ll be including some unique considerations as we continue our build, and as we adjust and expand once our new permanent site is up and running. Stay tuned! More build updates coming soon! -the Volcano Cat Sanctuary Crew

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March 25, 2026

Building a Safe Haven

We've cleared the land, fenced, the perimeter, and installed the gate.

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Leave Your Legacy

$1,000+

A special plaque on our
Wall of Donors

Most Needed

$500+

A special plaque on a
Cat House

$50+

The honor of
Naming a Kitten

Donate to Phase 2

Fund the Mission

Whether you provide a cat's first meal or sponsor their entire life, your contribution directly saves lives in the Volcano jungle.

$25

First Meal

Feeds a rescued cat during their first critical days. You’re helping a cat regain strength and stability from the moment they realize they’re safe.

Donate $25

$50

Safe Landing

Provides litter, sanitation, and a clean recovery space. You’re helping a cat transition from survival to safety, because safety starts with dignity.

Donate $50

$75

“Protect & Treat”

Provides flea/tick treatment and basic medical care. You’re helping prevent suffering and start healing.

Donate $75

$130

Supply a Rescue

Covers essential supplies for one cat: food, litter, daily care. Everything they need to stabilize.

Donate $130

Legacy Sponsor

$500

Save Multiple Lives

Supports the rescue and supplies needed for 2-3 cats and gets you a plaque on an outdoor cat house. This keeps the sanctuary saying YES to the next call for help.

Donate $500

Legacy Sponsor

$1,000

Fully Sponsor a Life

Covers the full cost of rescue, care, labor, and sanctuary operations for one cat. Gets you a plaque on our donor wall. This is what it actually takes to save a life.

Donate $1,000

Legacy Sponsor

$1,000

Medical Sponsor

Funds one major life saving surgery for a cat in desperate need, and gets you a plaque on our donor wall.

Donate $1,000

Legacy Sponsor

$2,500

Rescue Partner

Supports full operations of the sanctuary, shoutouts at fundraising events and a premium plaque on the donor wall.

Donate $2,500

Phase 1: Foundations

Currently Fundraising

Cat Shelters

Infrastructure

Guest Area

Weekly Build Log

We’ve Got WALLS and WINDOWS!

WE’VE GOT A ROOF!

Progress Report!

Floors are done, framing out the walls, and looking for roofing help

We’ve Got Concrete! A Major Milestone for Our Sanctuary

Fingers crossed for some rain-free build days

The rafters AND purlins are done!

Raising the Roof!

All the cross beams are up!

Posts Are UP!

Building a Safe Haven

Leave Your Legacy

$1,000+

$500+

$50+

$25

First Meal

$50

Safe Landing

$75

“Protect & Treat”

$130

Supply a Rescue

$500

Save Multiple Lives

$1,000

Fully Sponsor a Life

$1,000

Medical Sponsor

$2,500

Rescue Partner

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