Come down and chip in on the farm: the Furball Farm that is.
This is the outdoor cat shelter at Furball Farm, in Faribault, Minnesota. The staff and volunteers built this impressive outdoor structure to allow their dozens of feral rescues a place to play and learn to be around humans.
Most of the cats at Furball Farms were once unapproachable and definitely untouchable, CBS reports, but now the majority love human visitors.
Founder Julie Maverts, who started the farm in her separate garage 6 years ago, says the outdoors is where most feral cats will have grown up, but allowing them to enjoy nature, wind, sun, and birdsong with love, gentleness, and affection has been a great sort of rehabilitation.
“We will only accept cats from clinics/rescues/impound/humane societies that are deemed unadoptable due to behavior,” the site states.
Julie has taken in hundreds of strays and gotten hundreds adopted. Thanks to donations, she’s able to provide low-cost spaying and neutering as well as flea and de-worming treatments.
Visiting hours are between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., and the area is kept clean and tidy by a force of volunteers that includes people who work just 2 hours and others who work 20.
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“People care about them. They’re not just nuisance cats trying to struggle outside,” Maverts said. “These guys can enjoy the weather and then go in when they’re cold. When they’re hungry, they can go in and get food. I think they’re gonna be a lot happier because they’re in their natural environment. Yes, they can’t actually leave this area but it’s home.”
For cats who get the “zoomies” there is plenty of space and grass to tear up, while more vertically-oriented felines will enjoy the climbing lattices and overhanging catwalks.
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You can’t watch the video here because the shelter has disabled the embedding of videos. However, you can watch the video on their Facebook.
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omygosh, i love this idea soo much!