We like to keep our numbers right around 150 cats total. Although we have five acres, and many cats are spread out over the sanctuary grounds, that is the number that we can responsibly care for based on financial resources and volunteers at any given time.
All five acres of the sanctuary are enclosed by a fence that is six feet tall and then slopes inward three feet at a 45-degree angle at the top. As far as birds-of-prey, there are dozens of little wooden kitty “condos” across the property that the cats can take refuge in if they need to. We have also left most of the sanctuary grounds as original desert landscaping so there are various trees and shrubbery that the cats can utilize as well.
Absolutely!! We never euthanize for space. We only euthanize at the advice of our trusted veterinarian when a cat is suffering from an incurable or unmanageable condition.
The cats. 
Absolutely, by appointment only please. We ask that you please contact us at info@felinesanctuary.org so that we can make sure that we have a volunteer available to give you a tour.
Yes, if we have space. We have a separate half-acre fenced-in section of the sanctuary that houses the FELV+ cats. There is a “Little House” in that area that has water and air conditioning/heat to give them all of the comforts of the main house.
We do not take in any cats under about 6 months old and/or 5 lbs because they may escape the fencing that surrounds the sanctuary.
Most of our cats are surrendered to us by owners who can no longer care for them or from good samaritans that are doing trap-neuter-release programs. We also take cats in from other rescues as well as the Maricopa County MASH Unit when space allows.
We keep almost all of our residents for the duration of their lives. We do very few adoptions at the sanctuary. Most of our residents are older or may have socialization issues and they have become comfortable living an indoor/outdoor life. Approximately half of our population are feral cats. We have made a commitment to all of them to provide them with a forever home.
Immediately upon intake, new arrivals are placed into very large “acclimation kennels” to allow them to become used to the sights, sounds, and smells of the sanctuary environment as well as the volunteers for approximately two weeks. After that, they are released into the full sanctuary to settle in where they are most comfortable.
Our residents are fed a homemade and commercial cat food diet composed of cooked, ground chicken breast and canned cat food with added taurine and l-lysine every morning. During the day, treats are available and, in the evening, they are given portions of canned cat food. Kibble is available at all times. There are seven resource stations scattered around the property for those cats not wishing to come to the main house for feeding. Each resource station offers fresh water, kibble, and the homemade diet.
Most of our volunteers are very experienced animal rescuers, trained by years of handling and observing animals. Because they are accustomed to seeing the cats daily, noticing abnormal behavior or possible illness is second nature. The ferals are observed often when the resource stations are replenished daily.
The short answer is that you can’t. We are not an open intake facility. Unfortunately, we do not have the resources to take in every cat that needs to be rehomed. We almost always have a waitlist of cats waiting to be placed. We also have a series of requirements (vaccines, FELV/FIV testing, etc.) that the cats must meet before they can call Saint Francis home. Please feel free to contact us at info@felinesanctuary.org and we will evaluate your situation to see if we can help.
We are always looking for volunteers and donations. If you would like to make a monetary donation you can Zelle us at donate@felinesanctuary.org, use our PayPal link, or you may donate directly to our veterinarian to help with our vet bills. Vet bills are our largest expense. Our veterinarian is Palm Glen Animal Hospital and their phone number is 602-841-1200. If you would like to volunteer, please email us at info@felinesanctuary.org and we will respond to you and get you set up for a tour.