Catmandu is a 501(c)(3) non-profit in Carson City, NV. We take a different approach to helping homeless and at-risk cats. Our cat sanctuary and a rescue/adoption center are both cage-free and geared toward satisfying the cats' mental, physical, and emotional needs. Our incredible founder, Linda Buchanan, a Carson City native, has dedicated the last 10+ years to bettering the lives of our community and our cats and has rehomed nearly 2,800 cats and kittens! Here is her story:
"My life had been turned upside down by the death of my beloved husband, Kurt, from bladder cancer on April 19, 2012. All my hopes and dreams for the future died along with him. My plan was to live as quietly as possible, passing the time until I got to die and join him. While trying to find help for Carson, a stray cat in dire circumstances, I learned there were virtually no resources for needed help. An outdated, undersized animal shelter and a couple of organizations in the area utilizing foster homes were nowhere near enough to meet the needs of our local cats. The cats needed help. A lot of help. And they needed it NOW!
'Somebody should do something' I said. And then I realized - 'I am somebody!'
Instead of waiting for the government of "professionals" to hopefully do something someday, I decided to do what I could RIGHT NOW to help fill the urgent need for housing, adoptions, and resources. By cashing out Kurt's pension and selling almost everything I owned, I came up with $20,000 to fund the start-up costs.
I found the perfect facility at 1829 Brown Street - a 3,900-square-foot facility on a half-acre property with lots of space, rooms, and windows. It was a wreck when I rented it. With help from a few dedicated volunteers, donations of cash and materials, a lot of creativity and ingenuity in recycling, repurposing, and reusing, scavenging at thrift stores and yard sales, and a make-do can-do attitude, Catmandu was born.
Over the years, we learned, changed, and constantly improved. However, in 2023, the age of the building, decades of deferred maintenance, and the hard wear and tear from 2,700 or so cats over the years finally reached a crisis point. The roof was leaking, the floors were disintegrating, the paint had been scrubbed off the walls, and a lot of other repairs were needed. With the help of a few generous donors and a number of absolutely amazing volunteers, we closed for 3 months to give the inside of the building a thorough makeover and get a new roof.
While a lot has changed over the years, one thing stays the same - our dedication to helping homeless and at-risk cats have a better life, and providing a warm and welcoming place for cats needing help and a safe place to wait for their furever home." - Linda, aka Mom Cat
We provide an amazing sanctuary for those who are less adoptable, rescue and re-homing for social/friendly cats, a senior foster program for older cats, and education and information to cat owners everywhere. We receive no funding/grants from the State or Federal government; we rely solely on the generosity and compassion of our amazing donors and community to keep our doors open and keep doing what we do best!
Catmandu takes a different approach to helping homeless and at-risk cats. The sanctuary and rescue/adoption center are cage-free and geared toward satisfying the cats' mental, physical, and emotional needs. We provide an amazing sanctuary for those who are less adoptable, rescue and re-homing for social/friendly cats, a senior foster program for older cats, and education and information to cat owners everywhere.