About Happy Friends Felines
Who I am:
One farmer. A whole lot of cats in need of help. And a heart that simply won't let me look the other way.
I’m a farmer by day, and somehow, I’m also a trapper, caregiver, bottle-feeder, foster mom, and advocate for stray cats.
Do I have time to do all of these things? Absolutely not.
Do I have the budget to do them? Definitely not.
But over the years, I’ve learned that when you feel called to do something, you find a way. I believe God provides, and I’ll figure out the rest.
I’m spread pretty thin, but as long as my heart is beating, I’ll do my best to help the animals who need me.
Now that I’m 50, I know myself well enough to understand that I simply cannot turn a blind eye when I see a stray cat struggling. My heart won’t allow me to walk past them and pretend I didn’t see them.
This isn't something I just started doing.
Helping animals has been part of my life for decades.
From age 12, I volunteered with the largest nonprofit animal rescue organization on Staten Island, where my mom has served as president for more than 30 years. I became involved in nearly every aspect of the organization, from fundraising, mailings, and adoption events to website development, fostering, and Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR). I also served on the organization's Board of Governors for nearly 20 years.
While attending college on Long Island, I began TNR'ing cats on my college campus. I eventually TNR'd more than 50 cats there and found homes for dozens of kittens.
After graduating and buying my own home, I became the rescue's sole bottle-feeder for the next 15 years that I lived on Staten Island. During that time, I bottle-fed well over 100 kittens.
When I moved to Florida in 2013, I continued fostering and bottle-feeding for two local rescues, although my farm eventually became my primary focus as my career with AT&T was inevitably ending and there were lots of mouths to feed.
In 2021, I moved the farm to Pennsylvania. During my final year there, I began doing some TNR work again. But it didn't take long for me to remember just how brutally cold the Northeast can be in winter. I knew I needed to bring my animals home to Florida.
Coming home to Florida changed everything.
On August 1, 2025, I moved my farm, all of my animals, and everything I owned from Pennsylvania to a new property in Seville, in Northwest Volusia County, Florida.
I had no idea just how active I would become in helping stray cats in my new community.
I knew there were stray cats here. What I didn't know was the extent of the problem.
Within just over a year of returning to Florida, I have:
- TNR'd 180 cats
- Taken 81 kittens from the streets and into safety
- Helped ALL cats within approximately three miles of my farm
- And unexpectedly found myself caring for 22 foster cats and kittens
These numbers are as of September 18, 2026, and continue to grow.
What concerns me most is that the need isn't slowing down. My list of cats needing help continues to grow by 30 or more cats each month, with no end in sight.
And for the most part, I have been doing this on my own watch, on my own dime, simply because I believe it is the right thing to do.
Happy Friends Felines
That realization is what ultimately led to the creation of Happy Friends Felines, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to helping address the growing population of stray and community cats in our local rural communities.
Our work centers around Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), medical care, kitten intervention, socialization, and compassionate care, along with community education to encourage more humane and responsible ways of caring for outdoor cats.
I never set out to become the foster mom to 22 cats and kittens.
I never planned for this to become such a large part of my life.
But sometimes the need is right in front of you, and you can't walk away.
How You Can Help
This work is an expensive endeavor.
The Farmer's Market helps support the farm and the animals who live here, but it doesn't cover the costs associated with caring for stray cats, TNR, medical treatment, recovery, and fostering.
For a long time, I wasn't comfortable asking for help. I still find it difficult.
But I've learned that if I'm going to continue helping as many cats as I can, I can't do it entirely on my own.
There are supplies needed for the cats and kittens I'm fostering, as well as for cats recovering from surgery before they can return to their outdoor homes.
I've created an Amazon Wishlist with some of the supplies that are currently needed, and I'll continue adding to it as those needs change.
Every item, every dollar, and every share makes a difference.
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1FNW7R54KCOOQ?ref_=wl_share
For food, I also feed the cats and kittens Kirkland Signature Chicken & Rice cat food from Costco because it provides a suitable, reasonably priced option for the number of animals in my care.
https://www.costco.com/p/-/kirkland-signature-chicken-and-rice-cat-food-25-lbs/100334973?langId=-1
Can't Donate? You Can Still Help.
If you're not able to make a financial contribution or purchase something from the wishlist, there is another incredibly valuable way you can help:
Please share Happy Friends Farm and Happy Friends Felines with your friends and family. Follow us to see the most recent updates.
www.facebook.com/happyfriendsfarm
The more people who understand the problem of stray and community cats, the more opportunities we have to make a difference.
Thank you for caring.
Thank you for sharing.
And thank you for helping me help them.
Happy Friends Felines, Inc.
Compassionate care. TNR. Community education. One cat at a time.
**COMING SOON** The future plans to make a suitable quarters at Happy Friends Farm to accommodate the needs of our Feline guests!
PROVERBS 12:10 NLT The godly care for their animals
The pretty Pita
About Pita SHE HAS BEEN ADOPTED!!
Finally, my sweet baby girl- my first Florida foster baby (the second time around!) has been adopted by one of my most favorite families. Woohoo!!
For the life of me, I can't understand why Pita is still available for adoption!
She is a pretty perfect kitten in every way. She is affectionate, spunky, charismatic, and real easy on the eyes! She adores dogs, and is pretty dog like herself in some of her ways, and even as a bottle baby has made eye contact with me which is a little unusual for a cat. Her purrs are endless, and she talks with the squeakiest of meows and when the mood suits her, she will jump right into your arms! She adores her foster brothers and sisters and is often playing, cleaning and snuggling with them!
Her size and markings make me think she could have some exotic breed in her genes, but alas, she was found under a trailer at two weeks old, crying with no sign of mom in site, and so she is probably just an ordinary domestic short kitten blessed with beauty!
I have estimated her date of birth to be August 15th.
More photos of Pita
Momie and her brood
About Omie and her brood
On May 17th, I picked up a mama, Omie, and her two, two day old kittens (Frizzle and **) that were born in a planter pot and not wanted on the property.
After settling her in, and seeing what an amazing momma she was, I decided to give her two older unrelated babies, (Gideon, who at this time was three weeks old and born blind, but super tiny, and Skip who at this time was two weeks old and abandoned with his siblings who had passed) which she graciously took as her own. One week later, while helping a family with the TNR project, they informed me they were caring for of a 10 day old kitten, whom they were attempting to bottle feed with adult treat milk for cats. I explained to them that doing so would have eventually lead to a very sick or worse outcome, and offered to take her from them. Once again, Omie graciously accepted her.
Since Frizzle was smaller than the rest, I chose to wean Gideon and Skip
They were introduced to kittens, Tony and Tina who were similar in age whom I had recently rescued, and thrived together.
When it became too hot in my shop for Omie and her kids, they were all brought into my home and are now living together with the four other kittens.
Rescues always try to keep bonded families together, and my plea is no different. Yes, I know an addition of four seems improbable, but a determined foster momma can only try. They are THAT attached…
In all of my time in rescue, I have never met such a doting momma cat. Omie plays with her babies, calls to her babies, snuggles with her babies, and yes, even at three and a half months old, still nurses her babies. She is so amazingly motherly and attentive.
Omie is just a big kitten herself. She is estimated to be around a year old. She is dog friendly once she knows there is no threat to her kids, and is affectionate and sweet and loveable to every human she encounters. I cannot say enough about her. In every single way, she is truly one of a kind and will be someone’s heart cat.
More photos of Momie and her brood
The pretty Smokey
About Smokey
Smokey Farm appeared out of the blue one day at my farm, eating the food of a TNR’d kitty I care for. I wasted no time trapping her, as I suspected she was a female, and did not want her to add to the overpopulation of cats already in my neighborhood. She seemed quite feral, and was released as planned. But Smokey Farm had another plan. Shortly after her release, she would cry for me, at first shy and not wanting me to touch her, and then one day after sitting and crying outside my shop, I decided to let her in. She immediately ran over to her now best friend Feather (who she would love to have a home with!), ran to me, and threw her little self upside down, and has been living in the shop ever since. She does seem to be a bit nervous of other humans at first, but once she is warms up, you will be tripping over her as she weaves in and out of your legs.
Her age is estimated to be around seven months old. She has no issues with other cats, but is afraid of dogs.
More photos of Smokey
The pretty Fluffies
About the Fluffies
I can't help that I have an affliction for fluffy cats, or "floofs" as I call them. And I truly don't believe they should have to live outdoors where their fur is covered in seeds and stickies and such. So since one of my trapping locations was chock full of the most beautiful fluffies, I committed to trapping and rehabilitating these furry creatures and socializing them by teaching them kindness. And they're responding well. I know in my heart the right homes will be waiting for them when they are ready to go. They are available as "foster to adopt". They are all young ladies, under a year old.
More photos of the fluffies
The pretty gigi
About Gigi
Gigi was trapped with members of her colony and there was no way she was going to be going back outside if I could help it.! Based on her weight of three pounds, I would estimate her date of birth to be November 19th. She is a little skittish at first, but purrs as soon as she is picked up. She is loving life as an indoor kitten, and with extra attention and love, she is sure to flourish as she learns to trust!
More photos of gigi
Thank you for considering the adoption of my foster kittens!
This is very difficult for me. I want nothing more than for these babies to be someone's everything!
I put a lot of love, care and energy into every single animal that crosses my path. I just want the very best for each of them.
Kittens in pairs or a friend for a lonely cat or dog!
In my experience, kittens always do better in pairs, having company and tending to stay out of mischief. I fully recommend adopting two if you do not have a furry friend at home. Preference will be given to an adopter considering a pair.
Bomb proof, resilient kittens!
All of my bottle raised kittens have been raised in a home with four other cats, (some of which do not like other cats) and so the kittens are understanding of who their friends are and are not! They have also been raised with three cat-friendly dogs who adore these little fur balls, and will allow them to climb and play on them. There are two Roomba vacuums that runs daily for many hours that do not phase them in the least. I've done construction in the house- even in the room they are in, using hand and power tools in their presence without any hesitation on their part. Of course they will be nervous in a brand new environment (who wouldn't be?) but should adapt super quick! These kittens have been raised with nothing but love and the love should continue to flow into their forever home!
One last step!
The application below was designed to ensure kitten(s) and cats are placed into their perfect home. I take the adoption process very seriously and would hope a potential adopter agrees!
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