Happy Cats Haven is a no-kill feline rescue serving the Pikes Peak Region dedicated to ensuring that each cat that comes into our shelter has an opportunity to regain their true personality and sense of security. By giving them the gift of time, we increase their chances for a happy and long life in their new homes.Â
As of January 2024, with the help of our supporters, we have saved over 6,600 cats with an average of a 98.8% live-release rate since our start in 2011!
Our Mission
Happy Cats Haven began with a dream in 2011. When only one in three animal shelter cats made it out alive, we dreamed of replacing fear with hope to give homeless Colorado Springs cats another chance at love.Â
We speak fluent cat and delight in learning what each one has to teach us. Abandoned shelter cats need feline friendly handling to become their best selves. Our comfy Haven is a safe and welcoming place in the Colorado Springs area for scared cats to land, exceeding the definitions of both no-kill and socially conscious shelters.
From the moment cats and kittens are rescued, we treat them with respect and positive handling to make their stay as fear free as possible. That care includes the precious gift of time: time to regain trust, time to relax and show their true personalities and all the time everyone needs to make the best match possible.Â
 We support their full life cyclesâas many of their nine lives as they needâwith classes, online behavior advice and referrals through our Ask Ms Kitty Helpline. When a problem is solved, a cat can be saved.
Testimonials
I am very, very impressed with Happy Cats Haven. Have taken 3 awesome classes there and highly recommend them. So far one of my friends has adopted there and another attended Kitten Kindergarten. Just imagine getting a cat who is already well trained and your perfect match! - Kitty Morel
I am so glad we found Happy Cats Haven. Your approach to adoption is so much better than what I have experienced in the past. Since you have such a great environment and get to know the cats in your care, you were able to provide us with the insight needed to help us select the right kitten for our family. I believe that his low-stress start to life helped make Kipling the awesome cat he's growing into. - Rebecca Marshall
Dedicated, knowledgeable staff and volunteers. Welcoming environment when you visit the shelter. Cats that are healthy and socialized greet you at the second door going inside because they can free roam under the watchful eyes of the volunteers and staff. Your questions are treated with respect and you are never talked down to. Everyone is very gracious. Cats are very well cared for here. - Linda Compton
2023 Accomplishments
12% of all adopted shelter cats in the Pikes Peak Region found their homes through us
651 cats & kittens found their forever homes, 56% of which were adults & seniors
768 total cats & kittens found safe haven at HCH in 2023, with 12% of those cats receiving extra behavioral care from our volunteer Onsite Behavior Team
227 of cats & kittens were surrendered due to financial or housing hardships, about 30% of all our intakes
597 cats & kittens were fostered by our loving foster families
377 bonded cat friends & siblings were adopted together, 58% of all our adoptions
519 adopted cats & kittens and 347 community cats were fixed in 2023, for a total of 866 spays and neutersâĤ preventing thousands of needless cat & kitten deaths
98.8% average save/live-release rate for our cats
1,800+ follow-up emails and phone calls were made to help keep cats home
Giving Activity
Mission
At Happy Cats Haven, we rescue homeless Colorado cats and kittens and find them loving new homes. Our vision is to make life better for all cats through adoptions and education. We believe that cats are valuable, lovable and trainable, not disposable.
At Happy Cats Haven, no healthy or treatable cat is euthanized. Our Live Release Rate is 98%, which means we exceed the definitions of both a No-Kill organization and a Socially Conscious Shelter.
Background Statement
Cats in shelters are traumatized cats. Research shows that even cat experts can't tell the difference between feral and domestic cats in their first few days at a shelter. This makes cats especially vulnerable in shelters. Happy Cats Haven was started to address this trauma, which can make even the friendliest cat unadoptable.
Since 2011, we have been committed to creating a safe place where homeless cats and kittens can recover from that trauma to become adoptable again. Our comfortable shelter is based on the Five Freedoms, which guarantee an animal the ability to express normal behavior in a safe, low-stress environment.
With that goal, we are as cage-free as possible, housing our cats in home-like group rooms called colonies, where we can take the time to learn their personalities, petting, play and scratching preferences.
Cats often make good friends with other cats here, so we nurture those friendships and try to find homes where they can be adopted together. At Happy Cats, the cats' true personalities shine through, making for a better lifetime match with their adopters.