They claim that cats select their owners, reversing the conventional understanding of pet adoption. Enter Rachel Kibue, a mother of five, who provides shelter for over 400 cats in her Mihango residence located in Nairobi County.
Since 2013, Kibue’s four-bedroom home has served as a haven for a diverse array of cat species, a mission she embarked on after discovering a newfound compassion for animals during her 2010 trip to India. In India, she immersed herself in yoga classes, where she learned the importance of showing empathy towards animals.
Reflecting on her transformative experience, she shared, “In 2010, I traveled to India after hearing a lot about yoga classes, and that is when I decided to learn about it from the source. We were taught how to be compassionate to animals, and I started looking at animals differently; they feel everything human beings feel—affection, loneliness.”
Her journey of cat rescue began modestly, starting with one cat, and has since grown to accommodate 413 felines. The surge in numbers occurs during December when many people travel and abandon their cats.
“People started realizing that I like cats, so they would call me for cats. Maybe one was hit by a matatu; I would rescue, treat, and stay with it,” she explained.
In 2020, Kibue established the Nairobi Feline Sanctuary, allowing her to focus on her cat rescuing mission. With the assistance of her colleague, Wiliam Macharia, who oversees bringing the cats to the sanctuary, Kibue has managed to streamline her efforts.
Macharia detailed his role, saying, “My work here is to capture the cats and bring them to the sanctuary. Some are easy to catch; you just need to give them food, and they comply, while others get a bit furious. You can see the scratch marks on my hands. For those, I am forced to use a trap.”
The sanctuary features specialized sections such as a maternity wing for pregnant felines, a baby nursery for rescued kittens, and a sick bay for unwell cats. Kibue emphasized that she sustains the cats mainly through her personal income and occasional donations from sources like pet stores.
Despite facing criticism for her unconventional work, Kibue remains resolute in her mission. She dreams of expanding her space to accommodate more vulnerable felines. Addressing criticism, she said, “We have been told point blank that we are rearing ogres and using the cats to get money, but there is no such money. My target is to get a bigger place so that we can get more.”
While Kibue’s cat-centric enterprise is unique, it reflects a growing trend in Kenya, where pet care centers and boarding facilities are emerging, particularly in urban areas like Nairobi.
