Nearly two decades ago, husband and wife team Ed and Cindy Minghelli opened Fat Kitty City in an effort to rescue 73 felines living in a Stockton building complex on the verge of being demolished. It was a project no other animal welfare organization was willing to take on, and soon, word of the Minghelli’s one-of-a-kind feline sanctuary began to spread. According to Ed, Fat Kitty City is unique in its ability to care for a cat’s total well-being. “We are dedicated to providing acres of free-roaming sanctuary to those who have been abused, mistreated and neglected,” he explains. “We are adamant that they don’t live out their lives in horror and in cages, but are allowed to have a life filled with love and choice.” Their work is privately funded by donations to Agee Memorial Wildlife Fund, a nonprofit named for Cindy’s parents, Drs. Richard and Betty Agee, both of whom dedicated their lives to caring for people and their pets. In addition to its state-of-the-art sanctuary (which features climate-controlled, cage-free housing and extensive outdoor space), Fat Kitty City offers adoption and surrender services, free pet food, medical care, low- and no-cost spaying and neutering, and assistance with trapping stray animals. Going forward, the Minghellis and their dedicated volunteers hope to raise enough money to fund an expansion of the sanctuary on their 20-acre property so that no cat is turned away. “One cannot help but become emotionally invested in the lives of the nearly 200 kitties residing at the sanctuary,” shares longtime volunteer Cynthia Barnett. “Each one has a story to tell, some happy and many tragic. Our [goals are] to find homes for those who are ready to go to their new families, and to continue to provide loving care for the remaining kitties who will be with us for the rest of [their] lives.”

fatkittycity.org

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