Malie, a 10-month-old kitten, had been residing in a foster home on Maui until the devastating fires compelled her foster parent to evacuate, rendering her unable to look after the young feline.
Alongside numerous other cats, Malie, with her brown fur and hazel eyes, was airlifted from Hawaii to the Seattle region, where various organizations welcomed and cared for the animals.
In a matter of days after her journey, Malie has already settled into her new abode. The story echoes with the other Maui cats that arrived at the Seattle Humane last week. Remarkably, all 17 of them have either found their forever homes over the weekend or are in the process of being adopted, as announced by the animal welfare group on Tuesday.
In the midst of the deadly wildfires that engulfed Maui recently, causing the loss of at least 114 lives, thousands of pets became separated from their owners amidst the turmoil of evacuations and rapidly spreading flames. Approximately 3,000 pets are currently unaccounted for in the Lahaina area, according to estimates from the Maui Humane Society.
Posts on a Facebook page dedicated to lost and found animals in Maui have shared similar heartrending tales. Stories abound of dogs whose owners couldn’t return in time to save them from the inferno, and cats that fled in panic before their owners were left with no choice but to evacuate without them.
The Good Cat Network, a nonprofit organization based in Hawaii, has taken the initiative to transport 41 cats to the Seattle area since the onset of the wildfires. These Maui cats were already up for adoption before the fires erupted, and their relocation was intended to free up space on the island for displaced animals, allowing them to be reunited with their owners.
Over the course of its existence, the Good Cat Network has successfully flown more than 550 cats off the island, with their efforts intensifying in the past 12 days as they moved 70 cats to various cities, reported Darlene Rayhill, co-founder of the organization.
Last week, 17 cats were brought to the NOAH Center in Stanwood, and another 17 found their way to the Seattle Humane. Furthermore, seven cats were received by PAWS (Progressive Animal Welfare Society) on Monday. Among them, six youthful and healthy cats are ready for adoption.
Malie’s new home is with a family having connections to Hawaii, revealed the Good Cat Network. Notably, this past weekend witnessed the adoption of a total of 71 pets, with many prospective owners visiting the shelters specifically to welcome the Maui cats into their lives.
As of Tuesday morning, four cats had been adopted at the NOAH Center, shared spokesperson Sarah Caldwell. While Chucky, a 3-month-old orange kitten, Senator Jasper, a 3-year-old brown cat, and James Bond, a 3-month-old black kitten, were still awaiting adoption, Caldwell expressed the belief that the remaining cats would find their forever homes swiftly.
