At Furball Farm Cat Sanctuary, more than 350 formerly feral cats roam, nap and rule the halls.
So when visitors step inside the sanctuary’s famous catorium, they expect to be surrounded by whiskers, tails and gentle purring.
What they don’t expect to see?
A dog.
Somewhere among the sea of lounging felines, there’s often a pup quietly curled up — blending in so well she’s sometimes hard to spot.
Her name is Bella.
Seven years ago, one of the sanctuary’s directors, Janis, adopted Bella and began bringing her to work. Naturally, she assumed the cat sanctuary would be completely off-limits to a dog.
Bella had other plans.
“Bella cries to come into the sanctuary,” Janis told The Dodo.
At first, Janis was cautious. With hundreds of cats — many of them once feral — introductions had to be slow and carefully managed. She prepared for hisses, chaos, maybe even total rejection.
Instead, something surprising happened.
Most of the cats didn’t mind Bella at all.
In fact, many of them welcomed her.
Before long, Bella was spending her days curled up beside former street cats, snuggling into fluffy piles like she’d always belonged there.
“She loves to snuggle with cats, she loves to play with cats,” Janis said.
Today, the staff jokingly consider Bella an honorary volunteer — a role she takes very seriously. She patrols the catorium like a gentle supervisor, occasionally attempting to “herd” the cats as if they’re her own flock.
“She protects [them],” Janis explained.
Of course, not every cat is thrilled about having a canine roommate. The staff makes sure cats who prefer a dog-free zone have their space. But Bella’s presence has turned out to be unexpectedly helpful.
“The good thing about having Bella is if and when our cats become adoptable, we know … if they can be with dogs,” Janis said.
Spending so much time immersed in cat culture has clearly influenced Bella.
She occasionally eyes the cats’ food bowls like they’re her personal buffet. She has mastered the art of the midday lounge. And thanks to the sanctuary’s heated floors, she’s developed a deep appreciation for premium napping spots.
“She loves the heated floors, just like the cats,” Janis said.
Not every dog would thrive among 350 feline personalities. But Bella isn’t every dog.
She moves through the sanctuary with calm confidence, as if she’s simply a slightly larger, slightly barkier version of everyone else.
“Sometimes we think she thinks she’s just one great big cat,” Janis said.
And honestly?
With 350 friends who seem to agree, she just might be right.
If you'd like to support Furball Farm Cat Sanctuary, you can make a donation here.
