Terry Jenkins went to her veterinarian’s office looking for a kitten. A woman in the waiting room overheard her and asked whether she would consider an older cat instead. That cat was scheduled for euthanasia, and the Jenkinses took her home, the first resident of what would become a cat retirement sanctuary.
That rescue set the couple on a path that now shapes their daily lives. Their backyard in Lutz, Florida, has become a cat retirement sanctuary where senior cats spend their final years. The cats do not go up for adoption. They stay for life.
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From one rescue to a cat retirement sanctuary
Terry, 77, explained the couple’s rule plainly. “Most of them have come from hardship situations, and we don’t adopt out,” she told AARP. “Our mission is to rescue senior cats that need a home.”
Bruce and Terry Jenkins are the operators of Cat’s Cradle. According to AARP, the sanctuary began in 2015. Another account, published in April 2026, gives the start date as 2014 and lists both founders as 80. AARP lists both as 77. The sources agree on the core story: a chance encounter, a cat at risk, and a backyard that became a shelter.
Since then, the sanctuary has taken in more than 350 cats. It usually houses about 30 at a time. Visiting veterinarians provide routine vaccines, exams and medication, and the cats come through veterinary offices and private homes. Many are referred by people who can no longer care for an ailing pet.
A backyard built for cats
The property once held a “Frontierland” play area the couple built for their children. It included a hotel, a general store, a saloon and a sheriff’s office. The Jenkinses adapted those structures for the cats. Today the grounds of the cat retirement sanctuary include feline play areas, napping spots, scratching posts and climbing platforms, along with rope bridges and a bridge over a lake.
Bruce calls the setup a cat “Disneyland.” He pointed to the bridge as proof the cats feel secure. “The fact that they can go and sleep up on a bridge over a lake, I mean, how good is that?” he said.
Terry describes the goal as freedom with protection. “We had a vision where they could be free the way I think cats would like to be, outside but protected,” she said. The compound is fenced mainly to keep small wildlife out. The seniors have little interest in leaving.
New arrivals must be over 10 years old. Some hiss at first, but most settle within days. Older cats rarely pick fights. “They’re past all that,” Terry said. “They just want peace.” The residents eat together twice a day.
Paying for the work
Running the cat retirement sanctuary costs about $27,000 a year, according to one account. Food and litter alone cost hundreds of dollars a month. The couple covered the costs from their own savings for years, putting in an estimated $50,000 to $60,000 before donors began to help.
Today the sanctuary relies on monthly supporters known as Guardian Angels, who help pay for vet bills and food. Bruce and Terry both retired before starting the work. Bruce spent his career as an IBM executive, and Terry retired from an office assistant job with the New York Yankees.
Video and its reach
AARP’s Real People, Real Stories series profiled the couple, and the video changed the sanctuary’s reach.
The cat sanctuary benefited directly. The sanctuary has a hospice room, where cats receive end-of-life care in a quiet space.
The cats also get a dignified end. After death, they are cremated and memorialized in a Butterfly Garden, each with a plaque that honors its life.
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The couple’s work rests on a simple idea. Older cats have qualities that younger ones lack, and they deserve a secure place to spend their last years. Terry put it this way: “Maybe that’s true of people as well. You just have to discover it.”
Frequently asked questions
Do cats at the Lutz sanctuary get adopted out to new homes?
No, the cats do not go up for adoption. The Jenkinses don’t adopt out their residents, and the cats stay at the sanctuary for life.
What age must a cat be to move into the sanctuary?
New arrivals must be over 10 years old. The sanctuary focuses on senior cats that need a home for their final years.
How is the cat retirement sanctuary paid for?
The couple first covered the costs from their own savings, putting in an estimated $50,000 to $60,000 before donors began helping. Today, monthly supporters known as Guardian Angels help pay for vet bills and food.
What happens to the cats after they die at the sanctuary?
After death, the cats are cremated and memorialized in a Butterfly Garden. Each one has a plaque that honors its life.
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