The Barbuti Kitten Academy & Charm School

06/17/2026

🗣️ Nettie & Jolene- The Head Mistress will see you now. It’s time for The Talk…

To My Sweet Girls, Nettie & Jolene,

It doesn’t matter how hard you try to mentally prepare for saying goodbye. Even when you’ve known for some time that the day is coming, somehow you compartmentalize it, tuck it away, and convince yourself there’s still more time. Then you sit down to transfer the microchips, and suddenly it all becomes real.

My sweet girls, when I think back to that night Lex and I pulled you from such a difficult situation, I am overwhelmed by how far you’ve come. Watching you grow, heal, thrive, and become the healthy, happy kittens you were always meant to be has been an incredible privilege.

Nettie, I am going to miss your incandescent personality and your endless commentary on absolutely everything. You always had something to say, and you made sure everyone knew it. Your sweet face, playful spirit, and larger-than-life presence have brought so much joy into this house.

And my Jolene, Jolene, your gentle heart was such a gift during those early days when everything felt uncertain and tense. Your kindness and sweet disposition brought a sense of calm wherever you went, and that same beautiful nature has carried you all the way to graduation day. I am going to miss your precious little face more than you know.

Girls, I need you to be brave and continue taking care of one another. New homes can feel overwhelming at first, and change is never easy, but I promise you this: your new mom and dad have been waiting so long for you. They are counting down the hours until they can love you, spoil you, hug you, and kiss those sweet little faces.

So with that said, my sweet girls, I am going to miss you endlessly. But every time one of you leaves, it creates space for another kitten who needs the same chance you were given. Because you are moving on to your happily ever after, I will be able to help someone else begin theirs.

Stay brave. Stay precocious. Stay loving. Stay wonderfully, unapologetically yourselves.

You will be so loved.

Forever your Foster Mom,
The Head Mistress

06/16/2026

Here is a great opportunity to receive free vaccines.

🐾 UPDATE: Our Summer Animal Welfare Community Clinic Registration is Now Closed 🐾

We are incredibly grateful for the overwhelming response to our upcoming Summer Animal Welfare Community Clinic on Saturday, July 11th! Thanks to the support of our community, we have received over 120 registrations, and our registration form has now been closed.

Please note:
📋 Registration does NOT guarantee that your pet will be seen at the clinic. The registration form was used to help us estimate attendance, prepare supplies, and ensure we have adequate vaccines, preventatives, and microchips available.

🐾 The clinic will still operate on a first come, first served basis from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM at Nay Aug Park's Community Room.

🚫 Please do not arrive before 9:00 AM.
⏰ Depending on turnout and supply availability, we may need to stop accepting additional check-ins during the day.

We appreciate everyone's patience and understanding as we work to serve as many pets as possible. Thank you for helping us keep animals healthy and supported throughout our community! 🧡

🐾 Our Second Summer Animal Welfare Community Clinic is coming up! 🐾

Thanks to grant funding from the Robert H. Spitz Foundation, NEPA Animal Welfare Collaborative in partnership with the NEPA Rescue Veterinary Clinic at Indraloka Animal Sanctuary is proud to offer free services for cats and dogs at our next summer clinic on Saturday, July 11th at Nay Aug Park's Community Room from 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM.

Services include:
🐾 Rabies Vaccine
🐾 Distemper Vaccine
🐾 Bordetella Vaccine
🐾 Flea/Tick Preventative (monthly topicals, pets must be present)
🐾 Microchip

Services are free for cats and dogs. Donations are accepted and appreciated.

Registration is preferred so we can get an idea of how many services are needed and make sure we have enough supplies on hand. Please register here: https://forms.gle/UZKSDs83DiyGehQd8

**Registration does not reserve a specific time slot.** The clinic will operate on a first come, first served basis.

**Please do not show up before 9:00 AM**

***Walk-ins will be accepted, but please note there may be wait times.***

We will do our best to serve everyone, but will likely cut off walk-ins/sign-up check-ins dependent on turnout and supply availability.

Important reminders:
🚫 No retractable leashes
🐕 All dogs must be leashed
🚗 Aggressive or reactive dogs should wait in the car until called
🐈 ALL cats MUST be in enclosed carriers — no exceptions

Questions? Email us at [email protected].

Thank you for helping us keep pets healthy and supported in our community! 🧡

06/15/2026

Happy Birthday to the Mac Daddy of Cat Daddies, Keith! 🎉🐾

Keith puts up with a lot here at The Academy. At any given moment, he could walk through the door and find a house full of cages, kittens, foster supplies, and absolute chaos. And somehow, he just rolls with it. He never says no. Well… not that he really has a choice, but it is his birthday, so let’s allow him to believe he has some level of autonomy around here. 😹

All jokes aside, we are incredibly grateful for Keith’s unwavering support throughout this journey. Behind every rescue is a support system, and Keith has been a huge part of ours. Recently, he reminded the Head Mistress that she needs to focus more on the positives of what we can do and spend less time being haunted by what we can’t. That’s much easier said than done, but hearing those words from someone who sees the work up close means more than he probably realizes.

Today, we hope Keith gets to spend the day doing the things he loves. May there be Amazon packages filled with tiny figurines for Dungeons & Dragons, plenty of time for hobbies, and absolutely zero cat barf on comic books. We also hope he manages to avoid stepping in any surprise dog poo in the yard.

From all of us at The Academy, and from the countless cats and kittens whose lives have been made better because you’ve supported this mission, we wish you the happiest of birthdays.

Happy Birthday, Keith! 🎂🎲🐱❤️

06/14/2026

Thank you to everyone who came out to our event at Coffee Inclusive today! 💜

It was incredible seeing all the smiling faces of those who climbed into the kitten enclosure for their own 7 Minutes in Heaven with the Academy students. The joy, laughter, and kitten cuddles made for such a memorable day.

A huge thank you to Coffee Inclusive for hosting us and helping create such a welcoming space. And thank you to Old & Brew for popping up with your amazing collection of ’90s vintage treasures, and for bringing along the absolute best hype man around!

Today was also a big day for two very special Academy students. Anchovy and Cannoli went home today! While our hearts are feeling a little bittersweet as we miss their larger-than-life personalities and endless energy, we’ve already received updates from their new mom, and we’re thrilled to report that they’re settling in beautifully. Knowing they’re already feeling comfortable and loved makes saying goodbye just a little bit easier.

We are so grateful for this community and for everyone who continues to support our mission, one kitten cuddle, one adoption, and one happy ending at a time. 🐾💕 Thank you for making our 90s Pawty such a success!

06/14/2026

Can’t wait! Who is coming to hang out with our kittens?!?

06/13/2026

🗣️ Anchovy & Cannoli- The Head Mistress will see you now. It’s time for The Talk…
Dear Anchovy & Cannoli,

From the moment you arrived, you loudly and proudly told me exactly what you wanted: to be around people, other animals, and, most of all, to love and be loved.

Anchovy, my sweet, sweet boy, your confidence was a little shaky at first. You often faded into the background, letting the bigger personalities around you take center stage. But with the help of Cannoli, who somehow managed to be your fearless leader despite being half your size, you blossomed into a confident, affectionate little house panther. Hold on to that confidence as you begin this next chapter of your life.

Cannoli, my little half-pint. My tiny but mighty boy with the giant personality and even bigger attitude. I am so grateful for everything you’ve done for Anchovy, and for me. Because of you, I am constantly reminded to listen to what the kittens are telling me. Deep down, I knew Anchovy needed you by his side forever, and thankfully we’ve found a family that will give you both exactly that.

My sweet boys, be brave. Be curious. Be mischievous. Be loud and proud. More than anything, love and be loved.

Have the most wonderful life together.

I will miss you both more than I can say. Your energy has been such a big part of this house over the last few months, and your absence will be felt in every room. But knowing you’ll have each other makes saying goodbye a little easier.

I’ll be watching from afar, cheering you on, and loving you always.

Love,
Your foster mom ❤️🐾

06/12/2026

‼️EMERGENCY FOSTER NEEDED FOR A MOM WITH 8 THREE WEEK OLD PUPPIES!‼️

Approved application required.
All animals in home must be fixed and UTD.
Must have a separate room to keep them in.
Back Mountain area preferred.

We have NO WHERE to put them!

APPLY: www.bcfanimalrefuge.org - complete normal adoption application and write “foster” in for animal’s name.

06/12/2026

🚨A Rescue Thought We Don’t Hear Often Enough🚨

Sometimes the most responsible thing a rescuer can do is say, “I need a break.”

Animal welfare is facing a burnout crisis. In fact, a 2023 study highlighted by Best Friends Animal Society found that approximately 90% of shelter staff reported high levels of compassion fatigue.

Now, before anyone gets upset, yes, there are people who genuinely thrive in this environment. We respect that. Some rescuers can carry an incredible workload and continue showing up day after day. But not everyone is wired the same way, and that’s okay.

What concerns us is the culture that can sometimes make exhaustion feel like a requirement of rescue work. The need is endless, and when you care deeply, it can be tempting to pour from your own cup long after it’s empty. But constantly sacrificing your own well-being isn’t sustainable, and it can fast-track compassion fatigue, burnout, and ultimately lead good rescuers to step away altogether.

If we want more people to join this work, we need to normalize healthy boundaries. We need to give grace to the rescue that closes intake for a while, the foster who needs a breather, and the volunteer who says, “I don’t have the capacity right now.”

Because if the next generation only sees rescuers who are overwhelmed, exhausted, and emotionally depleted, we’re creating a narrative that may discourage others from getting involved when we need them most.

Taking care of animals starts with taking care of the people who care for them. 🧡🐾

And to our fellow rescue friends: we’re here for you. Whether you need to vent, cry, scream into the void, laugh until your sides hurt, celebrate a hard-earned win, or simply talk to someone who understands, we’re only a text message or phone call away. None of us were meant to carry this work alone.

Let’s extend the same compassion to one another that we work so hard to give the animals in our care. 🧡

06/11/2026

🗣️Atlas, The Head Mistress will see you now. It’s time for The Talk…
Dear Atlas,
I’ve been trying to mentally prepare myself for this day for quite some time. You see, your future has been set in motion for a while now, and tomorrow, you finally go home.

And what an extraordinary story yours has been.

Your beginning wasn’t easy. You came from a home with far too many cats and kittens, where keeping up with everyone’s needs had become impossible. During your first week with us, you were tucked away in the basement recovering from a URI. But as you healed, you began to show us who you truly were.

You are one of the sweetest souls we’ve ever met. Gentle. Patient. Incredibly tolerant. The kind of kitten who locks eyes with you and somehow tells a story without saying a word. Sometimes it feels like you saw more hardship in your short life than any kitten should, yet you carried it with grace and emerged as one of the most empathetic little beings I’ve ever known.

You were named after the song Atlas by Coheed and Cambria, but sometimes I wonder if you’re actually the Titan himself, carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. Despite everything you’ve been through, you’ve met life with kindness, trust, and a heart wide open.

I am so excited for this next chapter. Your family fell in love with you all the way from Hawaii, and that’s something truly special. Tomorrow you’ll begin a new life in a beautiful home on a flower farm, surrounded by a family who already loves you beyond measure.

So as I sit here wiping away tears and looking into those beautiful eyes for as long as I can, I say goodbye, my sweet boy.

I’ll be watching from afar. I’ll be loving you from afar. And somehow, I think you’ll always feel it.

Be happy. Be spoiled. Be loved.

Love always,
Your Foster Mom ❤️🐾