viva los gatos 

It all began in Jan of 2020 when Courtney adopted an eccentric, fun-loving Maine Coone, Zorro– the inspiration behind creating the viva los gatos non-profit 3 years later. 

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He was Courtney’s companion; wherever she went, he was only a few steps behind. Zorro was truly one of a kind, with his big eyes, silly personality, and unwavering love for Courtney and her husband, Milano. It was devastating when he was taken from them far too soon in November of 2020 when his enlarged heart was too much for his small body to handle and he passed away in Courtney’s arms on their way to the vet. 

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With so much love left to give, Courtney poured her energy into rescuing feral cats near her neighborhood in Rosarito, Mexico. For the next three years, Courtney, along with help from friends and family, provided food, shelter, medical care, and love for over 24 cats.

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Before the lounge secured its spot at Tempest Trading in March of 2024, Courtney and her husband built tiny kitty shelters in an open lot in their neighborhood, a sanctuary among the chaos these cats had grown accustomed to while fending for themselves. The pair worked tirelessly to find these cats a place they could truly call home– frequent vet trips, toys, food, etc. add up quickly, and still, Courtney wished to do more.This is when viva los gatos was born.

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Courtney dedicated her time to creating a 501(c)3 non profit, developing relationships with people in the community who wanted to get involved (effectively creating her gato gang), continuing to rescue cats in need, and finding a space as big as her love for the cats she intended to house inside. 

This leads us to today– we’ve found a permanent place to keep the kitties happy and healthy while they wait for their furever homes, cultivated a wonderful community of friends and volunteers who help keep our non profit running smoothly, and are still working to rescue and fix all of the feral cats in the area.

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