Senior kitties relax through their golden years at Cat's Cradle in Lutz

LUTZ (FOX 13) - It's a cat's paradise and it's designed for the more senior members of the feline family. It's the Cat's Cradle Sanctuary in Lutz, run by a special couple who live for rescuing kitties of all kinds.

While they're no spring kittens, their golden years are looking pretty good.

“They really do love attention,” Terry Jenkins said. “Whenever we sit still, we're inundated with cats.”

Cat’s Cradle is not like most shelters. They only take senior cats that have no chance of being adopted.

“What we're trying to do here is to give these senior cats a wonderful environment for their final years,” Bruce Jenkins explained.

There's a jungle hut, an elevated bridge system to roam, and sounds of the rainforest are piped into some areas so the cats can get a sense they’re out in the wild. In other areas, the music is more relaxed for those who prefer a cat nap over catnip.

There’s also a bistro room - complete with a TV and disco ball - for the occasional catnip party.

Bruce and Terry Jenkins originally built what they called Frontierland as a play area for their kids. When they grew up, it transformed into this last resort - emphasis on the resort - for aging felines.

“They do come from pet environments, at least at some point in their life, so they do value attention,” Terry said.

It's a never-ending mission.

“We can never leave overnight. This is a full-time passion,” she explained.

Expenses can run over $1,000 a month, but the purrs are priceless.

If you want to learn more about what else they do at Cat's Cradle, how you can help their mission or even watch a live webcam of the cats, visit http://www.cats-cradle.org/