Each one of the hundreds of residents of Leilani Farm Sanctuary is valued, supported and afforded the freedom to live a happy life. Although nothing is asked of them, a few decide to serve as goodwill ambassadors, regularly extending a warm welcome to visitors to the Sanctuary. 

One of them is Jazz, an exceptionally affectionate 16-year-old cat who loves nothing more than to be held by children throughout Sanctuary tours, acknowledging the attention with non-stop purring.  A happy life, to be sure, but five years ago his fate was far from certain.

In 2019 Jazz was clandestinely abandoned at the Sanctuary by a man moving to Arizona.

“He was discarded like an unwanted piece of furniture,” recalls Leilani Farm Sanctuary founder and director Laurelee Blanchard. “Scary sights, sounds, and smells of the unfamiliar farm caused Jazz to hide beneath my parked car and crawl up into the engine compartment. Headed out for errands that hot afternoon, I drove full speed along the highway on my way to the post office, unaware that a cat was riding beneath the hood of my car.

“After a long wait inside the post office I returned to my car and heard the sound of a cat meowing from beneath my hood. Slowly and carefully, I opened the hood just a tiny bit to prevent the cat from running off, never to be seen again. As I reached for Jazz beneath my hood and held him firmly in my arms, I was amazed to find him calm and purring.

“Then, inside of my car, he panted with hyperthermia. I gave him water and food that he devoured gratefully. Back at the Sanctuary, he quickly made himself comfortable on the sofa with the mellowness of a cat who had lived here all his life.”

The next day, Jazz was scanned for a microchip and traced to a man who dumped him on the driveway.  The case was turned over to officers at the Maui Humane Society. Jazz continues to thrive at his sanctuary home.

To support Jazz or another rescued cat, pig, guinea pig, goat, deer, sheep, rabbit, chicken, turkey, duck, tortoise, donkey or cow, please consider sponsoring an animal at Leilani Farm Sanctuary.

“We all wish for a better world for animals,” Laurelee notes. “Our supporters turn compassion into action, saving animals from horror and giving them a lifetime of safety and support. You bring peace and joy to animals like Jazz, often for the first time in their lives.”

Update: Sadly, Jazz passed away on June 29, 2024. He will be greatly missed.