If you love going camping in the summer and love cats, well, we have the best of both worlds for you! Imagine sitting by the campfire with friendly cats and cat lovers for company. It sounds like a fantasy, but it’s a real place. And with upgraded tents, it’s more like glamping.
Glamping at Purradise Springs
Model and Miss Supranational 2015, Kelly Kirstein, shared an adorable video of Purradise Springs. It’s touted as the world’s first cat glamping sanctuary minutes from Ichetucknee Springs State Park. (30 minutes from Gainesville, Florida.)
Guests can book a comfy air-conditioned tent where the cats live in a natural setting. It’s their home, and they come and go as they please. As guests sleep, the cats might cuddle on the blankets.
Image via via via Instagram/kellykirstein
And if you fall in love, many of the pretty kitties are looking for homes. So there’s an excellent chance you could meet a lifetime companion, too. What an unusual way to find a cat you truly connect with! There are also purrmanent residents here who are not for adoption.
“This is not sponsored, I just think everyone needs to know Purradise Springs exists!” Kirstein said.
Images via Facebook/Purrapy Inc
Video via Instagram/kellykirstein
A Fun Way to Camp and Help Cats
The nonprofit Purrapy Inc. operates with the C.A.T. model that Cats Are Therapy. In this model, they recognize that cats have a “unique ability to offer solace, comfort, and companionship” for people seeking solace. But their primary goal is helping the cats, including through TNR (trap, neuter, return).
“First and foremost, this is a Cat Sanctuary. A place for abused, abandoned, and legacy cats,” their website states.
As a rescue, they take the safety of their kitties very seriously:
“Injury to an abandoned animal can result in felony charges.”
So far, their Airbnb camping model has helped dozens of cats find homes. It’s like an outdoor cat café with over 150 cats “to camp and cuddle with.”
Below, you can see the setting before they upgraded to air-conditioned glamping tents.
Video via TikTok/purrapy.com
Video via TikTok/purrapy.com
Caring for Cats in Purradise
While it sounds idyllic, caring for cats always presents challenges, with veterinary costs being very high. For example, tragedy struck once after loose dogs attacked the camp, breaking into an enclosed catio area.
Like any rescue, they require donations as they work toward sustainability. There’s also potential for volunteer “Workampurrs!“
The concept for Purradise Springs is a dream come true for Denise and her veteran husband Thom, who stands by her “to keep this dream of an incredible sanctuary alive and thriving.”
Thom and Cookie Puss via Facebook/ Purrapy Inc.
Video by Purrapy Inc.
A Private Retreat for Cat Lovers in Nature
While caring for the kitties, it’s also a Private Retreat for cat lovers. During the day, there are gorgeous areas to go hiking, tubing, and kayaking nearby in the State Park. Yes, there are alligators, or “water puppies” about, but, as all Floridians know, they generally hide and avoid pesky humans.
Purradise Springs is no feline Fyre Festival to leave you stranded in the heat. It’s operated for three years, with upgraded tents called Purrts that have “purrfect climate control.”
“Each tent is a haven of relaxation, equipped with air conditioning for those sultry summer nights and heating to keep the chill at bay. Imagine drifting off to dreamland on a cloud of memory foam, with a purring pal curled up beside you – now that’s what we call the cat’s pajamas!” the website states.
The three Purrts can sleep up to 3 people. But with limited space, they say, “spaces fill up faster than a kitten pouncing on a laser pointer!” Thus, booking early is going to be required. So, if you are the outdoorsy cat lover, this little slice of feline purradise might be in your future.
You can learn more on their Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
