Jasper & Jewel: The Story That Grew Into Nahimana Kittens

A Giving Tuesday Reflection on Where We’ve Been — and Where We’re Being Called Next

Seven years ago, on a freezing February night in the Appalachian Mountains, a ragged black cat changed the course of our lives.

We’d stopped to pick up a pizza when we noticed him: sitting patiently by the door, looking up at every person who walked out — hopeful, polite, and heartbreakingly alone. The manager told us he came every day. No one claimed him. Somehow, he crossed a busy four-lane highway just to sit by that door and wait.

We offered him a gentle scratch on the head. He leaned in, purred deeply, and — without knowing it — stepped straight into our hearts.

Ten minutes later, we were at the farm supply store buying a crate. We left our number with the restaurant “just in case.” No one ever called. Our social media posts hoping for a reunion brought no response.

Jasper’s Cottage — and the Beginning of Something Bigger

Back then, our property had a small 600-square-foot cottage nestled in the woods beside a creek. It had been a studio, a gathering space, a rustic rental… and suddenly, it was the warm safe haven “Jasper” needed.

A trip to the vet revealed part of his story: no microchip, some scars and injuries, an ulcerated mouth — signs he’d been on his own for a long while. We were patching him up when the restaurant manager called again: not about Jasper, but about five abandoned kittens behind their dumpster.

And just like that, a black cat in a small forest cottage opened a doorway we hadn’t expected, but instantly recognized.

Nahimana Forest Animal Sanctuary was born.

When There Is Room in the Heart, There Is Room in the House

Word travelled fast and callers seeking help with abandoned and unwanted kittens came in almost daily. Before we knew it, we had a cottage full of furry friends — and a growing awareness that the region was in the middle of a cat-overpopulation crisis.

So we made a choice:
We incorporated.
We earned our 501(c)(3).
We studied regulations, built processes, and committed to small-scale, high-touch care.

The cottage became a cozy, cage-free sanctuary for no more than ten kittens at a time — a place of healing, socialization, safety, and love. Volunteers gathered. Adopters found us from across the Southeast. And the kittens who arrived frightened, sick, or simply unseen, left as deeply bonded, confident companions.

Amber developed an adoption process rooted in dialogue, intuition, and heart. Families shared photos and stories — of emotional support, joy, comfort, grief relieved, loneliness eased. One adopter said it best:

“I thought I was rescuing a kitten… but the kitten rescued me.”

The impact was growing in two directions:
Saving the most vulnerable kittens — and helping the people who welcomed them home.

A Move East
and a Tabby Who Chose Us

We had lived in the mountains for twelve years, rescuing kittens for the last five when we decided to leave the area for warmer air along the North Carolina coast. Closing down the rescue was painful, but necessary as we transitioned. We planned to reopen once settled and even began exploring commercial spaces for our dream: a cat-café-style sanctuary where healing and connection could happen in community.

While renting during the transition, we were surrounded by stray cats — an early sign of the severe need in this region. One gentle tabby began visiting daily, staring through windows, curling up on the porch, claiming us as hers. When it came time to move, we couldn’t leave her behind.

We named her Jewel.
She became a fixture in our “kitten room” — and soon, the reluctant den mother to the kittens who began arriving almost immediately.

The cat crisis here was even greater than where we’d come from.

Nearly Two Years Later — Nahimana Kittens Continues

The name has shifted slightly, but the mission hasn’t:
To rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome the most vulnerable kittens — and to honor the mystical connection between humans and animals.

In our new coastal community, our reach has again expanded. Adopters now drive from Wilmington, Pinehurst, Raleigh… even Virginia. And always, the stories are the same:

Joy.
Healing.
Connection.

The quiet magic of being chosen by a kitten who needed exactly you.

And Now — A New Threshold

Nahimana Kittens needs a dedicated rescue and adoption space.

A sanctuary built with intention.
A place where community, connection, play, and healing meet.
A place where people can meet kittens in an environment designed for comfort, joy, and bonding.

We are ready for this next step — and today, on Giving Tuesday, we are launching our fundraising campaign to make it real.

Real estate opportunities are opening.
A clear vision has taken shape.
And with your help, we can build the rescue space this work deserves.

Please note:

All Giving Tuesday donations support the rescue and adoption sanctuary. A separate café and community space, operated by a partner business, will help support the rescue long-term — but your gifts today go directly to the lifesaving work of Nahimana Kittens.

Why Your Gift Matters Today

This mission began with Jasper.
It continued with Jewel.
It has been carried by hundreds of kittens who’ve passed through our hearts.

And now, countless more are waiting.

Your Giving Tuesday support helps us:

Secure a dedicated rescue and adoption space
Expand capacity for vulnerable kittens
Provide medical care, food, and enrichment
Strengthen our ability to match kittens with loving adopters
Build a sanctuary that reflects the heart of Nahimana

Your generosity today creates ripples — saving lives, healing hearts, and shaping the future of this rescue.

Will You Help Us Take This Step?

Together, we can create a space where kittens heal, people connect, and love finds its way home — again and again and again.

For the Jaspers.
For the Jewels.
For the little ones who have been rescued…
And for all those still waiting to be found.

With love and gratitude,
Amber & Sean
Nahimana Kittens