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Thistle Cat Rescue & Sanctuary

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Thistle Cat Rescue & Sanctuary

Thistle Cat Rescue & Sanctuary helps stray, shelter and community cats who are in need of rescue and medical help.

10/16/2026

A previously hungry stray, Keke now has a family of her very own! 🩵

Keke was found by a previous Thistle Cat adopter after she came out from underneath a car in her apartment building parking lot. She was wet, disheveled, and incredibly hungry.

Her finder tried to welcome Keke into her home with her resident cat, and she truly gave it every chance to work. After several weeks of slow introductions, enrichment, counseling and guidance from Thistle Cat, it became clear that the resident cat simply was not going to accept a new sister. Keke was being bullied, hiding, and becoming afraid to come out and play.

So Keke came to Thistle Cat, where she recently found an amazing family of her very own!

Keke Palmer (formerly Kiki) now has a big brother named Munkustrap, a handsome 14 lb tabby who may be much bigger than she is, but has been incredibly sweet while getting to know her.

Keke’s new mom and dad thought Munkustrap could use a playmate, and it looks like they were absolutely right. 💙

Check out their very first play session together, caught on video by their dad, where the two of them so sweetly pass the ball back and forth to each other.

It looks like the beginning of a pretty adorable friendship. 🐾

10/09/2026

Jade spent 34 days at Animal Control, confined to a small cage after being surrendered by her family for reasons we may never know.

Then her time ran out.

We picked her up the very day she was scheduled to be euthanized.

Jade had already been abandoned once, but with us, it finally felt like she was getting her fresh start. We had her spayed, fully vaccinated, dewormed, treated for fleas, and given everything she needed to be healthy and ready for adoption.

She was patiently waiting for her forever home when, seemingly out of nowhere, her abdomen began filling with a massive amount of fluid.

Her symptoms and test results point strongly toward wet FIP, so we started treatment immediately.

Jade will need one pill every single day for 84 days. The medication is costly, but Jade is worth every dime.

Over the years, we have helped many cats make full recoveries from FIP with this treatment, and we have every reason to believe Jade can do the same.

She has already survived being surrendered, spending more than a month in a scary loud shelter cage, and coming within hours of losing her life. Now she just needs the chance to fight through this, too.

If you can help us cover the cost of Jade’s lifesaving medication, we would be incredibly grateful. Every donation, no matter the amount, helps us keep her treatment going for the full 84 days.

We have several ways to give, all listed here: thistlecatrescue.org/donate

Thank you for helping us give Jade the second chance she is fighting so hard to get. 💙

10/06/2026

The past month at Thistle Cat...🩵🪻

10/05/2026

During our name and location change, our rescue efforts have not slowed down one bit.

Starling's story is heartbreaking, but this girl has made one huge comeback. 🩵

Starling was taken into local animal control as "evidence" in a neglect case after she was found abandoned in a cage on the porch of a trailer when her owner moved away. She was severely emaciated, had maggots on her hind legs, painful urine scalding on her feet, and a severe bacterial and yeast ear infection.

Because she was under a legal hold, Starling could have spent months confined at animal control while her case was resolved. Instead, Thistle Cat was entrusted with her care so she could recover in a safe, comfortable environment.

We are so happy to say that Starling has now overcome all of her medical issues, her legal hold has officially ended, and she was adopted into a loving home along with our next Before & After, Pia...

Pia's story is all too common. She landed on the euthanasia list at our local county animal shelter for no reason other than a lack of space. Thistle Cat picked her up the very same day she was scheduled to be euthanized, and we are so grateful we did.

Starling and Pia were recently adopted together! They are now sisters for life, living on a sheep farm in rural Kentucky. They have made themselves right at home on their flower cat tree overlooking the sheep fields, and their new mom Liz reports they are getting along great with their new resident dog siblings!

10/05/2026

Blue Cat Rescue is now Thistle Cat Rescue & Sanctuary

Hi friends,

I wanted to share a big update with you. Blue Cat Rescue has officially changed it's name to Thistle Cat Rescue & Sanctuary, and after many years of rescuing cats in Los Angeles, I have relocated the organization to Southern Illinois.

St. Louis is where I grew up, and much of my family is still there, so in many ways this feels like coming home. But after working in cat rescue for the past ten years, I have also come to understand what is needed most to address the current state of the cat overpopulation issue.

Spay and neuter is absolutely essential, and it remains one of the most important ways we can address the root of the problem. But even with those efforts, the immediate reality remains: cats and kittens are being euthanized every day simply because there are not enough homes, foster placements, or rescue spaces available for them.

That is why I have decided to take this next step.

I will be using my life savings to help fulfill a dream I have had for years: creating a fully protected indoor/outdoor sanctuary for cats and kittens, where they can live safely, comfortably, and with love for as long as they need.

The current goal for Thistle Cat Rescue & Sanctuary is to purchase approximately five acres in Southern Illinois, near the St. Louis area, and build a peaceful, secure sanctuary where cats can receive lifelong care.

The property will include a temperature controlled indoor sanctuary building with secure outdoor access, fully fenced and designed specifically with cats’ safety and quality of life in mind. There will also be a dedicated area for FeLV positive cats, as well as space for senior cats, disabled and special needs cats, shy and fearful cats, feral cats, and others who may be considered difficult to place in traditional homes.

At the same time, Thistle Cat will continue the rescue work that has always been at the heart of what I do. We will continue rescuing cats and kittens from euthanasia lists, providing veterinary care and rehabilitation, placing adoptable cats into loving homes, helping community cats through TNR and field rescue, and assisting low income people who are struggling to care for cats in crisis.

I also hope to establish a legacy program for cat owners who wish to include their cats in their final plans. Through thoughtful estate planning, cats can be entrusted to Thistle Cat, giving their guardians peace of mind that their cats will be cared for and loved for the rest of their lives.

We have not purchased the sanctuary property yet and are actively searching for the right location. My personal savings will help lay the foundation, but building something like this will take much more than one person can do alone.

That is where I hope you will come in.

Every donation to Thistle Cat Rescue & Sanctuary will help in preparing safe living spaces, providing fencing and secure outdoor enclosures, covering veterinary care, feeding the cats in our care, and building a sanctuary that can save lives for many years to come.

Whether you are able to give $10, $25, $100, or more, every contribution helps turn this dream into something real. And if you are not able to donate, simply sharing our mission with others can make a tremendous difference.

thistlecatrescue.org/donate

There is a lot of work ahead, but I am incredibly excited about what Thistle Cat can become and how many cats we will be able to help once this sanctuary is established.

If you have supported my rescue work in the past, thank you. 🙏🏻 I truly hope you will continue with me as we begin this next chapter and build something lasting for cats who may otherwise have nowhere to go.

With gratitude,

Jeri Lynn Burks
Thistle Cat Rescue & Sanctuary Founder
thistlecatrescue.org/donate

05/10/2026

It was photo shoot day for the twins! Twyla and Finn were almost hit by a lawn mower as infant newborns just three weeks ago. Now look at them thriving.

Their finder fell in love and wants to adopt them, but needed help getting them through the fragile bottle baby stage. That’s where Thistle Cat stepped in, providing around-the-clock care to help these little ones grow big, healthy, and strong.

More pictures to come as we watch these babies continue to grow! 📸🖤

05/29/2025

This is Linda and Jazzie. I rescued Jazzie from the euthanasia list at the West Valley shelter two years ago. (See my “Juju is free!” highlight reel) Jazzie is a special girl who doesn’t want anyone touching her or getting near her except for her mom. She has anxiety and p*es and poops on the floor outside the box. I previously got her on Prozac and Gabapentin for her anxiety, and she started using the box again. I need to get her on these meds again as her meds ran out recently and she stopped using the box again. I’m not physically in LA anymore so we will need to get a mobile vet to visit Linda and Jazzie at their home. My old vet will not re prescribe without an in person visit.

Linda does not leave her home, can’t drive and cannot take her in herself, nor does she have any family or friends to help her. In addition Jazzie does not allow touching and will scream and p*e out of fear if someone tries to put her in a carrier. (I know, i used to bring her to the vet.)

To complicate things, Jazzie has a mass matte of tangled fur on her back which she can’t reach to groom. It needs to be cut out! Linda says she regularly twitches her skin on her back in discomfort.

I called 21 places to find an affordable mobile vet. The cheapest one is the estimate i included in this post. I’m trying to raise at least $700 so i can also cover the costs of the mobile visit plus her two prescriptions. They will require bloodwork to prescribe Prozac since she hasn’t had a blood panel done in over a year.

Can anyone help Jazzie and Linda?? Linda was kind enough to take on this senior cat with behavioral issues to save her from being euthanized at the shelter. I just need to help her a bit with her continued care! Any and all donations would be GReaTLy appreciated. You can give on my website and it’ll go directly to Linda and Jazzie.

Thank you in advance for helping me help them!! Hopefully i can post a happy update soon! Bluecatrescuela.org to give or link in my bio. ❤️🙏🏼

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