How We Turned a House Fire Into a Cat Enrichment Haven

From the desk of the STRAYZ newsroom: Callie, Seymour, Mama & Yebba reporting live!

Last Updated:7/8/2025

We Lost Everything But Our Paws

(And came back swinging—with cat shelves. Hi, we're the STRAYZ: Callie (the moody queen), Seymour (the emotional support potato), Yebba (the wild child), and Mama (the bossy grandma).

From 2023-2024, our hoomans spent 8 months renovating a dream home for us in Temple, PA... only for it to explode in June 2024 before we could move in. Literal house fire explosion vibes (read about it here… lol?!) Smoke, flames, and insurance drama galore.

BUT (and this is a big, fluffy but)…

None of us cats had moved in yet. So while the house turned to ash, the most important things—us—were safe.

Now we’re telling the story of how our little family rebuilt from scratch… this time with cat enrichment as the foundation.

🐾 From House Fire to Feline Fortress

When our hoomans bought a new house post-fire in West Lawn, PA they didn’t want to just rebuild a home—they built a sanctuary. For us.

Here’s what they’ve created so far in our Cat Enrichment Haven:

✅ Our Fave Features:

• A Dedicated Cat Bedroom: Yes, it’s real. Yes, it’s better than yours.

• Window Perches Galore: Sunbeams are LIFE.

• A Fully Mounted Cat Wall: Our hoomans’ friends don’t ask about furniture—they ask about the wall.

• Custom Beds + Hideaways: Seymour has 3 nap zones and counting.

• Free-roaming playtime + zoomie paths: Yebba is basically in the Feline Olympics.

But we’re just getting started…

Custom cat wall built by our hoomans Alex & Ashley

💭 The Dream for 2026: The Ultimate Cat Catio + 3-Season Playground

Here’s what we’re planning next—because we believe in big dreams and bigger perches.

Goal #1: Enclose the Front Patio

We’re turning it into a catio palace, complete with:

• Climbing shelves

• Hanging beds

• A soft breeze and neighborhood squirrels for entertainment

A example of a catio designed to enrich your cat and allow safe outdoor time

PS: if you build catios or know somebody that does, we are looking for a local collab/partnership within Pennsylvania. Email us meow@straycatcollective.com for more info :)

Goal #2: A 3-Season Back Patio Room

This will be the purrfect hangout for rainy days and cozy naps, featuring:

• Heated floors (YES, PLEASE.)

• A jungle gym section just for us

• Human seating, too... if they behave

💸 How We’re Funding This Feline Fantasy

Let’s be real: dreams need dollar bills.
That’s why our hoomans are testing new ways to work from home and stay with us 24/7.

But we can’t do it alone. So if you love:

• Rescue cats

• Cat enrichment

• Helping cat moms and dads chase their dreams

Then here’s how you can support us (without even spending a dime, unless you want too):

🐾 3 Easy Ways to Support the STRAYZ:

1. Share our content with your cat mom BFFs

2. Follow our pages and binge our reels (we’re kinda iconic) Facebook | Instagram

3. Pawt-ner with us on a collab and showcase your unique business

🎁 Want to Work With Us?

We’d love to showcase your small biz if your brand aligns with our mission:

🧼 Clean, safe products for pets and people
🐾 Enrichment-focused toys & furniture
🌱 Eco-conscious, joy-spreading cat brands

We’re currently accepting collabs in our Cat Brand Club and would be honored to help boost your visibility in front of our loyal cat-loving audience.

🎯 Our Mission: Enrichment, Rescue, & Real Stories

We believe in building a life around love, rescue, and enrichment.

Our values:

• 🐱 Animal welfare & enrichment first

• 🛋️ Designing spaces where pets AND people thrive

• 💻 Creating sustainable income from home

• 🧡 Supporting small, purpose-driven businesses

Whether you're a fellow cat mom, business owner, or just a hooman who loves second-chance stories—we hope our journey helps you believe in comebacks with claws.

🧠 Want to Build Your Own Enrichment Haven?

Cat Parent Essential Guide - Free for Cat parents!

We’ve got a free guide just for you!

🎁 Download our FREE Cat Parent Home Enrichment Guide
It’s packed with:

• Room-by-room enrichment ideas

• DIY toy setups

• Our fave Amazon finds

• Tips for designing your own cat-friendly home (even in small spaces!)

👉 Click here to get your free guide!

Final Purrs of Wisdom

We didn’t choose to start over.
But we did choose to rebuild with intention, love, and enough cat shelves to make Jackson Galaxy weep.

The house fire took our walls.
We replaced them with hammocks, tunnels, and treats.
Because home isn’t just a roof—
It’s wherever we can purr together.

With headbutts & purrs,
Callie, Seymour, Yebba & Mama
(@straycatnews)