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Hidden TreasuresSanctuary & Rescue
Founder Valerie Johnson surrounded by the sanctuary cats at feeding time

About

A no-kill sanctuary, sixty-four years in the making.

Hidden Treasures is a no-kill Sanctuary and Rescue that also provides low cost spay and neutering of cats. This is how it began.

300+

Cats living here today

64 yrs

Our founder has rescued

$155

Adoption fee, fully vetted

No-kill

Sanctuary, always

Two cats resting on the outdoor catio at the sanctuary

The catio

Orland, California

History

It started with one cat, and never stopped.

While Hidden Treasures Sanctuary and Rescue officially became a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, we've been saving cats and kittens for much longer.
  1. 64 years ago

    One large orange-striped tabby

    Founder and Director Valerie Johnson rescued her first cat. Rescuing critters has since become her lifelong passion.

  2. 20+ years ago

    The Chico Cat Coalition

    Valerie attended the very first meeting of the Chico Cat Coalition, formed after many cats were being dumped and abandoned at Bidwell Park.

  3. A friendship

    Standing up for the park cats

    Valerie's dear friend Jim Nakamura was arrested for feeding the cats in the park. Valerie helped him, and their friendship became a strong bond that furthered advocacy for our local cat population.

  4. 2009

    Twenty cats wandered in

    About twenty cats wandered in or were abandoned near our sanctuary, and many of the females had kittens. Valerie worked with local vets and PawsThrift in Chico to get them all spayed and neutered — and many were adopted.

  5. Today

    A registered 501(c)(3)

    Hidden Treasures officially became a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization — though we've been saving cats and kittens for far, far longer.

  6. Now

    A team, and a closed gate

    We've grown to over three hundred cats, a low cost clinic, and a small paid team. To protect their health, the sanctuary is now by appointment only.

The open sanctuary grounds in Orland with cats roaming freely under the trees

Valerie Johnson

Founder & Director.

Every morning, three hundred cats are fed, checked and cared for. Every week, more arrive. It has been her life’s work — and it is now shared by a community of volunteers and a small paid team.

Join the volunteers

Our team

Volunteers, and a small paid staff.

For a long time this ran entirely on volunteers. It has grown past what volunteering alone can carry — so we now employ a few people, and we cover all of our payroll ourselves through self-funding and donations.

Secretary

Keeping the paperwork, bookings, records and appointments straight — so nothing about a cat's care gets lost.

Vet techs

Hands-on medical care every day: treatments, recoveries, and assisting through spay and neuter surgeries at our clinic.

Cleaners

Three hundred cats need a clean, germ-free home. This is the work that keeps them healthy — and it never stops.

Our volunteers still do a great deal of the work, and they don’t fundraise for themselves. Come and join them — or help us cover the wages of the people who make sure every cat here is fed, treated and clean.

What we do

Three things, done properly.

Sanctuary

A no-kill home where more than three hundred cats live comfortably, healthily and happily. Visits are by appointment, so the site stays clean and germ-free.

Book a visit

Rescue

We take in strays, abandoned cats and kittens from at-risk environments, get them vetted and vaccinated, and find them the right homes.

Adopt

Low cost clinic

Our Feline Surgery Center provides low cost spay and neuter services for cats, and free services for eligible community cats.

The clinic
Two fluffy calico kittens nestled side by side in a soft bed

Get in touch

Come and see it for yourself.

Call or message us to arrange a time, and there'll be three hundred cats waiting to meet you.

(530) 828-2063 Email usDonate

Orland, California · Visits by appointment only