Upon entering the house of Norfaizah Ramli, affectionately called Richi, in Jharuwarasi, Lalitpur, the first thing you notice is the quirky, cat-themed key holders with several cat-shaped keys that dangle together so perfectly you can almost hear meows in the air.

As you try to find out if the keyholder has some sort of cat sound mechanism, you hear a series of meows urging you to follow into the first room you see.

Inside, you find a cosy and fuzzy room with warm, furry carpets, tiny cute beds, and little ball toys scattered around. In the room, you see a beautiful black beauty Yara playing around; another black beauty, Pansa, and a Korat crossbreed, Jamila, taking a nap after their busy 'parenting' duties.

Or as Richi likes to call it, after ‘assisting’ as a parent figure to the other little ones.

Across, in another room filled with wooden playpens, reside best friends Messi and Asim, alongside the shy younger ones. Upstairs, in a separate area, you will find Octavia, who, despite her age and hind leg disability, remains cheerful.

Nearby her, you'll find ‘Mama’, alongside ‘Baby’, a grey-spotted darling, and little Duffy, the youngest, just a month and a half old, who was recently rescued and is steadily regaining her health.

You might be wondering who they are. Well, you might have already guessed—they are Richi's beloved cats, furry children, and the heart and soul of Catmandu Lovers, which Richi founded.

This ‘cat kingdom’, known as Catmandu Lovers, is Richi's passionate creation. Richi's love for animals started in her childhood in Singapore. “I grew up with a family who loved animals,” she says, reminiscing about her great-grandmother, who raised chickens, goats, cats, and cows. That is how we became animal lovers.”

Singaporean Richi first visited Nepal in 2005 as a traveller. By 2012, she had made Nepal her home and began working with the Kathmandu Animal Treatment Center (KAT), a non-profit organisation dedicated to the welfare of stray animals, particularly dogs.

However, it wasn't long before she discovered a different calling.

During the 2015 earthquake, Richi took in 18 kittens from the rescuers. This marked the beginning of Catmandu Lovers. Neha Dongol, who worked with Richi, soon joined her.

She decided to focus on kittens because there was no organisation solely dedicated to helping them. Catmandu Lovers is not your typical animal shelter. It is a home-based care centre where abandoned and orphaned neonatal kittens receive round-the-clock care until they are healthy enough to be adopted.

“We are not a shelter or a rescue centre,” Richi clarifies. “Neonatal kittens under our care are put up for adoption once they are healthy and reach the age of two months old.”

Richi, who proudly still likes to call herself a volunteer, founded Catmandu Lovers also with a mission to combat negative stereotypes about cats in Nepal. Reflecting on her journey, Richi often tells her team, “If you don't have strong belief and determination, then you cannot work in this field because this is about losing and gaining lives.”

The early days were challenging. Richi recalls, “When we started, it was difficult. Many kittens were abandoned in garbage dumps, plastic bags, and the jungle.”

Despite their best efforts, the team faced mortality rates among newborn orphaned kittens, who are highly fragile. Richi admits, “Losing them is heartbreaking. Many ask me how I cope with it all, and the truth is, even today, I cry and mourn.”

However, Richi and her team remain resolute in their mission. She explains, “I can't stop because I can't bear to see kittens dying alone, abandoned in garbage and plastic. We must try our best so that even if they leave us someday, they will leave in our warm arms.”

As Catmandu Lovers grew from 2015, the survival rate of newborn kittens steadily improved. In the year 2022, they had successfully nurtured 50 kittens, a moment Richi describes as her happiest ever.

Today, they remain vigilant due to a three-year-old outbreak of the FPV virus, which tragically claimed nearly 20 kittens in 2023 and four kittens this year. Richi explains, “Now we're very strict about taking in kittens over two months old to prevent spreading the virus among those already here.”

During FPV outbreaks, they reluctantly decline new kittens for the safety of those already in their care, as the vets suggest.

Despite their success, Richi has no plans to turn Catmandu Lovers into a shelter. She fears it would encourage people to abandon their pets, as happened before. Instead, she wants to promote responsible pet ownership and collaboration with animal welfare groups. She says, “It's not just animal welfare groups responsibility—it's everyone's.”Since its beginning, Richi has noticed a significant shift in people's views of cats. Many now actively seek to learn about and care for them, even donating time and resources to organisations like Catmandu Lovers.

Adoption rates have been impressive, with Richi reporting a 99% success rate.

However, there have been challenges. Some adopters have returned cats after a short time, causing stress for the animals who struggle to adjust.

To address this, Catmandu Lovers now enforces strict adoption policies and monitors adopted cats closely. Richi opines, “These cats are living beings, not accessories to be discarded when inconvenient or tools for breeding.”

Their adoption package includes incentives like vaccinations, deworming, and sterilisation to ensure a healthy bond between cats and their new owners.Yet, the organisation faces ongoing issues, including requests to rehome pets due to owners moving abroad or misleading claims about ownership. Some even seek to mate rescued cats with their own untreated pets.

She also points out the bias against black cats, saying, “People often prefer white cats, showing a bias that's like racism even in the cat world. That's why we prioritise black cats and grey cats for adoption.”

The sterilisation program run by them aims to help stray cats, but some people try to take advantage by lying about ownership or adoption status to benefit from it.

Another challenge is that adopters sometimes neglect the guidelines for caring for their cats, which is crucial as cats are sensitive to changes in their environment, especially related to food and litter.

Yara, a lively black cat almost a year old, caught the FPV virus in early January 2024. This dangerous virus has a low survival rate, but thanks to Richi's dedicated care, which included medications and injections for three months, Yara recovered by early April.

Due to the risk of the virus recurring, Yara cannot be put up for adoption right now, and Richi, who has lost count of the cats in her care, has grown fond of this spirited feline.

Despite the challenges, Richi and the team find strength in cats like Yara and Octavia, who inspire her, though dealing with human attitudes can be tough. She reflects, “As animal lovers, we find joy in caring for these cats, but sometimes human interactions can be the hardest part.”

Richi emphasises responsible pet ownership, urging people not to treat cats as mere accessories. She advises students and parents to carefully consider their readiness and ability to care for a pet before adopting, stressing that cats are living beings that deserve commitment and respect.While cats have been a source of support for Richi's mental health and for others at KAT and Catmandu Lovers, she warns against adopting animals solely for emotional reasons when not fully prepared to care for them properly. She reminds me, “Cats are not emotional dumping grounds.”

She urges all cat owners to prioritise their pets' health and well-being by vaccinating them against diseases and keeping them indoors, especially when young, to avoid viruses, accidents, or getting lost. For those thinking about adoption, she advises thorough research and preparation beforehand.

“In the past two years, we've sterilised 689 stray cats,” Richi reports. Currently, Catmandu Lovers receives funding solely from Help Animals India and collaborates with Animal Nepal, Alliance Veterinary Clinic, and Animal Medical Centre to run this initiative.

Richi hopes that Catmandu Lovers will continue to grow because success stories like Yara's, Duffy's, and all the other rescued cats finding loving homes and living peacefully to enjoy long lives bring her the greatest satisfaction.