Millionaire Invests In Feline Futures

CBSNews ^ | Jan. 26, 2009 | Richard Schlesinger

[Daffynition]

(CBS) It took Jonathan Rosenberg 51 years and one wildly successful dot-com career to find his true calling.

"It's this world that's so much more satisfying," Rosenberg said.

Rosenberg gave up computers for … cats.

Somewhere around 100 cats, to be exact. At a swanky cat sanctuary he built in New Jersey, he's loved cats for years - and he put his money where his heart is, CBS News correspondent Richard Schlesinger reports.

Roughly how much of his money has he spent on this project?

"Ah, somewhere north of $2 million," he said.

The sanctuary is named for one of the great loves of his life: Tabby, his cat of 15 years who died in 1999. Rosenberg never met a cat he didn't like - and some of the cats hanging around his sanctuary are tough to love, such as one named Jackie.

"She'll act friendly," Rosenberg said. "You can pet her for five or 10 seconds, and then she'll go after you."

Sure enough, she attacked.

All of the cats there come from shelters and were scheduled to be euthanized. Not all of them are troubled, but a lot are.

One cat, Mozart, has what is politely called "urinary issues." Another, Tashi, has back legs that don't work. He gets physical therapy.

Another one, Star, is actually allergic to people.

Obviously, it can be hard to find homes for some of these cats but it can be done. About 550 cats have been adopted - and more than 100 of them have been, so called "special needs" cases.

If they're not adopted, all of them will live out their lives with medical care and love - even if they don't really want it.

"Wouldn't it have been more rewarding for you to take cats that are easier to adopt out?" Schlesinger asked.

"No," Rosenberg said. "It wouldn't be because my heart really goes out to the cats like these, that I shouldn't say no one else wants, but for the most part no one else wants."

And while caring for cats, Jonathan Rosenberg and his wife, Sharon, were touched by humans.

"They could take this young cat, but they're willing to take this cat with heart disease, or this diabetic, and care for it knowing its going to break their hearts," Rosenberg said.

It never hurts to be reminded: Animals with some of the worst problems can bring out the best in people.

[Battle Axe]

Thanks heaps. There is one a jont away. Maybe I'll get there tomorrow.

I did the Spot Chomp and some Fabreeze. Seems to be better now.

You guys are the greatest.

Bootsie is watching two fat squirrels raid the bird feeders.

[Lx]

[Lx]

[Daffynition]

[Daffynition]

[JoeProBono]

Voyeur

[Daffynition]

[Fawn]

Are you talking about a rug? If so, you need to get a rug cleaner....pour Febreeze on the whole area with water and immediatly suck it up. You will have to do this many times over and over ....you need a powerful sucker machine ....it's worked for me. Once you get urine on a rug I don't care what you pour on it---the odor never goes away (unless you pour bleach but that is not likely). You need to completely get the urine out of it. Pour solution and suck it out.
The house I own now is completely tiled.....and that's the way it will always be for me....

[Fawn]

He is my kind of guy! I’d love to live on his cat ranch....or own my own.

[mewzilla]

Hey, I can relate. Our previous feline overload had a nickname, Ben The Sprayer, which was inspired by a cheesy but good sci-fi/fantasy flick Hawk The Slayer. He'd occasionally miss the litter box, too. I'd rather deal with skunk spray than cat pee/spray any day. EUW. And I LOVE my cats :)

[mewzilla]

He is my kind of guy! I’d love to live on his cat ranch....or own my own.

Ditto! :)

EDS Cat Herders

But the Big Mew's already warned me: No hunky cat herders :(

[Battle Axe]

I did not know where she had done it. There were too poop piles, one near a carpet sample used as a throw rug over the indoor outdoor carpet.

I think I got lucky and she must have done it on the little carpet sample, which did not go through.

Friend says to get her black light and you can actually find it, or let the other cat sniff it out and just watch her.

All is much better now that I have tossed the carpet sample out.

I did Fabreeze and the stuff I got at the hardware. I'll get a bottle of what mewzilla said next time I find myself in town.

Thanks again.

BA

[Lx]

[kitkat]

That’s hysterical! LOL!

[PERKY2004]

[nw_arizona_granny]

Wonderful photos, thanks for making me smile.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Lovely, thanks for being sure that I could see them.

The old lady, can’t be that old, with all those babies to take care of.