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Meet Manawa the Brave

Updated: Apr 7, 2023


A blind brown and white tabby is cuddled next to her mom
Manawa at 8 weeks old and her mom Mimi

In April of 2016, we had the privilege to rescue a mama cat and her three little kittens who were found outside. It was an especially special situation as two of them were born without eyes! We decided that Mimi would be their mother's name and held a naming contest for the trio - what else could we do? As fate would have it the winning entry of Matapo (which means 'blind' in Maori) paired perfectly with Manawa ('heart') and Manga ('river or creek').

A blind brown and white tabby and a blind tuxedo cuddle in a hammock inside a crate
Manawa and her brother Matapo as kittens



After searching for homes and trying to find their purr-fect families, it seemed like these kittens were destined to stay with us forever. Mama Mimi made an amazing connection with a wonderful volunteer who adopted her and Manga together. But Manga had other plans...turns out he didn't want to be a mama's boy! He was returned quickly due to not getting along too well the other cats in his home. Once he returned, we discovered he has some severe anxiety and digestive issues so we decided to make him one of our permanent residents as well. Matapo sadly passed away in 2022 from mysterious anemia that may have something to do with his and his sibling's genetic make-up.

Manawa is an unstoppable force who rules the kingdom of her home. She's climbed every piece of furniture and cat tree there is, all while reigning over a menagerie of cats and unruly dogs! Whenever you sit down in her domain she will rush right to your lap with clawed determination - no one escapes Manawas grasp! When content, small nose kisses or gentle finger chomps might appear as signs that make clear what a happy Queen she really is. But be warned: when it comes to dairy products like cheddar cheese & ice cream nobody can resist this regal beings hungry howls for justice...except perhaps if they offer up some delicious morsels from their own plate? (Don't worry! She gets dairy very rarely and in very, very small quantities!)


This little girl is one of the most resilient, outgoing, and entertaining cats we've ever had the honor to rescue. Here's to the next 10 years with this character!

If you've fallen in love with Manawa like we have, you can help us care for her by sponsoring her! Visit https://www.ruffpatches.org/sponsor to sign up!


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