The Christmas train is running at the Krasnesky Manor for Wayward Cats in Kansas. One of the home’s many wayward souls, a black and white cat named Otis, watches the train chug along to the sound of a train whistle beneath the Christmas tree.
At the Krasnesky Manor for Wayward Cats, the cats might share their thoughts in poetry, or in this case, a haiku.
“A Christmas Train haiku by Otis.
You bore me small train
No shrieks when big cat arrives
Godzilla dream fades.”
Images and media via Facebook/Krasnesky Manor for Wayward Cats
A Home for Wayward Cats and Rats and Raccoons
Although cats are clearly Lords and Ladies at the Manor, this is a sanctuary for all wayward animals.
“The Manor is a place for cats,
Raccoons, and fish, and even rats.
The dispossessed, the feral stray;
For those who’ve simply lost their way.
The Manor does not judge a guest,
Or value one more than the rest.
Its message is, we all have worth,
No matter what our place at birth.
We hope that all our friends will find
The Manor is a state of mind.
A welcoming place with a friendly view,
Because many of us are Wayward Cats too.”
Christmas at Krasnesky Manor
Recently, Luna, a magical black cat, was preparing for the Christmas feast on the candlelit dining table. A candelabra creates a glowing ambiance as Luna’s golden eyes glow.
A creative writer creates a story to accompany the pictures, like a scene from Fantastic Beasts coming to life.
“Professor McGonagall…I mean, Luna. Definitely Luna. Not a shapeshifting teacher here at The Manor because they’re not real and silly us it’s not like we are a magical school or anything no we are just an average run-of-the-mill manor with animals and secrets and hidden treasure and…my point is, back to my point, this is just LUNA preparing for the Christmas feast at the Krasnesky School of…MANOR, the Krasnesky MANOR for Wayward Cats. Luna. Preparing decorations for the feast. At The Manor. That is all.”
Images via Facebook
Rescued Cats in a Victorian Setting
Here, cat lovers will feast their eyes on rescued cats looking like masters of the ornate Manor. They enjoy lounging on 19th-century furniture and exploring the home’s many hiding spots.
Some of these cats came from dire circumstances, saved from shelters where they may never have known comfort. But, look at them now: below is a cat named Thor looking like a stunning Victorian-era meowdel.
“Pretend you are madly in love with yourself. Now use your inner voice to tell yourself all the wonderful things about you.” – Thor
One of the Manor’s Lords is named No Tail, a feral cat from Kabul. His ear tip indicates he was TNR’d (trap, neuter, returned), and he enjoys sitting beneath the Van Gogh painting, his favorite.
“TNR cats usually have their ears tipped to mark them so they aren’t trapped again. Hence the connection to Van Gogh,” they joked.
No Tail looking pretty against blue damask wallpaper
Once, No Tail had to fight for his food but now prefers to snatch a donut at the morning breakfast.
“No Tail suffers from a pretty significant inflammatory GI disorder that is managed through medication and prescription food. Ostensibly, as a feral cat in Kabul, he had to battle others for food, thus his approach to food is ‘What’s mine is mine—and what’s yours is also mine.’ NT has been known to snatch and run with the donut you were just holding.”
“Anything other than his own prescription food will make him sick for days. Yet here he is, every single morning, overseeing the people breakfast.
Pouting.
Plotting.
The moral of this story is, you cannot reason with cats.”
The Krasnesky Manor for Wayward Cats
The Manor/rescue is a 140-year-old Victorian mansion and earned its name from Robin Krasnesky, wife to author Thad, who likes to write in a big gold chair accompanied by a cat. He started off by telling imaginative stories to their children and wrote them down at her suggestion.
Image via Elephant Books
Now, many of the stories are well-known kid’s classics like “That Cat Can’t Stay.” It’s about a mom and kids who conspire to keep rescued cats despite Dad’s initial reluctance. Eventually, the cats take over his favorite chair. It sounds a little familiar, but the author doesn’t seem to mind.
You can follow Krasnesky Manor for Wayward Cats on Facebook.
Video by The Raconteuse:
