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Our mission at the American Museum of the House Cat has always been to give back. In our private collection of artwork and antiquities, we aim to give back joy and inspiration to Cat Lovers, and Art Lovers daily. We provide you, our guest, the opportunity to travel through time on a visual history quest to learn the origins of the House Cat. We are more than a mere museum. We go beyond the ART you will see and touch your heart with PURR strings of Love.
You see, our curator, did not set out to open a museum. It was happenstance that it even occurred. Dr. Harold Sims began his career during a time where 'giving back' was something you just do. He understood the value of saving for a rainy day and of volunteering in his community. He worked hard in his early years as a Meteorologist in the Navy during WWII, and as a Marine Biologist and researcher before he became a Professor of Biology and Botany. |
#MuseumCatsSupportShelterKitties
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Catma2: The Shelter That Cares
It wasn't until his retirement from teaching, that Harold's love for Cats grew into what it is today, earning him the nickname Catman2. In the mid 1990's he opened up the first private cage free no kill shelter dedicated only to felines. It came with a guarantee that all kitties would always have a forever home. The Catman2 Shelter was built in 2002 near Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, NC. For 18 years the cat shelter has been home to thousands of Cats. With over 5000 adoptions to date Catman2 is truly the shelter that cares. Today, the shelter is managed by Kaleb who is a Certified Veterinary Technician and Small Mammal Wildlife Rescuer. He is also a Humane Educator.
The programs of Catman2 keep improving as we look to the future and beyond. Our philosophy of service stretches into the classroom with a Youth Club that began in 2019. One of the main programs our shelter co-sponsors with the ARF, the Humane Society of Jackson County, NC is a low-to-no-cost spay neuter program for residents of the greater Sylva community. From Adoption and Fostering Services to Community TNR Services & more, the vision Dr. Sims created is still true today. Our Museum is an extension of that vision as we aim to Excite, Inspire, and Entertain Cat Lovers from around the world. We cannot do it alone though. We need your help to continue. You might say, the museum was birthed from the ShelterKitties, as the ARTiCats you find inside adorned the walls of the Shelter.
The programs of Catman2 keep improving as we look to the future and beyond. Our philosophy of service stretches into the classroom with a Youth Club that began in 2019. One of the main programs our shelter co-sponsors with the ARF, the Humane Society of Jackson County, NC is a low-to-no-cost spay neuter program for residents of the greater Sylva community. From Adoption and Fostering Services to Community TNR Services & more, the vision Dr. Sims created is still true today. Our Museum is an extension of that vision as we aim to Excite, Inspire, and Entertain Cat Lovers from around the world. We cannot do it alone though. We need your help to continue. You might say, the museum was birthed from the ShelterKitties, as the ARTiCats you find inside adorned the walls of the Shelter.
Catman2's Cats In Bow Ties
Taawwd is the Mascot of Catman2
Zeb Walton
Gretchen The Groundhog is the
Mascot of our Wildlife Rescue Program
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Robin Gibb
Catman2's Kitties were photographed by Lindsi Jones Photography in 2019. As part of her Cats In Bow Ties series Lindsi set up shop in the front of the shelter for an all day Feline PhotoShoot. Lindsey is an art teacher, photographer and author with a passion for CATS.
Cats In Bow Ties by Lindsi Jones Photographs and Rescue Stories of Shelter Cats with Style
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Kentucky
Mathilda Mae
Shirley Bones, our resident Service Dog & Isaiah enjoying a cuddle
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Transparency With Donations
In November of 2018 a non profit 501(c)3 corporation was set up for the American Museum of the House Cat which covers the operational costs involved for the museum. These are expenses related to the maintenance of the Museum such as:
- Administrative Goods
- Utilities
- Salaries
In the News & Our Most Recent Newsletters From Our MuseumCats & ShelterKitties
75+ Fun Day Trips from Asheville (Within a 2-Hour Drive) - NC Tripping North Carolina Travel
Published 4.19.2023
Sylva brings together a fun mix of quirk, history, and scenic beauty that’ll keep you coming back for more. Climb to the top of the former Jackson County Courthouse (now part of the library) for a look down on downtown Sylva and its mountainous surroundings for starters, and you might just be hooked for life. Kitty lovers will enjoy the American Museum of the House Cat, home to memorabilia pieces dating back thousands of years. And another Sylva bonus is those gorgeous natural surroundings. Spots like Pinnacle Park and Wolf Creek Lake headline an amazing bunch.
Dr. Harold Sims Found Meaning In Retirement By Investing In Cats - Philanthropist.com, Angela Nicholas, Editor
Published 1.31.2020
A retirement plan by Harold Sims, D.Ed., to open an antiques mall turned into a full-time effort to save cats from being euthanized in local animal shelters. Ironically, instead of selling the antiques in a shop, as he had originally anticipated, he founded a private no-kill animal shelter and opened one of the few museums in the world honoring the house cat.
Get Sucked Ito The Weird Part Of The Past By Visiting The Unique American Museum Of The House Cat In North Carolina - Only In Your State, Robin Jarvis
Published 7.23.220
For cat lovers the world over, any visit to Sylva, North Carolina, warrants a trip to the American Museum of the House Cat. This weird but wonderful collection has been attracting visitors since 2017 and has quickly climbed to the third most popular among must-see attractions in Sylva.
American Museum of the House Cat: Everyday is Saturday at this North Carolina spot - Special to USA Today, Mike Schoeffel
Published 9.6.2019
America has a number of museums devoted to niche topics but Harold Sims decided they had overlooked one area for far too long. "I thought we needed a cat museum in this country, so I decided to build one,” says Sims, 84. “People thought I was crazy. They told me that nobody wanted a cat museum. Well it turned out that a lot of people did.”
Cat museum stretches its legs: As visitation grows, museum plans for larger location - Smoky Mountain News, Holly Kays Published 8.21.2018
Now well into its second year of operation, things are purring along at the American Museum of the House Cat in Sylva, so much so that director Harold Sims is hatching a plan to build a new, bigger home for the cat-honoring attraction. “Getting a crowd like we have today, it’s pretty tight quarters in here,” Sims said on a rainy August Thursday that had seen more than 30 people check out the museum. “It will be more spacious.”
RIGHT MEOW: THE NEW AMERICAN MUSEUM OF THE HOUSE CAT PAYS PURR-FECT TRIBUTE TO FELINES
WNC Magazine, Writer, Jon Elliston - Published July/August 2017
Harold Sims is crazy about cats. In a good way. Since 1996, the retired biology professor has run the Catman2 Cat Shelter in Jackson County, where his clutter of kitties presently numbers 66. They live in nice digs: a 4,000-square-foot house where they can freely roam. “Why would you put a cat in a cage?” Sims says. “A cat is not a criminal.”
Published 4.19.2023
Sylva brings together a fun mix of quirk, history, and scenic beauty that’ll keep you coming back for more. Climb to the top of the former Jackson County Courthouse (now part of the library) for a look down on downtown Sylva and its mountainous surroundings for starters, and you might just be hooked for life. Kitty lovers will enjoy the American Museum of the House Cat, home to memorabilia pieces dating back thousands of years. And another Sylva bonus is those gorgeous natural surroundings. Spots like Pinnacle Park and Wolf Creek Lake headline an amazing bunch.
Dr. Harold Sims Found Meaning In Retirement By Investing In Cats - Philanthropist.com, Angela Nicholas, Editor
Published 1.31.2020
A retirement plan by Harold Sims, D.Ed., to open an antiques mall turned into a full-time effort to save cats from being euthanized in local animal shelters. Ironically, instead of selling the antiques in a shop, as he had originally anticipated, he founded a private no-kill animal shelter and opened one of the few museums in the world honoring the house cat.
Get Sucked Ito The Weird Part Of The Past By Visiting The Unique American Museum Of The House Cat In North Carolina - Only In Your State, Robin Jarvis
Published 7.23.220
For cat lovers the world over, any visit to Sylva, North Carolina, warrants a trip to the American Museum of the House Cat. This weird but wonderful collection has been attracting visitors since 2017 and has quickly climbed to the third most popular among must-see attractions in Sylva.
American Museum of the House Cat: Everyday is Saturday at this North Carolina spot - Special to USA Today, Mike Schoeffel
Published 9.6.2019
America has a number of museums devoted to niche topics but Harold Sims decided they had overlooked one area for far too long. "I thought we needed a cat museum in this country, so I decided to build one,” says Sims, 84. “People thought I was crazy. They told me that nobody wanted a cat museum. Well it turned out that a lot of people did.”
Cat museum stretches its legs: As visitation grows, museum plans for larger location - Smoky Mountain News, Holly Kays Published 8.21.2018
Now well into its second year of operation, things are purring along at the American Museum of the House Cat in Sylva, so much so that director Harold Sims is hatching a plan to build a new, bigger home for the cat-honoring attraction. “Getting a crowd like we have today, it’s pretty tight quarters in here,” Sims said on a rainy August Thursday that had seen more than 30 people check out the museum. “It will be more spacious.”
RIGHT MEOW: THE NEW AMERICAN MUSEUM OF THE HOUSE CAT PAYS PURR-FECT TRIBUTE TO FELINES
WNC Magazine, Writer, Jon Elliston - Published July/August 2017
Harold Sims is crazy about cats. In a good way. Since 1996, the retired biology professor has run the Catman2 Cat Shelter in Jackson County, where his clutter of kitties presently numbers 66. They live in nice digs: a 4,000-square-foot house where they can freely roam. “Why would you put a cat in a cage?” Sims says. “A cat is not a criminal.”
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