Cat Rescue Hopes Dozens Of Felines Will Purr Out Their Lives In Lake Elsinore

LAKE ELSINORE, CA — A Lake Elsinore-based cattery is applying for a conditional-use permit to house up to 51 felines, and the city's planning commission is reviewing the application this week.

Beth Kohler of Purrfect Fit Cat Rescue is hoping to legalize the location of her operation at 131 Via De La Valle, a 2.5-acre residential property in the Tuscany Hills neighborhood. The domestic cats are housed within a 967-square-foot detached accessory structure at the site.

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The cattery currently houses and provides veterinary care for 38 resident cats and 13 visiting felines, and would not exceed a maximum of 51 cats at any given time, according to city documents.

Kohler has continually scaled down her rescue since 2023, with the ultimate plan to close it after the last felines pass away, the city documents show.

The cattery does not provide private boarding or adoption services, and is a non-profit rescue that is not open to the public, according to the documents.

"In effect, the rescue cats are treated as family pets and not as commercial commodities," the city documents state.

The cattery has operated since 2020, and to date, the city has not received complaints from neighboring residences or the surrounding neighborhood.

During a site inspection conducted by city officials on April 28, "staff did not note any obtrusive odors or noise that would impact the surrounding neighborhood including the immediately adjacent neighbors," according to city documents. "During the inspection, staff did note that the cattery is well maintained, clean, and organized."

The Lake Elsinore Planning Commission will consider Kohler's application during its regularly scheduled 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 21, meeting at the Cultural Center, 183 N. Main Street.

Qualified rescue and foster groups are needed in the region. During the first quarter of 2026, 37 cats were euthanized at Animal Friends of the Valleys, according to the agency's reporting.

AFV is a nonprofit animal shelter headquartered at 33751 Mission Trail in Wildomar. It serves as the primary animal shelter and control agency for Southwest Riverside County cities, including Lake Elsinore.

Several local rescue organizations partner with AFV to foster shelter pets, including cats. Sixteen felines were placed into foster care during the first quarter of 2026, according to AFV figures.