Tiffany Buck
Tiffany founded Nine Lives to give cats space to thrive outside a traditional kennel setting. Her everyday work brings together care, fundraising, and the community that keeps the rescue going.
A softer landing. A brighter future.
The Valley Cat Sanctuary is the next chapter of Nine Lives: a community built around the belief that cats deserve comfort, care, and a chance to be themselves.
It started with a different kind of home.
Nine Lives opened in Joplin in March 2021. Founder Tiffany Buck wanted cats to have a welcoming, homelike setting where they could climb, play, rest, and connect with people.
A month after opening, Tiffany left her corporate job to run the rescue full time. Behind every adoption are the daily routines that make care possible: laundry, cleaning, veterinary visits, fundraising, and getting to know each cat.
That work continues into The Valley Cat Sanctuary. We’re carrying our community, our cats’ stories, and the care that brought us here into the next chapter.
Boots, one of the original Nine Lives residents.
Our future is the sanctuary
The Joplin lounge has closed. We are moving fully to The Valley Cat Sanctuary, a dedicated care space within The Valley. Intakes remain paused during the transition, and all access is coordinated with the team.
Read the intake updateThe people behind the purrs
Meet the team.
Courtni Ruark
Courtni joined in January 2021, before the doors opened. She loves connecting with visitors, caring for cats, and helping families find their new companions.