West Rogers Park Cats

Sharon, who does rescue work in another Chicago neighborhood, has started a blog for West Rogers Park Cats. She also does work on the South Side. Go Sharon!

Bella slideshow

Slideshow of Bella by fostermom Emma. Emma says "I'm currently fostering Bella, and since she's my first foster cat (and I absolutely adore her!), I thought I'd beg your indulgence, and send round a quick update on how she's doing. She came back from the vet just before Christmas, and is really settling in well. She's putting on weight, playing and purring like a pro :)"

Bella coming in from the cold (previous post). Bella, who was lifted out of our 'original' MJK Alley, is available for adoption! Please email hydeparkcatsadoptions@gmail.com to inquire about this beautiful calico friend.

Hoppy feeling more happy

Hoppy was neutered and got some more veterinary TLC just in time to spend Christmas at his foster home. Fostermom Claire wrote in that "Hoppy has already found the best places to take a nap: the couch and my husband's knees!" She reports that Hoppy is completely litterbox trained, purrs a lot and "completed his dinner last night with a piece of baguette." (Foster parents are from France.) We are taking applications for adoption for Hoppy. He has a clean bill of health (although he is still recovering from his wound) and obviously is extremely handsome.

Email hydeparkcatsadoptions@gmail.com to inquire about adopting Hoppy into your home.

Thanks to Melissa for the cat bowls, which we will parcel out to our fosterparents.

Akiba (happy ending update)

Akiba was trapped outside of Akiba-Schechter school over the summer.This playful and mischievious cat must have been searching for some kids of his own. And what kids did he find? Mine. Akiba knocks every object off every surface, stomps around the house as loudly as an elephant, eats any food left unattended, constantly stalks and attacks the other cats, and ruined a chair with his claws. But the girls love him. Lilah wrote a story about him for preschool: "My favorite cat is Akiba. We found him at Akiba. He stays in a basket in the basement." He allows himself to be picked up, wears Mr. Potato Head's glasses, sits in the Toto basket for endless rounds of Wizard of Oz play, and best of all lies down for pets and love from little girls. Our kitten found us, and we love him. Here's to happy endings, everybody!

Teddy (happy ending update)

Veronica writes in that "Teddy (found October 6 along the Lake) had a fabulous Christmas. A friend sent him a box of fuzzy mousies. They're not even catnip-filled but he got terrific fun and exercise out of them anyway, especially crashing around the Christmas wrappings all over the floor. And this just 48 hours after he was neutered and got his microchip installed. What a healthy and happy little guy he is! He's taken to waking me up in the morning, should the alarm not go off on time (as this morning, no chance of sleeping in on Christmas morning. NoOOOooo way!) by breathing loudly in my ear and licking my neck with his sandpaper tongue.

Keep up the great work, Hyde Park Cats!"

In other news, I saw a young woman sitting outside the Sears on State Street (Wednesday afternoon) with a very young kitten. She was collecting money for a train ride to California (believe that story or not, but the kitten was real). If you see her and the kitten again, please ask her if she will give or sell you the kitten -- we will take care of the kitten and make sure it gets a new home. When last seen they were on the street in the sleet and snow.

Kiwi and Mango (happy ending update)

Raven (Mango) and Cloud (Kiwi) (including one of them rendered in play-doh) in their forever home. Forevermom Jaime writes "It's hard to believe how big they've gotten (and how agile). Raven can leap to amazing heights and Cloud is the master of waiting patiently out of sight to pounce on him. She's very snuggly and is usually in the arms of one of the kids. Raven prefers to cuddle up with the kids, purring loudly, to wake them up in the morning. Adopting them was one of the best things we've done for our kids."

two more of our Bubble Tea cats rescued from an alley in August. All four kittens and their mama, Tapioca, have found forever homes.

Thanks to Julie L. for the donation!

Coconut and Avocado (happy ending update)

I'm running a special all week: happy ending updates! If you have adopted a cat through us, please send me your happy ending update.



Bubble Tea kittens Coconut (now Flurry) and Avocado (now Cupcake) are all grown up and appear to be in charge of their new home. Forever mom Marlis writes "here is Flurry with resident dog Tabitha; she's finally gotten relatively used to them though she still doesn't appreciate it when Cupcake crouches at the bottom of the stairs and ambushes her as she comes down! They are both cuddle bugs and Cupcake especially insists on sitting in my husband's lap. Thanks again for everything and keep up the good work!"

Coconut and Avocado were two of our Bubble Tea cats rescued from an alley in August. All four kittens and their mama, Tapioca, have found forever homes. You may remember this iconic photo of Coconut and Avocado embracing. We're soooooooo glad they were able to stay together forever.

Don't forget to buy your last-minute gifts, including your very own Hyde Park Cats calendar, at Parker's Pets today!

Thanks to Margaret B., Nicole T. and to Ruth H. for their donations, and to Emma B., Bella's fostermom, for her generous underwriting of Bella's veterinary care. Purrs to all!

Jersey and Neko (happy ending update)

An update from an adoptive family: "Jersey and her kitten have settled in very quickly and are the center of attention here in our home. We love them! Hyde Park Cats has sure made our two little boys VERY happy! The kitten is a relentless table hopper. My husband tried splashing her with water once but it had no effect. It turns out she loves water. She comes running when we shower and even climbs in under the shower with us sometimes, getting soaking wet and purring in the process. Very unusual cat!" Jersey and her kitten were last seen on the blog as entire cat family seeks home after losing their home and being taken in by a cat lover in Woodlawn.

Today Hopalong (Hoppy) is at the vet being neutered so he can go into his new foster home. Readers, this month has been very expensive for us. Donations of any amount would be put to immediate use!

Thanks to Ginny and to Betty and Joe for the recent donations to help defray veterinary costs. Cats coming in from the cold winter tend to have more health problems such as respiratory infections or injuries like Ori's, from hiding in cars.

bully news

Dog news time!

Apollo is a very sweet 18-month-old pit bull (boxer?) mix. He has been at Hyde Park Animal Hospital for almost three (3!) months and is going a bit stir crazy. HPAC has been trying to find him a new home. Our foster coordinator met him and says he is a very attractive doggy and he wants a forever home. This picture was taken in his cage and doesn't do him justice. Please forward his info, post, etc. Let's get Apollo a home for Christmas!

In other news, Rosemary, the dog abandoned on the highway, got adopted last week! She is now a resident of Lincoln Park where her stay-at-home mommy cooks her food from scratch and wants to train her for therapy dog work. Her new name is--deep breath--"Betsy Biscuit." Her local fostermom, Eevie, sent in this picture of Rosemary and her fostersister Bea. Eevie says "they both got depressed when Rosemary went home. Bea didn't eat for two days and just laid on Roe's bed." Yes, that's right--pit bulls/mixes are good dogs!

UPDATE. It turns out Apollo has a Petfinder profile. Look how QUTE he is!

Hoppy

"Hoppy" here showed up on the back porch of a Hyde Park Cats person yesterday morning. Smart! And athletic: he had to reach the third landing without the use of his right front leg! His finder, Greg, took him to HPAC right away. He had a broken right upper canine and the leg problem proved to be an abscessed bite (he had a temperature of 104.2). Poor guy must have been fighting other cats on the street. Hoppy is about a year and a half old, a healthy weight, and, hooray, FIV and FeLV negative.

Please write in if you can help, either with monetary donations for our street cats or with foster space (still much needed).

Thanks to Danna for the donation and to Greg for taking Hoppy in!

Also, go on down to Parker's Pets if you're still hankering for a Hyde Park Cats calendar!

Kislev update

Kislev is still being boarded at the vet.

We may or may not be making contact today with a woman who runs Last Chance Rescue in Indiana; Kislev would live in her heated barn which has been made into a home for Feline Leukemia cats.

If we can't make contact today one of our volunteers and his finder will most likely drive him to Indiana over the weekend.

Well, it's not a home, but it's much better than euthanasia. However, we would still consider applications for Kislev to be adopted. Kislev is a young adult cat, neutered, very calm and loves to lap sit contentedly, purring all the while. He sits quietly and calmly in a cat carrier without fuss. Like most cats, he doesn't like to be alone and wants to be where the human is. He will quietly bid for attention but graciously accepts if you are not able to give attention. In short, he's easy, adorable, and would make a really good companion for anyone. Lucky you if you decide to adopt him. He had the "snap" test for Feleuk, but not the more definitive DNA test.

Thanks to Peggy M.. and Martha B. for the recent donations to help defray our vet bills. It must be the winter weather, but we had two cats in surgery this week and a third cat (Bella) at the vet for observation.

Happy last night of Hanukkah!

Hecuba

Thanks to everybody who wrote in regarding Frankie. I'm a little mystified why this particular cat set off so many bells ... was it the library connection? Frankie was not taken to the pound. He is being taken in by the mom of a colleague of Frankie's finders. He went to our local vet last night (one of our volunteers happened to be there with Mac and said hello), was neutered, got a clean bill of health, and is going home.

Ori is still being monitored at the vet, but Mac is back at his foster space recuperating from his very expensive operation. Fundraising efforts to follow.

Pictured above is Hecuba, who was found wandering around 57th street near the 'commercial' area. She is extremely soft, like minkie fabric, midnight black, and an independent thinker. Last night we transferred her to a new foster home, but her previous fostermom said "she likes to sleep with me at night, or if I'm on the phone or reading, lean against me in the chair and doze. She will rub against legs. She has a lovely purr. She's very outgoing and runs to greet anybody who comes into my apartment."

Research Library Cat

This very social black and white male (unfixed) cat was found outside the Center for Research Libraries this morning, very dirty and cold. CRL is by 61st and Kenwood but I don't recognize this cat from any of the area colonies.

We are completely out of foster spaces so "Frankie" will have to be relinquished to "the pound" later today. Unless somebody emails and wants to take him in ...

Some thanks and updates on stripey cats

Ori (pictured here) popped some of his stitches and had to return for a visit to Dr. Wake, but he's feeling well. He's very darling and a sweet little kitten.

We renamed alley cat Tiger Maccabee, Mac for short. He is also at Dr. Wake's casa de gatos. He had to have a mass the size of a walnut removed! Updated pictures coming soon. Maccabee tested negative for FIV and FeLV and we'll be seeking a forever home for this striped man.

Update on Teddy, rescued from the lakefront on October 6. Teddy is doing extremely well, as you can see from the photos! Click on them so they enlarge. LOL.

We're still on the lookout for foster homes. Foster homes should either not have a resident cat or have a place within the home where a foster cat can be separated; for instance, a guest room with a secure door. Email hydeparkcatsadoptions@gmail.com to volunteer your friends and relatives.

Thanks to Norah, Anna F., David K., Mamiko S., Jennifer W., Margaret B., the other Margaret B., and of course Mike H. for recent donations! Thanks Martha in Pennsylvania for the kind words regarding the blog!

Gracie

Gracie is a very sweet snuggly kitty with humans, and would probably get along with an older laid back cat or dog. She is nine old, fixed and up on all her shots. Gracie's current feline companions hate her for some reason we puny humans can never hope to understand, and her person, who does cat rescue, is seeking a new home for her.

Kislev

Meet Kislev, a beautiful and loving longish-furred cat found around 54th and Cornell. He is presently being boarded at Woodlawn Animal Hospital by his kind-hearted finder, who cannot keep him. He is neutered (now) and in good health, but has tested positive for FeLV. Here is the scoop, readers. We have nowhere for him to go. He is a beautiful and friendly cat who likes to soak up the love. He needs a foster or forever home. He is days away from being taken to Animal Care and Control. Now, no prejudice to ACC, because they do the best they can, but he will certainly be euthanized there immediately upon intake because of his FeLV+ status.

Please email me at hydeparkcats@gmail.com if you are interested in finding out more about Kislev. The volunteer who gave her time to go to the vet and take his portrait said "He is WONDERFUL." The finder said "to know him is to love him."

Happy Hanukkah, readers. Can we make it a happy Hanukkah for Kislev?

Bella

Baby, it's cold outside -- better come in! Bella decided she would rather not be an alley cat, thank you very much, and followed her dedicated feeder Marienne right inside.



She is now ensconced in a bathroom, ravenously consuming all the food placed in front of her. We are seeking a foster or forever home for this beautiful calico.

Borders -- caught!

Fosterparent Becca sent in this slide show that shows Borders Cat outside, then inside. Yay!

How did we catch this cat? Persistence. Aimee (who is a full-time pet sitter, email if you want to contact her) kept going by and looking for her in between animal visits. The third time, there she was just sitting on the curb of the sidewalk. Aimee says "I pulled up next to her and baited the trap with tuna, and put it next to the car. Then I got back in the car and moved the side mirror, so I could see her and the trap. She tried to get at the food from the closed side for about 20 minutes, periodically leaving the sidewalk for pedestrians. And then she just went in while I held my breath that she was heavy enough to trip it."

Unfortunately we now find ourselves in a bind. Last night SIX cats in Hyde Park came in from the cold -- "Emily Dickenson" here (Borders was deemed a not pretty enough name), Bella from the MJK alley, three kittens and their adult uncle or daddy in Oakland/North Kenwood at 41st Street. We just don't have spaces for them all. It's hard to comtemplate putting friendly cats back outside in this weather (after spay/neuter surgery) but we're contemplating it. Blog readers, please think about whether you know somebody locally who might be asked to foster, perhaps only over the Winter Break.

Ori update

Ori is back from a two-night stay at Hyde Park Animal Clinic. His wounds have been cleaned and stitched up. They had to cut away a lot of dead skin and hair that was already granulating into scar tissue, but were able to close up the big wound and have left a hole for drainage (the shunt will come out soon). Luckily, although there was muscle tear it was relatively small and the majority of the damage was only skin-deep. Ori is going to a foster home and we have every reason to believe his wounds will heal without permanent damage. He is a very affectionate kitty who is seeking L U V. It was difficult to take his picture as he insists on coming to get pets and scratches. Please consider donating to cover Ori's surgery.

In other news, "Borders" (see below) continues to elude us. Last night trappers were out in the cold and snow and we'll be at it again -- maybe even tonight! Please consider donating some hot coffee or hot chocolate for our intrepid volunteers, who brave all the elements! We also are working on a whole family at 41st Street -- kittehs kittehs kittehs!

Borders Cat

We received an email last night from a contact at PAWS that this cat was outside of the Borders on 53rd and Lake Park, very hungry. Despite freezing tushies for about an hour we were unsuccessful at trapping this kitty. Is this beauty yours? To me, she seemed like a feral -- very confident, yet not interested in my friendship. She stole some food right from underneath me.

Update: At this very moment she is near the Hyde Park Bank building. If you see this cat, please do not feed her. We will try to trap her, but trapping her requires her hunger. Please send any sightings or other information to hydeparkcats@gmail.com.

Ori

Ori ("my light") is a three-month-old kitten found this past weekend injured and alone. He has a wide wound on his leg and is rather greasy -- we think he had some sort of incident with a car. We are a little worried! Because this is an emergent situation he must go to the vet today. Make a Hanukkah gift to the cats and donate to help Ori!

Fostering urgently needed

Pictured here are Ronny, Terry, and Moggy, three kittens removed from a colony south of the Midway and due to be handed over to PAWS Chicago's adoption program later this week. Some cats and kittens from Hyde Park Cats are already available at PAWS, including Molly and Norman, Tandy, Curio, and Pipsqueak. The 36-hour adoptathon is going until tonight at 10 p.m., so get on in there to meet your match.

We've recently taken in several kittehs who need foster homes. Lady Midnight is a juvenile black female, Ori ("my light." in honor of Hanukkah) is a three-month-old kitten, and Kislev (the name of the Jewish month we are currently in) is a young male black cat (his foster home seems stable). All three of these beautiful black cats need our help! Ori was just taken in yesterday from an alley and has a large gash on his leg. He is alert and functioning fine but needs to see a vet A.S.A.P. We are trying to arrange a ride to a vet either today or tomorrow. Email us with your offer of a ride.

We are particularly in need of people to foster over the University's Winter Break, roughly Dec. 14-Jan. 4. If you have a safe space for a rescued cat, can you consider fostering over this time period? Please email us at hydeparkcatsadoptions@gmail.com if you think you can help.

Lincoln

Lincoln is a lovely fifteen-year-old male cat. His previous owner, a senior citizen, died last year and a friend found him a new home. Sadly the new owner left the country and could not bring Lincoln with; so he is in a foster situation but needs a forever home very soon. He is very good with other cats, people and children. He is in good health, and is current on all his shots until January 2012. He is, of course, neutered, and he is also front-declawed. If you are in search for a soulful-eyed, calm, friendly, furry companion, here he is!

Thanks to Rebecca for the cat food!

An Invitation

HYDE PARK CATS end-of-year SOCIAL

Friday, Dec. 4
6:30-8 p.m.
Easily accessible Hyde Park location. Email hydeparkcats@gmail.com for specifics.

Meet Hyde Park Cats volunteers and friends! Pick up your calendar. Chat with your actual vocal apparatus, not your fingers!

You may bring simple snacks such as cheese, crackers, appetizers, dips, munchies, desserts. You may also bring your favorite seasonal CD! And we'll light a menorah!

Celebrate the season and a year's worth of helping cats!