match and set

Cato and Vania (the cuteness!).

More Good Neighbors

Good Neighbor kitten video!

Our four "good neighbor" kittens are now split into pairs. All four kittens are adorable stripey tigers. If you'd like to meet these or any of our other candidates for adoption, please write to hydeparkcatsadoptions@gmail.com.

Thanks to Ginny for the donation and Zarinah for the food!

Bonus scary Halloween picture: Ramses attacks!

Cupcake and August

Cupcake and sister August, with their unique markings, would make beautiful bookends to enhance any home’s decor! When not chasing her sister, Cupcake loves lap time and coyly hides her face under your arm. The sisters are devoted to each other and will make wonderful lifetime companions.

Cato n Vania: luv

I'm sorry but these are ridiculous. And even more ridiculous -- nobody has adopted these two! What is wrong with the world? Behold their cute-i-tude! Their scrumptiousity! Their smartedness! Adopt them now!

We have many cats and kittens waiting to be adopted right now. Please spread the word about our organization by joining us on Facebook, adding our blog to your email signature, or emailing our blog address to just one friend.

Captain Jack Sparrow

Fostermom Laura has named this boy Captain Jack Sparrow, after another lovable rogue who looks good in eyeliner. Sparrow is a big cat...skinny now but will probably fill out to a 12-15 pound cat. Fostermom says "he is very very friendly and would love to sit and have you pet him all day. He even loves belly rubs! Sparrow has beautiful markings and light green eyes. He is
very social: he greets anyone who visits with some meows and eagerly approaches to accept affection." Capt. S. is a native of Pukalastan but really wants to be a native of Yourhomeisstan.

Kalla, still in search ...

Inexplicably, the beautiful, fun, loving Kalla is still waiting for a forever family. Kalla is a darling young lady who would enjoy a feline companion (or perhaps a dog) but does fine with just her human fosterfamily, which includes two kids. Everyone who meets her adores her. Whenever I see her she lets me pick her up and cuddle her and kiss her widdle head. She is so soft and sweet, and she loves to sit next to you on the couch.

Thanks to everyone who visited our bakesale, donated cat food, and helped spread the word about Hyde Park Cats!

black cat / bake sale

Today 12-4, visit us at the Chicago Costume shop ... corner of 53rd and Lake Park (kittycorner from Borders). The store has graciously donated the space to us. Come buy one of our home-baked treats (vegan available too).

We're calling this the Black Cat Bake Sale. Did you know black cats in shelters are adopted at much lower rates--leading to disproportionately high euthanasia rates for black cats? Search "black cats adoption rates" to learn more. Pictured here is Cobweb, a gorgeous sleek black cat available through our partner organization, Feline Friends.

Pukalastan

New colony. Over the coming weeks/months we'll be working with caretakers of this colony near Racine and 68th as well as with one of our partner organizations, Feline Friends, to reduce the number of outdoor cats at this site. "Pukalastan" is full of friendly young cats. Pictured here is Oreo, a friendly girl, about a year old. I love her outfit!

Don't forget to visit us tomorrow for our bake sale!

Kio and Cassie

Two more kittens from Daniel Y.'s Bridgeport TNA Project: Cassie in black, Kio in gray. I have a black cat and a gray cat myself; I must say it's an easy fur combination! Kio, the boy, is a big cuddler. Cassie, the girl, is coming around. Fostermom promises more and cuter pix soon!

SATURDAY: Visit us from 12-4 in the foyer of the costume/Halloween shop on the corner of 53rd near Lake Park -- kittycorner from Borders (where the video store used to be). The Halloweeeeeen store has graciously given us the foyer space to hold a bake sale slash cat-food drive! Please stop by and buy a cookie, and then shop at the Halloween store, promoting business actually transpiring in our neighborhood!

Zucca

Zucca (the mama cat in this photo), formerly "Kittenface," will be available for adoption pending her spay surgery. She is a sweet sweet kitty who wants an indoor home. Zucca is pumpkin in Italian -- seasonal!

neighborly kittens

Three of the four Good Neighbor kittens. Available now! Apply to adopt our kittens at hydeparkcatsadoptions@gmail.com and your kittens could be home with you in time for you to make them wear a Halloween costume! See for more pix!

Raygn and Storm

Raygn and Storm, two sibling kittens. These cuties are part of a thirty-cat TNR/TNA project by Daniel Y. in Bridgeport. Raygn, the tiger and white, ("rain" in Yiddish) came to Hyde Park on that rainy rainy day last week; sib Storm (black with white blaze) followed on a calm one. Fostermom Keitlyn suggested the name because "Storm likes to sit back and contemplate, watching what is going on and being wary, but then will have a burst of playful energy where she erupts. She is just a huge cuddle bug, happy, well adjusted, cannot stop purring."

updates: Sophie and Sepia

Sepia in her forever home. Dad writes "even on her first night she played, ate, cuddled, used the litter, and slept with us in bed. She quickly settled on this scratching pad as 'home base' and has been using it as a toy, a bed, and a fort. She is active, and loves to play all the classic cat games, from paper bag and box to mouse, string, and ball. We are all getting along great."


Sophie in her forever home. Forevermom says "she settled right in here, demanding her morning rubs and pouncing my cellphone antenna. She's a big player now, particularly after a catnip bubble spill on the futon (giant cat toy!), but she's still more interested in snuggling. We're thrilled to have her here; she really is a wonderful cat."

Mazel tov SOPHIE! Mazel tov SEPIA! Happy life!

hpcatz on interwebz

I. Found cat alert. See marketplace for more info.

II. Ilaria's guest spot on cooking blog

III. Shanah video

IV. Kalla video


Just three of our adoptable kittehs.

Good Neighbor Kittens

Kittens, we haz new kittens. Here are the Good Neighbor Kittens, so named because some neighbors acted together to get these kittens, born in a backyard, inside . Three boys and a girl: Ramses (the gray boy, playful), Cleo (girl, adventurous), Darius (boy, cuddly), and Tut (boy, on the more retiring side). These cutie pies are neutered, vaxed, and ready to go!

Shanah and Shofar and Cato and Vania are also still waiting for their forever homes. Please spread the word--kittens! We haz kittens!

More Officer Fancy Pants!

The Officer has now been in his fosterhome for a week and so we know his purrrrsonality (sorry for the pun). Fostermom Louise says he is "a lovely, friendly, sweet, mellow guy who likes to keep you company. He's a little shy at first, but LOVES pets, especially under the chin, and will roll on his back and get his belly rubbed, where you can discover his secret second white patch on his belly. Officer F. Pants likes to curl up next to you in bed, but does not get the midnight crazies. He can be talkative but is well behaved and will graciously acquiesce if you actually have something else to do." The human officer who brought him to us reported that Officer F. Pants was friends with all the kids in his neighborhood, so he'd do great in a family with children.

2011 Calendar Submissions Wanted!

Readers -- have you adopted a cat from Hyde Park Cats? If so, and you would like to submit a photo for inclusion in our 2011 calendar, please email it to me as soon as possible at hydeparkcats@gmail.com. Make sure to include the cat's name when adopted and current name. PURRS.

Ruby

Dog day! Ruby, is a soft and sweet young lady. She is learning all the time and knows several commands including "sit" and "stay." She is a Chicagoland Bully Breed Rescue dog and being fostered by a friend of Hyde Park Cats. She may have been used as a breeding dog ... please read more about Ruby on her petfinder profile. I took these portraits here of Ruby while on a walk together. She is a good girl; she is so eager to please. She really wanted to get that squirrel she saw but wanted even more to be with fostermom and me on a nice walksies. She posed for her picture, sniffed the ground, didn't bark at all, and overall is a sweetiepie.

Adopt Benji!

Benji, a young male, is an all-around great guy. Besides being sweet and loving, he is superplayful. Benji is SUCH a window kitty. He loves to sit there and watch birds. He's a bit of a catnip addict and will do anything to get into his tub of 'nip. He also loves to hunt and kill his favorite string toy. See also Benji for more info.

Shofar and Shanah

Shofar (tiger) and Shanah (Siamese) are two three-month-old boy kittens seeking a forever home together. They are being adopted out in partnership with Animal Welfare League; both these boys were owner relinquishments there. They are neutered, vaxed, etc. ... and sooo ... cute ... readers, this is why Hyde Park Cats promotes adopting kittens in pairs. Look at the luv, the LUV! These two boys will keep each other physically and emotionally healthy and happy for years to come.

Thanks Anna F. for the donation!

Officer Fancy Pants

Officer Fancy Pants was picked up by a Chicago police officer who wanted this friendly two-year-old to have a home of his own. He was living around S. Artesian in the 100s. Officer R., we thank you for your service above and beyond the call of duty.

From the far South to the far North side, saving Officer FP from the streets was a group effort: After Officer R. picked up this kitty, he was brought to the Treehouse clinic; Dave H. organized and AniMeals sponsored his surgery and vetting. Toni of Feline Friends contacted us for a fosterhome, and after series of transports and an overnight in our garage Officer Fancy Pants was brought to fostermom Louise. She reports that he cudddles in bed. He has a white badge on his shiny black fur and is ready to go to his forever home anytime.

Cato n Vania

Cato (f) and Vania (m) are a pair of three-month-old kittens seeking a forever home together. Cato was the kitty who waltzed right into a home, seeking rescue, and Vania was found outside in the woods of Indiana. They are vaxed, spay/neutered, and adorable. Perfect for someone with monochromatic, goth, emo, or industrial design! Or anyone else! Fostermom Claire reports that "Vania and Cato are fantastic together; they run and play a lot. When Olivier and I have them in our arms, it's a competition of purrings." A competition of purrings.

Readers, we would like a few scratching-post or cardboard-scratcher donations.

Rain

Rain was abandoned in a carrier outside of the vet's office. In the pouring rain. Thank you to the vet for expediting his transfer to us for adoption and for providing veterinary care. We can't figure out why he was abandoned, since he's a very sweet boy. Fosterdad Matt is very enamored and says he's "the cutest cat ever." He enjoys rolling around on pillows, purring, keeping his fur nice and clean, and having his face rubbed. He is less than a year old, long and lean with a soft orange coat.

Rain is available for adoption and would prefer a nice dry home.

Ilaria

A great update on the cat found in a pothole, now Ilaria. She's living it up at fostermom Laura's home, where she enjoys watching Glee, being near people, relaxing on the couch after a long day of playing and lounging in bed whenever she's not, you know, watching TV or playing or napping on the couch. She is spayed, vaxed, tested, and ready to take over a new home.

Thanks to recent donors Michael R., Elizabeth G., and Marilee W. Purrrrrrrrrrrs.

Spalding

Last night, two devoted volunteers responded to a plea for help from Sandra at 80th and Kedzie. Sandra and her eight-year-old daughter had found a cat apparently stuck under a fence and with something clearly wrong. Despite the rain and dark, our volunteers mobilized and coaxed this unfortunate animal into a cat carrier by petting and relaxing him. They then brought him to the emergency animal clinic on Clybourn. He was paralyzed and did not respond to light shone in his eyes (cause of problem undiagnosed, could have been anything from rabies to antifreeze poisoning). The decision was made to euthanize and he died peacefully. His last hours were in a dry, warm, quiet place with loving words and strokes. He was not left to die in the cold and rain.

Despite this sad result, we are inspired by the dedication of these volunteers. Theirs and her mother's actions showed a little girl that there is mercy and compassion in this world and that animals matter. Thank you Ruth and Che; thanks to Sandra for reaching out for help and for donating towards Spalding's care.

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Some Tips: When You've Found an Injured Animal

Be careful. You can't help if you get hurt. Injured cats may bite.

In Chicago you can try calling 311. Understand the limitations of animal care and control agencies -- and volunteer groups. Virtually all animal control facilities and humane societies have severe budgetary or space limitations and must make painful decisions about how best to allocate their inadequate resources. Most likely you will get advice over the phone and be asked to bring the cat somewhere for care.

The same is true for volunteer-run organizations. Hyde Park Cats was actually able to get two compassionate people out of their homes in the rain on a Saturday night, but no organization can mobilize all the time. We encourage you as the finder to reach out for help, but prepare to take action yourself.

Know that helping in some way is the right thing to do, even if the only thing you can do is figure out a shelter from the rain. And sometimes the best thing you can do is facilitiate a humane death. Thanks to everybody who does stop and help, who calls for help, who gears up and helps.

Sepia

Lovely Sepia came to us from Animal Welfare League (see the bottom picture of this post for Sepia in her cage). Fostermom Nusrat says "she's so affectionate and playful, but it's hard to catch her in action because she moves so much." Fostermom also says "she's wonderful."

Thanks to Jess for the food donation!

Clover

In September we received several reports of a possibly lost orangey cat wandering around seeking food and attention. A resident of the 53rd/Ellis block finally found him hunkered down under her porch, adamantly refusing to leave. He was brought to the vet and we found a microchip, but he has been abandoned. He now belongs to us, legally and physically. He would like to belong to you!

Fostermom Mireille writes that she is "more and more convinced that this cat is really a dog in hiding (and a lap dog at that!)... he's not in the least shy and he follows me everywhere, always happy to get my attention and get his belly rubbed." This young (2.5 yrs) healthy boy is ready to go to a forever home anytime, and he would love a household with sweet children. Oh, and he has the most gorgeous amber eyes!