Tiberias

Come to bed, darling. Tiberias is waiting.

Thanks Alex and Olivia for recent donations of stuff. Yes, we will take your unused cat food, etc. Purrs!

Les chats attaquent!

I saw this hilarious cat scratcher today and couldn't resist sharing. At Rudy's Roundup on Milwaukee.

Maria

Fosterdad writes, and I quote, "Maria is the sweetest little thing." He says "she arrived sneezing (recovering from an upper respiratory infection), super skinny, and pretty scared. Now when I come home she's usually happy to see me and will stretch out for me to rub her belly, but she's easily spooked. I hang out with her when I feed her and she's happy and friendly then. She's very gentle.

She's quite small--maybe has more growing to do--but she's eating well and seems to be flourishing. She's a tuxedo cat with an adorable little white mustache and cute white paws. A lovely cat: she would be a fine addition to the most well-mannered home (great attire, sophisticated mustache, discreet demeanor."

Maria came to us from the Animal Welfare League. She had recently had a litter of kittens and was still lactating but she came in alone. This lovely sleek and shiny tuxedo girl is a sweetheart and will make someone very happy, but it may take her a while in a new home to blossom socially.

Thanks to Rhonda S., James M., and Mike H. for their recent donations.

Cowtens

The brother-sister "cowtens," Madame Bovary (smaller) and Hugh Heifer, are so named because they look like Frisian cows. Available for adoption!

Hugh (also nicknamed Hewligan and Mewligan) is still a bit shy - he knows his foster parents and is comfortable around them (and in fact likes to be near wherever people are) but isn't so sure about being touched yet. I think he may come around eventually but will need lots of patience and gentleness. For now, he *loves* playing with his foster parents and his sister, and he also loves being near people and will cuddle and purr next to you or near you, as long as you don’t move too suddenly. He also likes chasing his tail and licking things like carpet and books (including our Oxford English Lictionary).

What HH lacks in cuddliness Mme. B makes up for threefold. She is one of the snuggliest kittens I've met - she loves to sit on laps, be carried around, and be petted as much as possible; sometimes when she's in the throes of playing she'll run up for some scratches before going back to her toys or brother. She is SUPER friendly and confident. She has bunny-soft fur and will also be sure that whoever is petting her gets a thorough bath. She's also very attached to her brother.

Even if Hugh is a bit shy, they make a great pair and keep fosterparents and each other great company. They're also pretty easy in terms of feeding and cleaning and looking after. They love: playing and wrestling, sunshine, things that move or can be batted around, treats, naps, investigating (a la Mewis and Clark)

Justin update

Justin, a wounded and very skinny tomcat captured right before The Blizzard, has put on some weight and is recovering nicely from his abcessed wound. He is at Treehouse today getting neutered and vaccinated.

Augustus

Augustus is a playful and curious young man who came in from the cold at Parkview Katz Colony (51st and Cottage Grove). This happens every so often -- we discover a perfectly lovely and friendly cat among the ferals, and it's our mission to get those cats into a loving home.

Now that he's inside, Gus spends his days playing on his catnip scratching mat and with with his blue fish toy. Sometimes he'll watch out the front windows or take a nap in the sun room. If he's not playing you will find him sprawled out somewhere in the house. He isn't picky about soft spots; he would rather be around you. Fostermom Courtney says Gus is "very loving, he loves attention and isn't afraid to show it by purring."

Augustus is neg/neg, neutered, and ready to be adopted. He will keep your lap warm all winter long, no matter how long winter lasts.

adoption updates

Recent adoptions: Tinsel! Chin Chin Chinchilla! Strawberry! Ray Lee! Effi!

We're ecstatic to report that little mr. Ray Lee, who was born in the Champagne-Furbana colony (that is, was born outside) has now found his forever home ... with Harper. We foresee great things for forevermom with these two wonderful orange guys. Harper may be older but he loves to play, so a little bro is a great match.

"Emergency very pregnant" kitty Strawberry has found her home with a little girl. Perfect! Tinsel went all the way to Evanston to her forever home. Chinchilla was probably our fastest street-to-home story ever. She hadn't even been posted on the blog yet! Her forevermom saw her picture on Petfinder and just had to have her. And Effi is now in a forever home with his new pet minpin. Happy forever homes, cats!

We have lots of other cats available, including two pairs of kittens.

Alba

Alba is a gorgeous Russian Blue-style lady we picked out of the Animal Welfare League just yesterday. She immediately found her kitty bed and has been expressing her delight at not being in a cage.

Himalayan in Transit

SAMPSON...URGENT!!! MUST RECEIVE A RESCUE COMMITMENT BY 3PM ON TUESDAY OR WILL DIE!!!.

My received email subject lines are so warm and fuzzy.

This gorgeous longhair (appears to be a Himalayan) was surrendered to a high-kill animal control facility in Northwest IN. This facility does no veterinary work, and no adoptions, so animals are either pulled by a rescue group or euthanized. This unneutered adult boy was surrendered to the shelter along with an adorable Golden Retriever mix because their owner (said she) was being evicted. The dog has found a space with a dog rescue and "Sampson" (new name to come) is on his way to the Hyde Park Animal Clinic today tomorrow. We could definitely make contact with the dog rescue if anyone is interested in reuniting these two, but we will be putting Sampson up for adoption after he has completed his veterinary work-up and our assessment.

If you are interested in providing transit on an occasional basis for animals moving out of this NW Indiana shelter, please let me know.

Hidey and Minion

You should adopt fosterkitteh Hidey if you want a kitteh who ...

1 Loves to roll around adorably (think Nermal from Garfield).
2 Is a dainty, well mannered lady.
3 Loves to sleep at your feet, and cuddle in the morning.

And you should adopt fosterkitteh Minion if you want a kitteh who ..

1. Plays it cool and takes it slow (when it comes to your relationship).
2. Thinks he is a jungle cat, stalking his prey.
3. Will surprise you with a sneak attack cuddle, and melt when you start to pet him

Hidey and Minion are siblings who have been together their entire lives. More info.

Black and Whites!

We bring you a gallery of black and white cats available for adoption:


BUCKLEY!


TIBERIAS!


COCO!


ILARIA!


DOMINO!

Free black and white cookie with adoption of one of our black and white cats!

Feb. AWL Volunteer Day

Please join us for our monthly visit to the Animal Welfare League intake facility on Sunday, February 27th, to cuddle and play with their kitties, or if you prefer, walk dogs, or perform other needed tasks such as bagging food. We welcome drivers to help with carpooling, and we also arrange safe public-transit togetherness.

On Saturday the 26th we will have a meatball-making session, because HPCats loves our doggie friends too. Meatballs help skinny dogs by providing extra protein; they also help the staff feed and socialize the dogs. Everyone is happier to cooperate when meatballs are involved! Meatball making takes about an hour and is a nice social event, too.

AWL is an open-door facility, which means they take any animal brought there. As a result, they are often filled with animals who desperately need love and attention. Your visit to the animals makes a true difference.

If you're interested in participating in any or all of the volunteer weekend, email Kim at (kriosmorrison) @ (gmail.com).

missing cat

Escaped from about 54th and University. If you see, don't approach, just email in with location and time of sighting (cat is feral).

Modo the Chapel Cat

Modo lives on campus at Rockefeller Chapel where he lords it over the staff and visitors. Modo, who was abandoned as a kitten at a veterinary office, has found his calling: those in need of feline pastoral care advice can visit Modo, view his giant cat condo and enormous window, and pet his sleek tuxedoness.

Modo is not available for adoption. He's great where he is. If only more churches, businesses, etc., would have a kitty! See also a book we're enjoying in my home: The Cookie Store Cat.

Love Letter to Jack

Happy Valentine's Day, Hyde Park! Please enjoy the below, fostermom Laura S.'s Love Letter to Jack.

"Captain Jack Sparrow, a cat of unknown provenance, started showing up at a feral colony looking for food and affection. The colony keepers noticed his good nature and contacted Hyde Park Cats to see if we could try to find him a home. He was brought to my house October 17th, 2010.

The lady brought me this lanky, very skinny, and dirty cat. He had been tested for FIV and FeLV and was -/-. He weighed 9.4 pounds, but you could tell he was meant to be a bigger cat. His ribs were very obvious. Despite his pitiful state, my roommate and I were amazed at his beauty, his gentleness and capacity for love despite his recent hardships. He was in a bit of shock at the recent events: for days he wouldn’t eat unless someone was there to encourage him. I named him Captain Jack Sparrow because his “eyeliner” resembled another lovable rogue by that name.

As Jack began to grow accustomed to his new surroundings, he really bloomed. Captain Jack loved everyone he saw. He loved belly rubs, let me cut his nails with no resistance or complaints, and was very docile. When I would wake up, he would immediately curl up next to me in the crook of my arm and just purr and purr. Heck, you just look at him and he would start to purr!

In December, I took him to the vet to get everything squared away for a potential adoption (at this point he weighed 10.7 pounds!), and Dr. Wake discovered that Jack had a heart murmur. The adoption didn’t work out: we had to determine the severity of his heart condition before we could find him a home.

Finally, in February we were able to get him to the specialist. His heart murmur is a grade 2 out of 6. Not terrible, but he will have to take medicine for the rest of his life in hopes of preventing the murmur from getting worse. We are still assessing the situation, and so far Jack has taken all of his exams in stride. At the vet yesterday, Dr. Williams and the tech assisting him described Jack as “awesome!” and “a real champ”. He didn’t bite or scratch them once despite getting his blood pressure taken. They’d never seen such a sweet, laid back cat.

All along, I have been secretly hoping to adopt Jack. I love him. The problem is that my cats never accepted him. They have been good with many other foster cats and kittens, but for some reason they just don’t like Jack. I tried to help them all to get along, but it just didn’t work out. Luckily, a new person and her roommates have opened their home to foster for Hyde Park Cats. I took Jack there last night. When I left, Jack had made himself comfortable on the bed and was eagerly accepting affection.

Jack came to us a skinny, shy 9.4 pound cat. He now is a 12 pound master snuggler! His confidence has grown, he is amazingly affectionate, and is the sweetest guy you could meet. His heart murmur will be a continuing issue for him the rest of his life, but I really hope someone out there is willing to take him home and love him as much as he deserves."

Readers, give yourself the ultimate Valentine this year -- a kitteh. Please email hydeparkcats@gmail.com to learn more about any of our cats and kittens available for adoption.

Orange Cat aka Tigler

Handsome Tigler... last month this marmalade cremepuff went to Treehouse with some other cats only for us to discover he was already chipped! He is aka Orange Cat and it turned out he had two feeders whose homes were on opposite sides of his alley. Tigler Cat is FIV+ but healthy, friendly, sweet. His feeders care for him and he comes inside sometimes during inclement weather. He has a giant outdoor cat house to take refuge in, too. Caretaker Candice is quite attached to him and plans on bringing him with them (as an outdoor guy) in the event that she moves.

ps are you seeking a declawed cat? write in!

Miriam and Isabella

Miriam Hansen, distinguished scholar and professor of film studies at the University of Chicago, died on Saturday, February 5. Miriam and her husband Michael adopted Isabella (from the MJK alley) in the fall of 2008, making Isabella one of the very first Hyde Park Cats cats. Isabella quickly moved into Miriam and Michael’s home and into the center of their lives. For over two years, Isabella brought Miriam great joy and also much aggravation by messing up Miriam’s scarf piles. But Isabella is a smart little cat, and to please her beloved mistress, she learned to sleep on the scarves without disturbing them. We join Isabella in mourning Miriam. MJK has made a donation in memory of Miriam and in honor of Isabella.

Coco Chanel

Heather M. was one of the volunteers at our last AWL volunteer day. She was very taken with this adorable young black and white girl, so we worked it out to pull her from the shelter and we are offering her for adoption! Animals at that facility must be pulled by a rescue group or be euthanized (there are no direct-to-public adoptions) so Coco here is a lucky cat and will bring her luck to you too! Coco was pregnant when she was turned into the shelter. She is now spayed, neg/neg, and fostermom Heather loves her a lot. Coco is very sweet with people, super affectionate and loving.

We have many black-and-white cats available for adoption! Please consider adopting one of our black-and-white beauties. Free black-and-white cookie with adoption!

LSD Dog

This morning we got a tip from dog/cat rescuer Eevie that a man had dumped a "red pittie "on Lakeshore at 39th St. Eevie's quickly typed Facebook post said "It's stuck on t freeway with icebanks on either side. Can you go look for it? 911 has been called, but it is iin great danger."

Once reposted to Hyde Park Cats the cat ladies rallied. Hyde Park Cats volunteers Ruth, Laura, and Megg did what they could, gently pursuing this poor dog up and down the lakeshore trail for over an hour this morning. They called and offered food and dropped down low and did everything they could to reassure her. She was scared, confused and tired--but not tired enough to give up. They kept her off Lakeshore Drive until the very end --when they last saw her she was walking north on the southbound lane of traffic.

The police and ACC have been alerted to her.

Thanks to everyone who called with offers of help and in particular to a runner (friend of HPC volunteer Becca) who was immensely helpful. Many drivers stopped too on LSD and asked how they could help. One had reported the dog earlier this morning.

The dog was not aggressive, just scared. It is large, reddish, and has yellow eyes. If you can capture this dog--SAFELY- please bring her to the Hyde Park Animal Clinic and Hyde Park Cats will work with Chicagoland Bully Breed Rescue on her case. Another group is going over to the lakeshore right now. If you can help email hydeparkcats@gmail.com for a contact phone number.

Ch-ch-chinchilla

This beautiful blue girl was found outside around King and 60th ... pregnant! Chinchilla is sweet as can be, and loves to rub on fostermom and roll over at fostermom's feet. She likes to be held and will roll on her back in fostermom's arms. Her blue/silver color is very fetching, and she has a ringed tail like a powder blue racoon.

update: Chinchilla was adopted before I even got to post this! But every cat must have her day. Thanks to Eevie for rescuing Chin Chin, and for preventing yet another batch of kittens who would have become street cats.

Templeton update

Templeton spent a few days on vacation at Matt's house. Matt writes: "Templeton is a blast. He is super tall and skinny--he could be a runway model--and he is very adventurous. Within half an hour of arriving he had explored every inch of my apartment. He is a bit of a troublemaker (not a cat for people with lots of breakable art in their houses--all my houseplants have been demolished in the course of less than a week), which i find pretty endearing. For instance he climbed up my six-foot-high drying rack, knocked it over, and then used it as a jungle gym (see photo). He prefers to eat his food straight out of the bag even though it's the same food he gets in his bowl. He loves to play, but when he's tired himself out he'll curl up on your lap and purr happily and then fall asleep. A very sweet, personable cat." Templeton is neg/neg, neutered, vaxed, and ready to bring the excitement and the love to his forever home. More Templeton

Dan Ryan

Either Heather S. is not allowed to drive on the highways anymore ... or she must drive on the highways exclusively, rescuing cats in need!

Heather S., our TNR partner in Pullman, who recently saved Tinsel from the median of highway 290, writes: "I dropped Tinsel off at her foster home this morning and on my drive back from Hyde Park, feeling really great about that, I'm on the Dan Ryan going east. About a quarter mile before the 87th Street exit, I see to my left a little huddled mass squished up against the concrete median that separates the red line tracks from the Dan Ryan--in the MIDDLE of the highway. I just kept praying it wasn't what I thought it was as I took the next exit, turned around and did the route again. There is virtually no shoulder to pull over onto, so I put on my blinkers and slowed way down as I eyed the little fuzzy mass ahead. I pulled up and sure enough, a freezing filthy skinny tabby sitting in a puddle of black water. I ran up behind him and scruffed him and put him in the passenger side of the car under the heat.

He appeared to be an adult male and had a bleeding mouth and scuffed up face. I took him straight over to Sue's (a friend who is a vet tech) house and she examined him and we cleaned him up. He was shaking and of course seemed completely in shock but he let Sue examine him. Although very stunned, he is friendly and appears to have been someone's kitty, as there is a very obvious indentation in the fur around his neck where a collar clearly had been for a long time. Sue thinks he must have been thrown from the car based on the injuries to his mouth and leg. Either that or he was grazed by a car. In spite of this, he seems to be able to use his legs and Sue did not feel anything that indicated that anything was broken. He is now warm and eating in one of Sue's kennels. He also started to groom himself, which is a good sign. He is definitely unfixed (of course). Unreal.

Of course we're calling him Dan Ryan."

Dan Ryan is very friendly. UPDATED INFO: He is now neutered, neg/neg for viruses, and although he's got some boo-boos he's on the mend and ready for his forever home. He is a friendly and loving boy.

escaped cat alert

Escaped cat alert: grey and white adult cat at 54th and University. Please post here or write to hydeparkcats@gmail.com if you spot this cat. Cat is feral. Do not approach, just note time and place and write in.

Domino

After


Before

Domino came to us from NW Indiana. We work with a volunteer at a high-kill city impound which does not do any veterinary work or adoptions. The animals in there have two options: be "pulled" by a rescue organization or be euthanized. While our primary mission is to help the cats found on the streets around our neighborhood, when we have a fosterhome open, if this volunteer in IN calls, we extend our boundaries! Domino here came into the impound as a stray (picked up by Animal Control). He had a bleeding wound on one paw. Luckily Claire and Olivier's loving fosterhome was open (because Rigoli had just been adopted), so the IN folks transported Domino to Hyde Park Animal Clinic, where he received veterinary care for his bleeding, abcessed wound. Claire and Olivier changed his bandages and gave him his meds, and now he is just fine and ready for adoption. Merci, Claire et Olivier. If you live in NW Indiana and would like to learn about occasional transport of animals as a volunteer service, please write in.

Now...you should adopt Domino if you want a cat who:

wears your favorite numbers: 2 on one side, 3 on the other

is super friendly and an extrovert

loves being pet just as much as he loves petting you

Tinsel update

Update on Tinsel, found on the median of the highway.

Tinsel is out of her enclosure and in fostermom Nusrat's loving home. Nusrat reports that "Tinsel has caught us by surprise by being the most playful and affectionate cat. You can hear her purr from very far. She's so playful that she won't even care if you don't have as much energy as she does because she finds her own toys and plays with them. Tinsel loves company so all your friends can have fun with her too. She knows when to get to the bed to sleep with me, I don't have to call her at all.

She's gorgeous and has not shown a single symptom of the trauma she's gone through. Tinsel is a warrior."

Passings

Joan P. wrote in over the blizzard with a donation: "In memory of Marissa, whom I adopted from a shelter and with whom I had five wonderful years, until she suddenly became seriously ill yesterday, and had to be put to sleep. Thank goodness Dr. Wake and some of his staff had made it to their office. I hope this will help another kitty get the good care HPAC has given my cats. Bless you, too, for what you do." This picture "catches her in a very typical pose; she loved to get between me and my computer. So here she is, catching a mouse!" Purrs.

We also heard from reader Martha B. that her tabby-and-white kitty Sparky passed away last week. In his memory she sent us a generous donation to cover Justin's bill at the clinic. Martha says "I can't think of a better tribute to Sparky than to give another feral brought in from the cold a fighting shot at a good life.  (Sparky was my first feral rescue.)" It's a wonderful memorial (but I do want to emphasize that Justin is an extremely friendly cat)! Purrs.

I also want to mention Sammy, in Urbana. My smooth gray friend Sammy recently passed away after a good long life with my dear friend Marya. Sammy, I remember many moments of petting you, and chatting with you, for instance about how really you might not really need any more food. In particular I remember once sleeping with your wonderful gray catpillowness. Thank you for all the love you gave my friend and all of us. Purrs.

update on dog; thanx!

Update on found dog. We learned that a family fell in love with her pictures (reposted on Craigslist, can't take credit) and she went home with them this past week and is getting lots of TLC. Kudos to all involved in her rescue.

Thanks to recent donors Mike R., Mark C. and Kim C., Rhonda S., and Mike H. Big loud purrs to you. Thanks to Martha B. for the special donation for Justin.

HPCats and the Blizzard of 2011

How did Hyde Park Cats cats face the blizzard of 2011?


Koko (Parkview Katz colony) spent the night inside but made a break for it in the morning.


Polly: Spent day on desk, which is above radiator.


Justin: Doesn't know what's going on outside and doesn't care; too busy enjoying having food again.


Effi: Content to watch snow from inside.


Oatmeal: Seems intrigued. Immediately after this picture was taken was forced to snuggle and watch a cartoon.


Parkview Katz colony cats: Riding it out in caretaker Aimee's garage. She reports a six-foot drift against their usual escape hatch.


Beano: Hey! What's that! Play with me, white stuff!

In the MJK Alley:



MJK reports that getting to the alley post-snowfall was a challenge. "Poor kitties – their houses were completely snowed in,[see post below for a picture of the shelters before the snowfall] so I shoveled them out. I thought the houses were unoccupied, the cats hopefully having sought shelter in a basement, but then there was a dark streak and little Onyx broke through the drift in front of her house and fled up the tree. I shoveled out a space for their new “snow buffet” and put out food. I walked over to 62nd Street (which was completely drifted shut) and over to the abandoned house (where we often see the cats). I saw a glimpse of two cats and was delighted to see that they had somehow plowed out a little road for themselves from the house to the sidewalk. This makes me hopeful that they took shelter from the storm in the basement, keeping each other warm, and that they would go in search of the food that I left them."

SNOW

Some of our friends in the MJK Alley at 5pm last night. Bottom picture: look carefully for Aida's head peeking out of the shelter ... if only all of Chicago's outdoor kitties got to fill their tummies and tuck themselves away in a shelter to wait out the storm.

Just in time

This sweet but roughed-up tiger/white kitty was rescued from an alley last night ... just in time before today's (anticipated) storm. This kitty has been seen by a few different people over the course of about two weeks. Laura F. gave it a go at catching him the other night but he ran under a car ... last night he tried to evade Kim M. and Ainat by running into a stairwell. Perhaps he knew the storm is coming; after not too long he did allow himself to be captured. He spent last night in Kim's bathroom, and seemed happy to be somewhere warm; Kim reports he is actually extremely friendly. He scarfed down all his food (you can see how skinny he is). He has some sort of wound on his hind leg and his ears may be frostbitten. He has a 10am appt at our local vet! Please apply to foster or adopt him right away.

We're so happy this one kitty, at least, is out of the storm ...