Charlotte (and Orange Cat)

Charlotte and Orange Cat are two orangey cats from the Champagne-Furbana area at about 42nd and Lake Park, where over the last several years we have TNRed several cats, removed several cats for adoption, and many cats are still there. We believe there is a family in the area allowing their pet cats to reproduce.

Charlotte appears to have lived most of her life outside, but she is loving and a sweet and dainty girl. She's shy with people she doesn't know -- what can you expect. Caretaker Candice says "When I open up my car door she jumps up in my lap and just lays there and purrs. She loves to just lay there and purr and to be petted. She is sweet and will blossom in a home without a ton of craziness. She is the kind of cat that is perfect for a couple with no kids or an older person or a quieter house because she is just a bit shy." At times Charlotte has spent time inside in a spare room and has not had a problem. We believe she will acclimate perfectly to live inside.

Charlotte's caretaker is moving very soon and hopes to be able to place Charlotte in a home where she can get some TLC and live out the rest of her life with a lap to purr in. She does not want to have to leave Charlotte behind.

Also available from this colony is Orange Cat, a super friendly nice big ol' marmalade guy.

We'd really like to be able to place these cats in homes! Please email hydeparkcatsadoptions@gmail.com to apply.

Charlotte

Charlotte is a "sweet and dainty" cat from the Champagne-Furbana colony. Candace, one of the Champagne caretakers, has taken her inside. She says "Charlotte likes people very much although she is initially shy. She would make an excellent lap cat once she gets to know and trust you." Charlotte spent the last winter outside--wouldn't you like to adopt her and watch her enjoying the snowfall from a nice warm home?

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.

New Year's Eve

This New Year's Eve, cats and kittens in our fosterspaces -- like orange boys Julius and Rigoli, who came in from the cold thanks to a caring Chicago city police officer -- await forever homes.

Pretty, a shy kitty from Champagne-Furbana, is inside and learning to love this New Year's Eve.

This New Year's Eve, we remember the kitties we said goodbye to in 2010: Adm. Adama, Mona, Spalding, Nadia, Willa, Freckles, Maxime et Maurice, Esther's third, and those who never had a name.


This New Year's Eve black and white cats like Carmen, who fostermom Katherine G. calls "the most adoptable cat ever," or lovable couch potato Leo Leonni, await forever homes.

This New Year's Eve, our alley cats are eating.

This New Year's Eve kittens like Cleo and Darius and Ray and the five cuties we're about to unveil all await their forever homes.

This New Year's Eve beautiful black cats like Lola, Madison, and Kenya await their forever homes.

This New Year's Eve, rescued one-eyed cats Lydia and Lucia Clara rest easy.

This New Year's Eve, all the kitties who were adopted from us in 2010 are curling up with their forevermom, or foreverdad, or foreverkids, with the memory of their outdoor life behind them.

This New Year's Eve, homeless cats out on the street are cold and hungry.

May 2011 bring us many more opportunities to rescue cats, yet fewer cats to rescue.

Ray Lee McGhee

Ray Lee McGhee, formerly an outdoor kitten from the Champagne-Furbana colony in North Kenwood, has found an avocation: plumber extraordinaire. Now he needs a home!

Penny

Penny is as pretty as a shiny penny. She comes from the Champagne-Furbana colony where Candice has discovered her sweet nature. Life on the streets is tough on a single mom, so Penny is afraid of dogs and doesn't get along with other cats, either. She's all loving attitude to a person, though! Penny is about two years old, spayed, etc. She loves attention! She loves to play and to gaze out of the window. If you're seeking a singleton cat to add grace and adventure to your life, consider this your lucky penny.

Thanks to recent donors Octavia B. and Kim's mom., Valerie R.!

Ray Lee

Ray Lee has just come in from the outside at Champagne-Furbana. Good work Pam! Fostermom Danna says "he's a ridiculous kitten. I have several nicknames for him: Spaz, Twitch, Squinty, and Stumpy (plus more I've forgotten). The first few days were hilarious: he clearly desperately wanted attention, but would run from me if I came near. He looks in six different directions every second. I managed to get him out of his shell in not very long, so he stopped hiding and started begging, pleading, whining for attention. He has a fat face and short legs. He's an adorable kitten who needs some people (and probably another cat!) to play with. He really is a sweet, adorable, cuddly kitten, and I think his love of attention from people is a very good thing!"

Ray Lee was just neutered (etc.) this past Friday and has been outside all his life before last week. Very shortly he will be more attuned to the life of a housecat. Ray Lee is available for adoption.

Champagne-Furbana kittehs

Two new sightings from Champagne-Furbana. These homeless kittehs are facing the winter outside. If you are interested in opening your home to foster them, please email hydeparkcatsadoptions@gmail.com.

Champagne Chateaux

Some pictures from an ongoing TNR/TNA (trap neuter adopt) project in Oakwood just to our north, near Champagne-Furbana and seemingly an offshoot of it. The gorgeous petite female is now spayed....she has a sweet personality. Feral male Orange Cat is back in the alley after being neutered and seen by a vet for a bad leg (they said soft-tissue sprain) and seems to be fine. Then there are some kittens: a beige boy about 4 months, fixed and all, and a female that is a little darker with more stripes. Candice, the caretaker of this area, is socializing the kitties and also doing some kitty decorating ... see below! Some of these cats are perfectly friendly and are available for adoption. Thanks so much to Candice and Walter for working on this project to help the cats!



Thanks to the Veres Family for the donation!

Apple

This is Apple. This sweet young (about six months) female cat is from the Champagne-Furbana colony. Her colonymates Judah, Rosie, and Sparkle have all gone on to become indoor pets, Judah (now Baxter) right here in Hyde Park, but Apple remains in her finder's sunroom. We are seeking her forever home. Apple is very sweet and gentle, with a charming, friendly personality; she loves being held, and likes nothing better than curling up on your lap. She is very calm, especially for a kitten, and extremely affectionate. She handles time on her own quite well, but is happiest with company and attention. She is extremely cute, with pretty soft golden coloring and an intelligent, expressive face. Apple has tested positive for FeLV. She must be in a home without other cats or with another FeLV+ kitty ... see the posting on Shorty just below!!! Please email us at hydeparkcats@gmail.com to discuss adoption specifics, including our special pricing for these loving and lovable cats.

Thanks Heather S. for the donation!

Sparkle

Sparkle's fostermom Kristen says "Sparkle is doing great--she loves belly rubs, neck rubs, and even just cuddling up next to you while you work. She sometimes gets a little jealous and climbs onto my book or laptop to get my full attention (smile). So far her favorite game is trying to figure out what the mouse on my computer screen is- if i push it to the side she investigates the sides and back the comp to try to find it! so cute!" Sparkle came from Champagne Furbana is on track to get into the PAWS adoption program.

champagne, anyone?

Brushki and Rosie right after being taken in from the Champagne Furbana colony; both girls are currently at PAWS and available for adoption! Thanks PAWS.

We're in the media again! Read "Kittens and curbsides: the state of local micromedia over at A.V. Club Chicago.

Lots of updates coming: we've had five cats show up recently at Parkview Kats, cats who will be TNRed over the coming week (we hope). Loki, Ori, and Sparkle are all going to start the PAWS intake process tomorrow. Judah has found a home! Hoppy is still seeking a forever home, as are Tiger and Bella.

Thanks to Martha B. and Daniel B. in Pittsburgh for the donation!

Champagne Furbana

I couldn't stop myself from calling the new colony on our radar "Champagne Furbana" -- it's a ginger-champagne-marmalade hotspot, with a bit of brown thrown in.

Several weeks ago I was contacted by a resident of North Kenwood/Oakwood, 41st Street near Lake Park. Apparently several years ago a female cat was kept, unspayed, outside, and surprise, surprise, kittens ensued. The next summer, more kittens. And so on. Now the residents have a cat colony on their hands! We're going to try and speak to the newly formed Block Association about TNR, find out how many kitties might be friendly, and help the residents get a handle on these cats.

We have two cats from the colony actually available for adoption, and will post about the cats here more during the weeks to come.

Thanks to Pam for getting in touch about Champagne! And thanks to Ruth both for the donation towards Ori's care but also for fostering the Champagne cats, and for even driving cats to PAWS.