New Years Eve

This New Year's Eve, cats and kittens in our fosterspaces -- like Roger, who was living in the Liliana Colony at 62nd and Cottage, or Curly, from our Pullman sister site -- await forever homes.

Paulina and Heartie, shy kitties who were living outdoors for probably their whole lives, are inside and learning to love this New Year's Eve. Paulina has an adopter waiting for her, but Heartie still seeks a home.

This New Year's Eve, we remember the kitties we said goodbye to in 2011: Zane, Opus, Reese's Pieces, Duke, Aki, Sophia, Meshi (who died in her adoptive home), 65 and Woodlawn Kitten ... and those who never had a name.

This New Year's Eve, our alley cats are eating ... and not procreating.

This New Year's Eve the kittens we're going to unveil soon are charming their fosterfolks and getting ready to charm potential adopters.

This New Year's Eve, some adoptable cats -- like Orange Cat and Charlotte are outside, waiting for someone to want them.

This New Year's Eve, all the kitties who were adopted from us in 2011 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 still cold and hungry.

May 2012 bring us many more opportunities to rescue cats, yet fewer cats to rescue.

December

December is usually our slowest time of year. We scramble for foster homes as our devoted fosterers take a break from their fostering duties to travel for the holidays. And usually there is very little interest in adoptions this time of year.

Something great happened this December -- you could call it a [insert your winter holiday of choice here] miracle. EIGHT kitties found new homes. Yes, readers, if I were more on the ball I would have made this post on the eighth night of Hanukkah! But better late than never.

The starring lineup is:

Octavia and Livia: two of our many current kittens, together!

Grady: whose adopter recently lost an elderly ill kitty.

Shy Paulina, picked out of the Nursing Home colony at 62 and Dorcester: whose adopters asked us to suggest a kitty we had a hard time placing.

Jojo: who got his very own 12 year old boy for Christmas.

Ellison: A 'foster failure' case with a new kittysister.

Paxton, the cat who beat the odds.

and Clark whose adopter and boyfriend TNRed a cat with our help months ago, and so that good deed came back to us when it came time for her to adopt her own kitty.

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WANT TO MAKE AN END-of-the-YEAR DONATION? Click here to read our FAQ on donating to Hyde Park Cats. We have tax-deductible and non-tax-deductible options.

HUGE THANK YOUs to RECENT DONORS! To Ginny L. and Dan M. for their generous end-of-year donations to our fund at Treehouse, we thank you for funding many TNR surgeries for future kitties. Thanks also to Veronica W. and to Matt M. for donating to our local efforts!

Shia (Shy-a) was a starving stray found in the backyard of an apartment building. Despite being allergic to cats, her finder took her in when it became too cold for her to remain outside and named her Shia, which means “follower,” befitting of her sociable nature and tendency to follow her person around from one room to the next. She's a lovely green-eyed girl, about five, and she is always good about using the litterbox and her scratching post. Shia adores playing with feathers and sparkly balls, knows her name, likes to cuddle, and has a genuinely sweet and social personality.

Shia's finder has allergies and we need a home for her! Please help Shia ring in the new year with a purr.

Grady: ADOPTED! Grady wishes everyone a happy happy end-of-Hanukkah/Boxing Day/end of the year!

Thanks to everyone who has made Hyde Park Cats run this year. To our fosterparents, who take such loving care of their charges -- thank you! To our fabulous team of volunteers who do everything from coordinating trips to the clinic to accounting for our money to checking references to setting up adoption events -- thank you! To our adopters, who welcome our cats into their forever homes -- thank you! To the community (businesses like Parkers Pets and 57th Street Books, various University offices, and all the individuals we meet who want to help, and do) in and around Hyde Park and beyond, who support us in so many ways -- thank you! To our donors and readers who sustain us both physically and emotionally -- thank you!

Specific thanks today to Amy and George D., who wrote "Happy Holidays! Thanks for everything you do." Thanks to Yvonne S., whose donation "is in memory of my mom and step dad's beloved kitty, Bella, who passed away this year after a long life as a cherished family member. And thanks to Sherri C.; Julie L.; and Judith D. and Michael C.

Happy ending update: Ellison

Ellison has found his forever home just in time for the holidays! Forever mom and dad say "We love Ellison (now Balthazar) and his squeaky little meow, the way he stretches his whole body out for a tummy rub, and how quickly he became friends with our other cat, Portia. The two of them love to play-wrestle, sit together by the window, and "help" with research by settling down on stacks of paper or warm laptops. He is a sweet, affectionate, debonair cat (just check out his bow tie), and we're so happy to have him as part of our family!"

Patches

This little calico cutiepie was rescued from one of our numerous alleys. She is only about six or seven months old. Patches has been microchipped, spayed, vaxed, and tested for FIV and FeLV ... and she has such cute little pink jellybean pawpads!!! She says this grumpy face is only because she doesn't know if she will be opening a Hanukkah gift, a Christmas present, or a New Years Eve offering ... in a forever home?

Sofia

Our friend in cat-rescue Heather S. has worked very hard for the last several years TNRing her South-Side neighborhood of Pullman. Not only does she TNR in her neighborhood, she has pulled multiple friendly cats, such as the majestic Siegel off the streets. In her spare time she "enjoys" rescuing cats from highways.

Heather has a special case she would like some help with, a black kitten named Sofia. Heather writes that "Sofia had trouble walking pretty early on but nobody could figure out what the problem was. She wanted to play so badly but she seemed to be in pain when she would even attempt to walk." Finally a diagnosis has been reached -- this kitten has Rickets, a rare vitamin D deficiency which causes Sofia's bones to be very soft, causing constant painful fractures and deformity. This is treatable and since it was caught early, good news -- but that comes at a cost.

If you would like to support Heather in her excellent work saving cats on the South Side, and help give this kitten a shot at life, please consider The Sofia Chip-in. I know this post catches you at a time when you have already been asked to give to many causes. Please know that small amounts do add up for those of us trying to care for the kitties in our midst.

Sofia is also in need of a forever home, of course. If you feel you are up to the challenge of loving this adorable but special kitty, then perhaps you are in for the happiest holiday of any of us. Contact hydeparkcats@gmail.com.