Another Sick Cat from the Peacock Colony

When I first started this blog in 2012, one of the first colonies I wrote about was the Peacock Colony. They were in sad shape. Monorail Colony This colony of three, elderly cats were ultimately trapped, fostered, and adopted out into a life of luxury in their retirement home in New Hampshire. I regularly keep in touch with the women who fostered and adopted these cats out. They are amazing animal rescuers and friends.

Since then, the owners of the house where these cats lived have either died or moved on, I’m not sure. But the house is currently empty.

The other week I was jogging by there and I saw this sick cat a few doors down. 10606616_548140335290352_1844762927439071290_n I don’t know what is wrong with this cat, but a cat who is dirty and wet usually means they are sick or injured, or unable to care for themselves outside. This cat is also ear tipped, but I don’t think I am the one who TNR’d him. He is somewhat cared for, because there is a flea collar on him. Obviously, someone put that on him.

I talked to the people who live there and they gave me permission to set up Tru-Catch traps. There were two little boys and three little girls that day who were very excited to talk to me and learn how to help the cats. I don’t have a network of people that help me trap, but these kids would make a great TNR Team. Children love animals and want to help.

I set up traps for 36 hours and checked on them regularly to see if there was a cat, and to refresh the food inside.

Unfortunately, the sick cat wasn’t caught, but I caught this handsome, healthy cat instead sometime around midnight. Surprise! 10420016_548491651921887_3220117886908498240_n I named him Cosmo Moon Eyes and took him to the low-cost clinic for his TNR spa package, and he recovered quickly. I let him back out with a fresh ear tip and looking a lot more relaxed. 16691_548931418544577_3416553102203701833_n The sick cat has obviously been on my mind ever since and I keep going back to check for him. Today I talked to the two little girls at the house and they told me they’ve seen him again in their yard, but that mostly he hangs out at the Peacock Colony house!

Perhaps he’s a hold out from that colony and just was inside while I trapped the other cats? Who knows, but these little girls gave me all kinds of information about their block, and their dad came out to talk to me. They told me I can try to trap again in their yard, which is great, because I have now also seen this black cat roaming around there. photo-8 This cat almost looks like he had a lion cut at one point, but the little girls said he’s out all the time. They are so curious about everything – they asked all kinds of questions about the cats, why I was running (“why are you all wet?”, “is running like exercise?”), the vet clinic I am taking the cats to, why I was helping the cats, and what I do for work. You should’ve seen their faces when I explained I was a flight attendant. There’s nothing like kids to make you feel like a rock star.

Keep your fingers crossed that I’m able to trap the sick cat. I’m working all week, so if anyone can help in the meantime, please let me know. Otherwise, I’ll keep trying when I’m back in town.

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Trap-Neuter-Return, TNR, for Outdoor Cats in Englewood

I met up with Chicago TNR again over the winter to help with trap-neuter-return, TNR, for outdoor cats in Englewood, a neighborhood in Chicago’s south side. My friend George started Chicago TNR by herself last year and has been humanely trapping colony cats all over the south side. She started trapping the Englewood cats last November in partnership with PAWS Chicago’s low-cost spay/neuter clinic.

By mid-December, in just six weeks, Chicago TNR Trapped-Neutered-Returned 93 cats in Englewood. 32 additional cats were Trapped-Neutered-Relocated to farms and warehouses that contacted PAWS Chicago looking to help pull cats off the streets and also for rodent control.

I joined George again one day in December in Englewood, where we trapped eight of those cats in less than two hours, just by driving around. George typically drives the PAWS’ van loaded with Tru-Catch traps, pet carriers, cat food for donations and bait, and other items needed for TNR projects, including newspapers, paper plates, and sheets to cover the traps. The cats are everywhere outside there, and we decided just to go to places where we knew there were community cats.

I met up with George at this TNR’d feral cat colony.

These cats are well fed and have shelter under the front porch. We moved on to an alley right around the corner where we saw a few cats, including this orange and white cat with a flea collar. We asked around but no one claimed him as theirs, so we decided to try to trap and take him to the clinic.

He was suspicious but clearly hungry. So we set up a trap.

And got him a few minutes later.

We quickly moved on to another block where George knew of a colony and visited the feeder’s house. A well-endowed male cat was hanging out on her front steps.

After a quick consultation with the feeder, who claimed him as one of her indoor/outdoor pet cats, we got him into a carrier to be neutered as well.

Around the corner from there we placed a Rubbermaid bin cat house for shelter.

It is well concealed from the street and you would hardly notice it, but hopefully it will help keep a few cats warm in the winter.

From there we moved even more quickly. The feeder told us about a few cats down the street, and we saw them right away. We placed two traps baited with tuna near another feeder’s front steps, and two cats obliged by going in them immediately. These cats were hungry.

The woman that was feeding them was moving out of the neighborhood that day and was very grateful for our help. She told us that there were other feeders on that block so these cats are cared for.

George and I decided to split up at that point and she drove to another spot while I continued TNR on this block.

A few doors down this long-haired beauty came running down the steps and out of the gate to greet me on the sidewalk.

I talked to her feeder as well, who said she was friendly, but they could not let her permanently into their home. She followed me down the block once she smelled the food.

She was easy to gently push into a trap.
George came back at this point fairly quickly with two more cats in traps, and another pet cat in a carrier. So now we had eight cats. It was freezing outside and we decided to wrap it up.

She wanted to show me Sabrina’s Colony. This is a colony of over a dozen cats. Sabrina feeds diligently, and rescues friendly cats and kittens all the time on her own.

The cats are gorgeous and well fed. They all came running when they saw us.

This tabby cat appeared to be the ringleader.

We were out of paper plates, but we fed them anyways on the ground.

These cats have ample shelters on her front porch.

From there we took all of the cats to PAWS Chicago’s low cost spay/neuter clinic. We met up with a few other feral cat trappers who were also dropping off their cats. We made sure each cat in a trap was fed. Every trap was lined with clean newspaper for the cats to sit on, and each trap was covered with a sheet so that the feral cats would be calmed in the traps. Here they are ready for their spay/neuter surgeries, vaccinations, parasite treatments, and ear tipping.

Once the cats are fully recovered from their surgeries, usually within 24 to 48 hours, George then returns the cats to where they were trapped. In this case, the pet cats were returned to their owners, and three of the cats in traps, including the long-haired beauty that ran to greet me, were relocated into companies requesting cats for rodent control in their warehouses, while also feeding and caring for them and providing shelter.

I look forward to helping George in this neighborhood again. There are too many intact cats running outside here and the residents welcome any help they can get.

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THANK YOU, Anti-Cruelty Society! How They Helped With a Home Full of Neglected and Unwanted Animals

I’ve been writing about a hoarder house near me for over a year now. I tried to get all the cats inside vetted and ready for adoption, but the situation was impossible for me to handle on my own. There were at least sixteen intact cats living there at the time in filthy conditions. The occupants’ behavior towards me was erratic and alarming the entire time. However, one thing was consistent – they did not want to keep the animals. They were willing to relinquish almost all of them immediately.

There was also a dog that would not stop barking the entire time I was there, and live birds in that cage above everything.

I’m happy to report that I just heard back from the Anti-Cruelty Society’s V.P. of Operations. He said that their Humane Investigation team was able to transfer nine cats so far out of that home. The team is supposed to be back once the weather gets better for the rest of the cats, because currently their investigators are overwhelmed with abuse and neglect cases.

Hopefully some of the cats will at least be available for adoption because a lot of these cats were socialized and friendly. Check out this friendly, and, ahem, fully intact, tabby male cat who rolled around in front of me begging for attention the last time I was there.

This has been quite the learning experience for me about what kind of help there is out there for these animals. Believe me, my neighbors and I have called everyone that we can think of. Here is more information from Anti-Cruelty’s web site should you need to report animal abuse or neglect:

The Anti-Cruelty Society’s humane investigators respond to reports of cruelty and abuse within the city of Chicago and the surrounding metropolitan area. They will also assist with cases throughout the State of Illinois and the Midwest. Some cases may be the result of lack of knowledge on the part of the animal owner. In these instances, the investigator will attempt to educate the owner on his or her legal responsibilities. In situations where more extreme abuse or neglect are involved, our investigators will make every attempt to rectify the situation. As a last resort, they are authorized by the state of Illinois to remove the animal from a dangerous situation.

When making a report, please be ready to provide the following information:

The nature of the complaint (i.e., dog tied outside without food or water.)
A description of the animal(s)
The exact address where the animal(s) can be found. If the address is on a numbered street, please specify if the street is designated as ‘street’ or ‘place.’ (i.e., 52nd Street or 52nd Place.)
What city or suburb the address is located in
A number that you can be reached at should the investigator be unable to find the animal(s) or has any questions

ALL REPORTS are kept CONFIDENTIAL and your information WILL NOT be given out. If you prefer, reports can be made anonymously. You DO NOT have to leave contact information to make a report.

To report cruelty or abuse or neglect of an animal, please call (312) 644-8338 ext. 304 or send an e-mail to [email protected].

Erica Roewade says:

February 28, 2014 at 2:49 pm

WOW< FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!

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Hami says:

March 15, 2014 at 9:42 pm

Hope they are able to get all those cats out and into a good home.

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Cats Know How to Ask for Help, You Just Have to Pay Attention

Last week in the midst of another deep freeze here in Chicago I was checking on my outdoor cat colonies and found this TNR’d cat from the Mother Colony just sitting in the middle of the sidewalk, trying to warm himself in the sun.

When I got closer he ran up the sidewalk to his feeder’s house. He was shivering and looked much thinner. He has not looked like himself within the last month or so, but he never let me get too close to him. This time was different. He meowed at me repeatedly, and then started winding around my legs, rubbing and purring. I saw blood on his back. I put down a can of wet cat food and he scarfed it down. There was another plate of dry food still there, and a cardboard box with a towel in it. The feeder poked her head out the window and said she had not noticed anything different about him, but that he was trying to get into her house the past few weeks. She never let him indoors, and said he is now always on her stoop. He used to leave after eating, so I wonder if he lost his shelter, or perhaps it was just much too cold to matter. I explained he looked injured and sick, and she said her landlord doesn’t allow pets in the building. This is government housing, and she has limited means to care for cats. With her blessing, I came back with a trap for him, which was hardly needed. He was all over me to get more food, so I just placed him in the trap with a full plate.

The vet clinic said the wounds on his back were bite wounds that were so old and infected that the skin and hair just peeled off. They cleaned up the area and gave him antibiotics. He was also dehydrated, weighed only five pounds, had a fever and tested FIV+. When I first TNR’d him in March of 2011 he was a lot sleeker, cleaner and healthier at 7.5 pounds. I actually trapped him in my yard, but he didn’t return after his surgery. Instead I found him feeding at the Mother Colony two blocks away from me and kept tabs on him these past few years.

Here he is during the summer, while his feeder explains to me that she only feeds him, no other cats. She also did not realize he had an ear tip or anything else like that.

He was always waiting by her door for food and she seemed to diligently feed him.

I don’t know what happened to him recently, but he is indoors with me for now. I took him to North Center Animal Hospital for another look. They gave him more antibiotics, and he is also now being treated for roundworms. His blood work showed that he had low red/white blood cells and low protein levels, but these were due to the infection and malnutrition.

His little monkey paws were also a mess.

Once indoors he seems fairly content to sleep a lot. Seriously, look at those monkey paws! The funny thing is that he also seems to prefer to sleep on a hard surface. I’ve tried every configuration of a cat bed, towel and blanket, and he has shunned them all. He scrunches his body to get away from them.

When I removed everything, he finally spread out and seemed comfortable. It’s like he wants to sleep on a tatami mat. Maybe this cat is Japanese? So I named this little five pound Japanese monkey cat Munkimo.

Munkimo is also named in honor of my Polish monkey pet cat, Mowpa, that I had to euthanize last year the same day I took Munkimo to the vet this year.

Now a week later Munkimo’s monkey paws seem to be cleaned up and healing.

As well as his back.

In the meantime Munkimo is a very chill, polite, quiet cat that likes to stare at me a lot.

A LOT.

Please keep your fingers crossed that he continues to heal.

Dawn says:

August 4, 2014 at 3:52 pm

what ever happened to Munkimo, do you still have him ? Thank you for taking care of him : )

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Vanessa says:

September 12, 2014 at 8:47 am

He’s doing great! He’s fed daily by a woman on the next block that I donate wet food to. Here’s a new photo: https://www.facebook.com/catsinmyyard/photos/pb.178373245600398.-2207520000.1410529562./550869915017394/?type=3&theater

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Trap-Neuter-Return Case Study: 55% Reduction in Outdoor Colony Cats Since 2007

When I first started TNR’ing cats in my yard in 2004 I had no idea how many outdoor cats there were. I did not know what a colony was and I did not even feed cats outside.

In 2007 I registered as a Colony Cat Caregiver in compliance with Cook County’s Managed Care of Feral Cats Ordinance. I kept track of the number of cats that I trapped and took to low-cost vet clinics to be spayed/neutered, vaccinated, ear tipped and micro-chipped to me for identification.

In 2008 I started reaching out to other feeders and caregivers in my area, and helped TNR their colonies as well. In all, I discovered eighteen other sites where cats were being fed. The cats here crossover into other colonies and feeding stations, but are more or less contained within this one city block because of the busy main streets that border on all sides.

153 cats here were TNR’d during this time. Out of that total, 70 TNR’d cats remain outside in managed colonies where they are provided with food and water, medical care, and shelter. The rest of the cats were either adopted out, admitted into no-kill shelters, died, euthanized because of terminal illness or injury, or disappeared from the area.

TNR works. How many more cats would be outside here if none of them were spayed/neutered?

Here’s a look at the nineteen colonies up close and when TNR started for each of them. The cats in my yard are called the James’ Gang Colony.

TNR Colony Population
Colony Name	TNR Start Date	Total Cats Spayed / Neutered	Colony Cats 2013
Bonita Colony	3/1/2011	3	0
Eleanor Rigby Colony	12/17/2008	18	3
Frontier Colony	11/22/2009	11	2
Garage Band Colony	10/13/2009	8	6
Ginger Colony	7/15/2013	1	1
James’ Gang Colony	1/29/2007	21	5
Jose and the Pussycats Colony	4/5/2010	11	5
La Vida Lydia Colony	4/10/2012	1	3
Little Sister Colony	11/3/2010	11	8
Major Tomcat Colony	3/1/2012	4	6
Marta Volta Colony	7/1/2010	3	0
Martino Awesome Colony	11/24/2009	7	0
Mother Colony	12/1/2010	7	2
Peacock Colony	2/1/2012	3	0
Ricky Martino Colony	4/16/2010	6	6
Rockstar Colony	2/6/2012	8	3
Stealth Colony	3/26/2013	1	0
Thompson Twins Colony	12/1/2012	4	5
V Colony	10/27/2010	25	15
	Totals	153	70

I am also working on TNR in areas that are further from me, which I call Satellite Colonies because they currently have one feeder and area that they stay in.

TNR Satellite Colony Population
Colony Name	TNR Start Date	Total Cats Spayed / Neutered	Colony Cats 2013
Cell Phones Colony	7/1/2012	11	13
Iron Works Colony	10/15/2012	8	6
Joyce Division Colony	11/3/2010	10	5
	Totals	29	24

I started this blog almost two years ago to chronicle the lives of these cats and show how TNR is working to reduce their overall population humanely and safely. The colony names are listed on the right and each have their own photos and stories. Almost all of the colony cat populations have been reduced. Colony management is ongoing and crucial to the success of TNR, otherwise the numbers will increase again when new unaltered cats show up to feed and breed.

Thank you all for your continued support! Please let me know if you have any suggestions on how together we can continue helping even more cats this year.

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Hoping for a Positive Outcome for the Hoarder/Drug House this Holiday Season

My neighbor just spotted the Anti-Cruelty Society van again outside the hoarder/drug house of the indoor Stealers Wheel Colony. It sounds like they may be closer to getting all of the animals out of there. I will share the news if that happens. It’s been over a year since I was told about this house and tried to help, but I’m always hoping we are getting closer to a resolution.

This same neighbor has been reporting this house for years to the alderman because of the number of animals inside, the filthy condition it is in, and the fact that it appears there are drugs there as well. A few months ago she saw the “owners” of these cats giving away kittens outside. I once again called Anti-Cruelty Society, Chicago Animal Care and Control, and Cook County Animal and Rabies Control.

The last time I was inside it was hard to keep track of the cats. They swarmed the food.

They swarmed the new litter boxes we brought. This is what the original litter boxes looked like. So there was also feces all over the floor, even though the cats still tried to use the boxes.

I counted sixteen cats, two birds, and one chihuahua, but I also could not get into three of the rooms because the doorways were blocked. The cats could go in and out of them so it was possible there were even more cats hiding from me.

Last year my neighbor Kim and I managed to TNReturn eight of the cats at Anti-Cruelty Society and using vouchers at PAWS Chicago’s low-cost vet clinics. Kim also ended up having to foster and adopt out two of the cats. Once these cats were out of that house you could see they were friendly and adoptable. We had to stop rescue efforts because the “owners” started arguing with us and the situation got dangerous. If nothing transpires soon, I’ll keep calling everywhere again. Once the animals are out then maybe someday the people there can also get the help they need.

In the meantime I’m hoping for a holiday miracle!

Hami says:

March 15, 2014 at 9:33 pm

Can you give us an update about this hoarder case? Are you able to get all the cats out of that house now?

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Vanessa says:

March 29, 2014 at 11:45 am

So far Anti-Cruelty Society has been able to remove nine cats from that house. Here is an update: http://catsinmyyard.com/anti-cruelty-society-how-they-helped-with-a-home-full-of-neglected-animals-2663

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Please Send Healing Thoughts to a Fellow Animal Rescuer

A few days ago I called to check in with my neighbor, Kim. I met Kim in 2009 and she is known here in our neighborhood as the “Dog Lady.” Kim is the type of animal rescuer that will jump fences to save dogs from starving and freezing because of neglectful owners, and will take in an animal if you bring it to her door. We first met because my next door neighbor agreed to relinquish his sick dog to her since he could no longer afford to provide care. Kim and I talked about outdoor cats and trap-neuter-return, something that she had not tried before.

We didn’t always agree on how to go about rescuing the animals we encountered, and we’ve even argued, but last year I felt we finally gained a tentative mutual respect and understanding when we tackled the indoor Stealers Wheel Colony together. Kim found that house because she is always walking her dogs in this area, talking to the neighbors about their pets. Kim called every rescue group she knew to help get the 16+ cats out of that house. When I heard about it, I called her and said I would help, and her response was to laugh and say, “Well, sh*t, you’re the only one that called me back, Vanessa. I wasted my time because I could have just called you myself.”

When we went to try to get the cats at the Stealers Wheel house, Kim always brought food and litter for the cats, and brought groceries and medicine for the people there. She tried to clean and fix the house. The house is a wreck, and the people inside are most likely addicts, and I felt trying to help them was hopeless. It was certainly thankless – we just got yelled at a lot. And it was dangerous. I only wanted to try to help get the cats out of there. Kim, on the other hand, tried to fix everything, and I admire her for the effort, even if I didn’t agree with the method. Anyways, we did the best we could with that situation, but ultimately could not handle it on our own. One of the few things we managed to do is she fostered these two cats from there and got them adopted out together.

Kim with the Stealers Wheel house cats and foster dog.

I called Kim a few weeks ago because I now may have another solution for the cats there, and wanted to see if she had been there lately. She called me back to let me know that she hasn’t been to the house since last winter. She also let me know that she was diagnosed with terminal cancer just recently, along with other ailments, and the doctors sent her home because there was nothing else they could do for her. It was hard for me to keep track and understand everything she was saying, but one thing I latched on to is that she said a man came with a dog to her house last week and she had to turn him away.

I’ve never seen Kim turn an animal in need away and put herself first. She just cannot handle more animals at this time, and is currently trying to re-home her two dogs and four cats.

Kim doesn’t want help from me because she said there is nothing that she needs or that anyone can do. I feel helpless because we’ve only interacted mostly during rescue situations, never socially, but will try to reach out to her again. Please send healing thoughts her way.

Lynne says:

December 18, 2013 at 5:17 pm

How is she doing, and has she found homes for her animals?

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Vanessa says:

December 19, 2013 at 11:02 am

Hi Lynne – No, this is a very new development as she was just diagnosed. I will update if/when I know more. Thank you for your concern! When I talk to her I will be sure to let her know about the people who are reaching out here. Vanessa

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kathy gorenz says:

July 22, 2014 at 2:53 pm

how is Kim?

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Vanessa says:

September 12, 2014 at 8:53 am

Last I spoke to her she is doing as well as can be expected and has a friend living with her.

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The Rockstar Colony Gets Another Upgrade

This made my day! I jogged by the Rockstar Colony today and saw they now have an outdoor heated water bowl.

Cats need to stay hydrated and it is hard for them to find fresh water to drink outside. The outdoor heated water bowl is a fantastic solution for the winter. I’ve used one for a few years now for my colony cats. You can also use it to keep wet food from freezing.

Cats in my yard are well-fed, warm and TNR’ed.

The Rockstar Colony lost their home a month ago, and the feeder moved away. Another neighbor a few doors away stepped up and is feeding the cats daily and caring for them. They told me that right now only one of the cats is sticking around and using the outdoor cat shelter I gave them, but we think it’s probably because of all the new construction on that street. They also told me they’ve asked the “woman who feeds the birds” to keep an eye out for the cats. I figured out they were talking about the Jose and the Pussycats Colony the next block over. Hopefully the cats will come back once the construction activity dies down.

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Tips on Cleaning the Outdoor Cat Shelters for Winter

This is the time of year where my garage gets taken over by outdoor cat houses.

This year we’re making another colony cat house for the cats in my yard. We also bought heating pads for all three shelters.

In addition, I’m cleaning out all the cat shelters and adding new straw for their bedding, as well as new insulation.

Dash came to check out what I was doing to his cat house underneath our deck. Can you see him? Most of the cat shelters I have around the neighborhood are made out of Rubbermaid bins. Cleaning them and changing the insulation is easier because all of the measurements have already been done.

Here’s a couple of things I’ve learned along the way.

I empty the bins and hose them down in the yard. The old straw can be composted.

In some cases the sheets of insulation also need to be replaced. You can see the old insulation on the floor here is dirty and scratched up by the colony cats.

I use the old sheets of insulation as a template to cut new sheets. I trace around them and cut. No need to measure! To ensure a tight fit, wedge pieces of scrap insulation on the outside.

Add straw inside and close. If you add too much straw the cats will just pull it out to make more room. This is not a problem, especially if the cat house is underneath a deck or stairs. The straw acts as extra bedding for them on the floor.

is says:

January 3, 2018 at 8:53 pm

great !!

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Using a Drop Trap to Catch Feral Cats

I rented a drop trap from Tree House Humane Society for the first time. This is what it looks like set up in my garage. You set the food under the trap, wait for the cat to go under, and then pull the string attached to the stick so that it drops to the ground. Then you cover the drop trap, and align the door for a Tru-Catch Trap with the wooden drop trap door (you can see it in the back on the opposite end), and wait for the cat to go into the Tru-Catch trap.

I want to use the drop trap to catch a sick cat from the V Colony. I went there the other day to check on the colony and it looked like she was sleeping peacefully in a crate. However, once she woke up and walked away from me, I could see something was wrong. Her hair is disheveled, she has a big wound behind one ear, and she clearly has a URI – upper respiratory infection, as you can hear her congested breathing.

She has already been TNR’d, as were 21 other cats from that colony. It’s not an easy feat to catch one cat that you have in mind, since they all lounge together. So far we have tried to trap her again using a Tru-Catch humane trap, but she won’t go in. I keep trapping the other cats instead.

Since she is used to the feeders they have tried trapping her as well in a trap and carriers, but that also hasn’t worked. I’m hoping the drop trap will do the trick, as I would like to get her medical care, and prevent the other cats from getting sick as well. Wish me luck!