Monthly Archives: January 2019

Pre-Fabricated, Outdoor Cat Shelters: Tree House Has Them!

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Due to the extreme polar cold and a mention we got from the CBS local news, we’ve had a lot of inquiries about our prefabricated, insulated, outdoor cat shelters. We do sell them! They are made in-house out of an insulated storage tote and come stuffed with straw to keep any furry inhabitants toasty and dry.

A shelter as modeled by our lovely cat puppet “Purrs.”

The large size is $35 and the small is $25. (As of January 31, 2019 we are currently out of stock on the large size but expect to have more made soon. You can call ahead to find out before making the trip, if you like. Please note, we’re closed January 31 due to the weather emergency and will re-open Feb. 1.)

We also sell heated water bowls ($25) to keep your colony’s water, well, liquid, and we have heating pads ($40) for inside the shelters in case you want to give your colony a little upgrade. Proceeds from the sales go back into helping Tree House save more cats.

We do not presently ship the shelters, but you can come visit us at 7225 N. Western Ave in Chicago and ask for a shelter at the front desk. Someone will be happy to help you. If you have any questions, please call us at 773-262-4000 and speak with the Community Cats department for more info. If you are out of state and trying to get a shelter, please look up your local TNR group. I’m sure they’d be more than happy to assist you!

You reading this means you are actively trying to make a cat’s life better, and for that, we thank you.

Purrs stays comfy inside with lots of straw!

Polar Cold Day II: Closed Again

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Well, it seems we were too optimistic. We thought this cold would let up. Alas, it keeps us in its icy grip for yet another winter day. Once again, we must announce that, for the safety and comfort of our supporters, guests, volunteers, and staff, we will be closed Thursday, January 31st, 2019. 

We have our paws and tails crossed that we will not have to do this again and plan to be open Friday, February 1. If anything changes, we will announce it here.

Closed again?! Nuts.

Until then, stay snuggled in your blankets as pictured above. Our kitties promise they’ll wait patiently for your return.

(P.S. Let’s take a moment to give a hearty shout out to our staff members who blazed their way through the cold to make sure our kitties were fed and loved. Thank you!)

Polar Cold: Tree House Closed and Some Tips for Your Outdoor Colonies

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It’s cold in Chicago!  Really Cold! And tomorrow, it will be even colder. Therefore, for the comfort and safety of all of our guests, employees, volunteers, and kitties, Tree House will be closed tomorrow,  January 30th, 2019. We will reopen for normal hours on Thursday.

If you care for any outdoor colonies, here are some tips from Paul Nickerson, our Community Cats Field Specialist:

  • Keep the cats protected from the wind. Make sure tarps are pulled all the way down on all sides of their shelters. Create a wind break using a sheet of plywood, if necessary.
  • Put old blankets over the tops of (never inside of – moisture can cause the material to freeze) the shelters for added insulation.
  • Be careful not to startle the cats out of their shelters and into the bitter cold. They may not have a warm hiding place to run to.
  • If their food keeps freezing, use dry kitten food as a substitute until temps warm back up.
  • You can also add extra heat with a heating pad (Tree House sells them!) or, if you don’t have access to electricity where your shelter is, a microwavable disk that stays warm for a few hours.

Rest assured, all of our furry charges here at Tree House Humane Society will be well cared for and warm, with full bellies and happy faces. They (and we) look forward to seeing everyone when things warm up. Until then, please stay toasty and give your kitties some extra snuggles! And if you don’t yet have any kitties, you know where to get some when you’re ready.

 

 

(Edited to include the last bullet point about heating pads, Jan 31, 6:21pm)