While this is a bittersweet story, it is also a heartwarming one about two Tree House cats, Cloud and Cashew (pictured l to r), who found the loving forever home they deserved.

Loss and New Love

Shortly after we moved into our new shelter, Jacob and Matt visited Tree House on the suggestion of friends. Sadly, they had lost their cat Peanut very unexpectedly due to a heart issue. Their other cat Noodle was very lonely without his buddy. Jacob and Matt knew they were a four-member household and decided to adopt another cat. “We were mightily impressed with [Tree House’s new facility] and wanted to see it for ourselves.” The visit was also difficult, “…a mixture of sadness about losing Peanut and the stress of trying to choose just one cat to be the right one.”

After meeting various cats at our shelter, Jacob inquired about cats who were attention-seekers, similar to their cat Peanut. That’s when they met Cashew and knew he was the one.

Cashew and Noodle became quick friends, and the family settled in.

Cashew settled into his new home very well. He was an affectionate cat and a true love bug.

Another Heartbreaking Loss

It was doubly heartbreaking when Cashew fell ill just a few short months after being adopted. He was diagnosed with cancer and passed away shortly thereafter. We are so glad he was able to have a loving home — even if only for a short period of time — and the care and compassion he deserved in his last days.

A Twist of Fate – Cloud’s Return

Jacob shared, “Because we had such an incredible experience with Cashew…and we had such a first-rate experience when adopting him [at Tree House], we felt it was only right to honor Cashew and his memory by giving another cat in need the vacant place he left in our household. Enter Cloud.”

It seemed to be fate that Cloud (who also resembles Cashew) was returned to Tree House the same day that Jacob and Matt also returned to Tree House to find a furry family member and to honor Cashew’s memory.

Cloud had been adopted from Tree House shortly after Cashew but was returned through no fault of her own. Ironically, as she waited in our clinic admissions room, Jacob and Matt had been meeting other cats in our cat adoption rooms. They hadn’t quite met their match, and Tree House staffers just had a feeling….  Staffers asked if Jacob and Matt would like to meet Cloud.

“What a trip Cloud was…she chatted and chatted and chatted. We were able to get her to play with a string toy, and after that, she rubbed our legs and continued her serenade.” Fate truly stepped in that day to bring this family together.

Cloud settled in quickly…it only took her a couple of days to manage to escape from the bedroom, and Jacob found her resting calmly in the living room with Noodle nearby. It was clear that these two cats were going to be the best of friends. Cloud and Noodle are very close and often cuddle together.

Enough Love

We are incredibly grateful to Jacob and Matt for all the love they have shared with all of these cats. As so many can appreciate, grieving the loss of a beloved pet is painful and takes time. We are glad that Cashew received so much love in his final months and days and that Cloud received the gift of a loving home in his memory. We wish the entire family (furry and human) many happy years together.

Volunteers are a vital part of enabling Tree House to do the work we do to help thousands of cats each year. We currently have just under 200 volunteers working in many different areas of our organization. Together, they give hundreds of hours of their time.

We are grateful to all of our volunteers for all their efforts to help the cats.

Since June is Adopt-a-Shelter-Cat month, we wanted to share a volunteer’s perspective from one of our adoption team volunteers. Meet Brian – who also recently adopted a “shelter cat” from Tree House and talks about his experience.

In what department do you volunteer at Tree House?

Adoption department

How long have you been volunteering at Tree House?

I’ve been volunteering at Tree House for about five months. Interestingly, the day I was scheduled to start in adoptions, a request came up that help was needed to pick up some cats who were being transferred to Tree House from another animal control center. Since I had a car, I knew I could help out. It was an interesting experience, and I was surprised when I met the cats. They were so eager to see me and jumped up in my arms. I then began my regular volunteer activities at Tree House helping in the adoption department.

How did you first hear about Tree House?

I heard about Tree House through a friend in my neighborhood. She knew my love of cats and told me about the brand new building on Western. So, I had to check it out myself. It is pretty awesome. The cage less, spacious, and open building offers a more natural environment for the cats and is beneficial to both the cats and potential adopters.

What drew you to volunteer at Tree House?

My job allows me some free time during the week, so I wanted a way to do something fulfilling with my free time. After visiting Tree House, I thought it was a great organization and a cause worth my time. I appreciate how the organization treats the cats and guests. It is a no pressure [adoption process] that allows adopters to get to know the cats. The adoption counselors are very helpful both during the adoption and after. [The adoption counselors] help people find a cat who is a good fit vs. just trying to get a cat into a home that might not be a good match.

What do you find most rewarding about volunteering at Tree House?

The most rewarding part is watching people get “chosen” by cats. When potential adopters come to visit the cats at Tree House, there is always that one cat that is drawn to them and who develops an instant connection. I love it.

Why do you believe having an organization like Tree House in Chicago is important?

Tree House is vital to Chicago because they not only place cats in wonderful homes, they provide essential programs like the Community Cats program which offers TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) services to help keep the feral cat population under control and healthy. Tree House also assists pet parents with cat behavior advice through their Behavior Hotline. They also have a compassionate stance towards FIV+ (feline immunodeficiency virus) cats. I previously had an experience at an animal control center that treated FIV+ cats negatively. Cats with FIV can live long, happy lives and can live together with cats who do not have FIV. Tree House places FIV+ cats in the same adoption rooms as cats without FIV and gives them a chance. (Brian recently adopted a Tree House FIV+ cat).

What are your thoughts on the work that Tree House does?

I think the work that Tree House does is amazing. I’ve been to many shelters, and Tree House has the most humane set up I’ve ever seen. The cats are clearly happy.

Adopting a cat from Tree House

Brian is also a recent Tree House adopter – having been “chosen” by a Tree House cat. Brian quipped that his cat is now French, having named him Henri. In honor of Adopt-a-Shelter-Cat Month, we wanted to share more from Brian’s perspective as a Tree House adopter!

Henri is not afraid to let Brian know when it is quiet time.

When did you adopt your Tree House cat?

I adopted Henri on Feb 15, 2018. He was my Valentine’s gift to myself.

Do you have any other pets?

I have one other kitty named Charlie who I adopted from the ASPCA in New York City in 2016. She is a Tuxedo just like Henri.

Why did you choose to adopt a cat from Tree House?

I was looking for another cat to keep Charlie company. At many shelters, the cats are kept in separate cages, and it is difficult to predict how they will get along with other cats. I also had a very negative experience at another shelter. At Tree House, since the cats are in cage-free adoption rooms, it is easier to get an idea of how a cat will interact with a companion. Also, as a volunteer, I’ve seen how well the cats are treated at Tree House and the extensive records that are kept, so I knew I was adopting a cat who had been well cared for.

Tell us about your adoption experience.

The adoption counselors provided a lot of information and assistance. I was nervous about bringing a second cat into my home and at one point thought it wasn’t working out because my first cat, Charlie, is a little shy compared to Henri who is an outgoing and friendly cat. The counselors were there for me to help out with tips and things I can do to create a peaceful cat home.

How are the cats doing at home?

They are doing very well. The two cats continue to improve with how they get along with one another. It is funny to watch how they figure it out with each other. I’ve caught Charlie playfully instigating things a bit as she flips her tail in Henri’s face. Then, when Henri has had enough, he goes back at her. One of the tricks I learned is to give Henri a time out when he gets too aggressive, which is fine with him because he loves the bathroom and drinking from the faucet. I’ve discovered that if I wait until he is calmly sitting on the floor when I open the door – it’s a sign that he has calmed down and is ready to come out. Henri also loves to take walks on his harness. He is like a dog. He will grab his leash off a cabinet, jump down and drag it over to me, meowing to ask to go outside.

We are so grateful to Brian for not only all his help as a Tree House volunteer but for giving an FIV+ cat a loving home.

Interested in finding out more about volunteering?

We are pleased to announce Raissa Allaire as Tree House Humane Society’s new Executive Director. She will be joining the organization effective Monday, May 21, 2018.

Raissa brings a wealth of experience in nonprofit leadership including various roles over the past 12 years at The Center for Economic Progress (CEP). The Center is an award-winning, mid‐sized organization focused on improving the financial lives of 20,000 families in 15 Illinois communities. Most recently, she served as the Chief Operating Officer, overseeing the agency’s administrative operations and direct services and serving as a member of the organization’s leadership team.

During her tenure at CEP, she was responsible for developing and leading the organization’s fundraising and re-branding strategies.

Prior to joining CEP in 2006, Raissa served as a vice president for a Chicago museum and developed and managed communications campaigns for major non-profit clients as an account executive for a top-ranking public relations firm. Raissa earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Humanities from the University of Chicago. In 2016, she was selected for the Allstate Foundation’s Greater Good Leadership Program, created in partnership with Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management to help leaders transform their organization, community, and the nonprofit sector through year-long coaching and academic instruction.

Raissa, her husband, and two sons live in Berwyn. In 2016, Raissa and her family adopted Sulley and his son Sal, a pair of orange tabbies rescued from a hoarding situation. Since then, the family has made it their personal mission to find ways (small and large) to advocate on behalf of homeless cats.

Looking forward to her new role, Raissa comments, “I’m honored for this opportunity to help realize a world where every cat is valued. I am excited about building on the many successes Tree House staff, Board, volunteers, and partners have achieved to date – saving thousands of lives, creating an innovative  21^st century shelter, and providing valuable services to Chicago’s community cats.”

The Tree House Board and staff look forward to working with Raissa to expand our efforts to save sick, injured, stray, and feral cats.

Please join us in welcoming Raissa to Tree House Humane Society.

Imagine being outside, pregnant, malnourished, searching for shelter, and scrounging for food – then giving birth – and living through this three to four times a year for approximately seven years! This is not a good life for any cat!

A Solution to Cat Overpopulation

Amelia was born outside in a neighborhood that struggles with a high population of stray and feral cats. Cats in these situations live very difficult lives outside in cold winter temperatures struggling to find food and shelter. Many cats are malnourished, ill, and injured.

She was TNRed (Trap Neuter Return) and has a different story. Trap Neuter Return is a proven solution to cat overpopulation. Stray and feral cats breed at a very high rate. With TNR, cats are trapped, spayed or neutered, and returned to feral cat colonies. This breaks the reproductive cycle for these cats, eliminating the birth of hundreds of kittens year after year.

Cats at Work – Saving Displaced Feral Cats

Unfortunately, Amelia did not have a safe place to return to. Enter Tree House Cats at Work – a program that gives displaced feral cats a chance to live out their lives while providing a “green” solution to rodent control.

Amelia’s caretaker shared that her yard was overrun with rats. “It was so bad, I had to shuffle my feet so the rats would move when I walked across the backyard to our laundry room.” We placed Amelia, along with several other cats, together. Within a few short months, the rats are all but gone. A cat’s presence alone is often enough to send the rats running.

Caretakers for cats in the Cats at Work program provide shelter, daily food and water, and veterinary care for the cats.

The cats live in a cat haven – an old carriage stable that was converted to a cat house, complete with perches, a landing, scratching posts, and throw rugs. It stays warm thanks to adjacent rooms that are heated. The cats can come and go through a cat door.

57,500+ Cats in Just Ten Years

A cat like Amelia can begin having kittens at just five months old. Still very young, she would struggle to find food and shelter for herself, let alone to protect and nourish a litter of kittens. She would continue to have litter after litter of homeless kittens.

In ten years, a pair of unsterilized stray or feral cats can lead to approximately 57,500 new cats!

Support Spay/Neuter Month and Be a Part of the Solution

Give for one spay or neuter surgery. You can help us reduce cat homelessness and give feral cats a better life. Just 15 cents a day or $55 pays for a spay or neuter surgery.