Homewood Holiday Lights Festival in 2022. (Chronicle file photo)
Cat Habitat Inc. has been on a mission the past 15 years to rescue cats. The dedicated team of rescuers have successfully found homes for over 900 cats.
Cat Habitat Inc. is a non-profit, no kill cat rescue that works in partnership with Petco at its Homewood store at 17930 Halsted St. To continue meeting its mission, the organization is hosting a holiday painting class on Nov. 16. Registration is due by Nov. 13.
Char Dyer, founder of Cat Habitat Inc., started out as a Petco volunteer. After dedicating more and more time each week, she was inspired to do more to help cats in need. That’s when Dyer decided to start the rescue.
“It’s by far the best thing I’ve ever done in my life. It’s the most rewarding work I’ve ever done,” said Dyer.
Cat Habitat currently has six volunteers who are committed to providing the best possible care to felines. Petco works with the volunteers by providing cages to shelter the rescued cats. At least one volunteer visits the cats daily, and provides them with quality food, interactive playtime, and any needed medical treatment.
After an interview process where people provide applications, the volunteers of Cat Habitat decide which is the best home for the cat. Dyer emphasizes the importance of matching the cat to the right family.
“Who knows what the background of these cats are, if they suffered, or how they were treated. That’s why they deserve a second chance at a really good home, a loving home,” she said, adding the team is highly successful in doing so, and even has many repeat customers.
In addition to caring for the cats, the volunteers also educate and interact with the community. They assist people with questions and help those who have brought in abandoned kittens. The volunteers provide them with supplies and show them how to care for kittens, including bottle feeding.
Dyer also lets the public know that they can build cold weather shelters with the help of instructions online, which can help save the life of homeless cats.
“There are so many stray cats now. I would say in the last year we have seen more cases of abandoned cats than in the last 10 years total,” Dyer said. She receives at least three calls a week from people asking for help regarding abandoned cats that they’ve found.
“We feel that the feline community is in a crisis. Because of the economy, people can’t afford the food,” Dyer said, adding rescuers have of late come across several cases of abandoned mothers and their kittens. Dyer recalls a recent case where a realtor found a mama cat and her three kittens, who were one day old, abandoned in a building with no food or water.
Another volunteer of the rescue crew, Mary Sanfratello, described the challenging rescue of BooBoo Kitty, an abandoned cat discovered in the woods with a wound on his neck, hence how he got his name. The rescue took a total of 19 days, with Sanfratello herself spending a total of 56 hours.
After much determination and many canned foods later, BooBoo Kitty was finally brought to safety. He now resides with a foster, and is currently receiving medical treatment. Once his recovery is complete, BooBoo Kitty will be available for adoption.
“We’re the advocates. Cat Habitat is the voice for these poor, abandoned, stray animals. That’s why we can’t quit,” Dyer said. For her, the reward is seeing cats who have suffered now get loving homes.
“It’s not about the money. We don’t make money from these adoptions. We even dig into our own pocketbooks when necessary,” she said. Things can get quite costly with vet bills and treatment, which is why fundraisers for Cat Habitat Inc. are a big help in providing support for these cats.
This year’s fundraiser, a holiday painting class from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16, is at Abundant Grace Church, 18200 Dixie Highway in Homewood. The cost will be $40 per person, which will cover everything that is needed to paint the 16” X 20” canvas. Step-by-step instructions will be given by painting instructor Chris Hnatusko-Janich. No painting experience is necessary. There will also be baked goods available to purchase for donations, cash only.
Those who are interested in attending need to reserve their spot by the pre-pay deadline of Wednesday, Nov. 13. Payment is accepted through either Zelle to Charlene_M_Dyer 708-308-8817 or Venmo to @Chris-Hnatusko.
For additional information regarding the fundraiser, making a donation, or for information on becoming a foster, contact Dyer at 708-308-8817.
