BRIDGEPORT — Demolition crews have started knocking down a pair of apartment buildings at the corner of Hillock and Short streets — even though the caretaker of a feral cat colony believes there are still cats in the basement.
"This is breaking my heart," said Autumn Ganza, 36, who has been taking care of the cats — feeding them and trapping them — for the past several years.
Demolition crews at 2837 S. Hillock. [Photos by DNAinfo/Ed Komenda.]
Ganza, who lives two doors down with three of her own cats, said she had been in contact with the building's owner, who assured her a demolition would not go forward until the feral cats had been cleared from the basement.
The building's owner was not immediately available for comment Wednesday.
Ald. Patrick Thompson (11th) said he contacted the owner and construction company to halt demolition on the basement of the building at 2837 S. Hillock — where a number of cats have been spotted this week — until animal care advocates from Tree House Humane Society can capture the remaining animals.
Demolition crews agreed to "work around" the cats and not collapse the basement until they felt sure the cats were gone, Thompson said.
"Hopefully tonight they'll have captured them," Thompson said.
A construction worker on site Wednesday afternoon told DNAinfo he didn't see any cats in the basement — cluttered with hoarded possessions — before the team started demolition.
But Ganza said around 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, just before demolition crews tore into the property, she saw a cat enter the property.
"I saw a cat go into the coal shoot leading to the basement that no longer exists," Ganza said.
By Wednesday afternoon, the claw had caved in the floor of the first apartment building, spilling tons of crumbled brick and debris into the basement. No cats could be seen on site, however.
Autumn Ganza, 36, of Bridgeport, holds one of her personal cats inside her own apartment. [Photos by DNAinfo/Ed Komenda.]
"I don't want to think about it right now," she said.
Since September, Ganza has trapped at least 17 cats from the property at 2837 S. Hillock St.
Tree House Humane Society has set several traps in the remaining building and hopes to capture any feral cats that still live in the basement, according to Paul Nickerson, the group's Community Cats manager.
If the traps fail to capture the cats by Thursday morning, staff for the humane society — which has permission to enter the site during the demolition — will open all windows and doors on the buildings to give the cats a chance to get out.
"I'll open all the windows and all the doors to give them every opportunity to scatter," Nickerson said, "so they're not trapped in the basement."
If the cats are captured, Tree House will find them a home.
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