BRIDGEPORT — Animal care advocates trapped two feral cats Wednesday night in the basement of an apartment complex scheduled for demolition.
Part of a feral cat colony known as Castle Blackpaw living in the pair of dilapidated apartment buildings at the corner of Hillock and Short streets, the felines’ living arrangement stirred up the neighborhood this week when a demolition crew began knocking down the properties despite suspicion cats remained in the basements there.
Hans, a cat that lived at Castle Blackpaw. [Photos by Autumn Ganza.]
Autumn Ganza lives two doors down from the colony. As the colony’s official caretaker under Cook County’s feral cat ordinance, Ganza has fed and trapped the cats for the past several years.
The past week has taken a toll on her.
"I've been burning it pretty hard at both ends for over a week now. I'm wiped,” she said. She has made numerous trips into the dank basements of the buildings, where it smells of mold, ammonia and “nightmares,” she added. “Between that and spending so much time in the biohazard house, it's been really taxing on my physically… There is no shower long enough to feel clean after that basement. Mentally, it's exhausting."
Autumn Ganza with her cat, Spencer. [Photo by DNAinfo/Ed Komenda.]
The trouble began Wednesday, when demolition crews showed up.
Ganza 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 Thursday.
Ald. Patrick Thompson (11th) told DNAinfo Chicago 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 could 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.
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.
Demolition crews knocking down Castle Blackpaw. [Photo by DNAinfo/Ed Komenda.]
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.
Around 7:30 a.m. that day, just before demolition crews tore into the building, Ganza said she saw a cat enter the basement through a coal shoot.
Since September, Ganza has trapped at least 17 cats from the property at 2837 S. Hillock St.
On Wednesday afternoon, Tree House Humane Society set several traps in the remaining building, hoping hopes to capture any feral cats that still live in the basement, according to Paul Nickerson, the group's Community Cats manager.
By that night, the traps captured two cats. They will be put up for adoption.
Demolition crews began dismantling the remaining building by hand Thursday.
"My feelings are all over the place," Ganza said, "but I'm just trying to see it out."
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