Services

Tree House Cats at Work Project

The Tree House Cats at Work Project is a “green” humane program that removes sterilized and vaccinated feral cats from life-threatening situations and relocates them to new territories where their presence will help control the rodent population. The cats are humanely managed by volunteer caretakers for the entirety of their lives with ongoing support from Tree House as mandated by Cook County’s 'Managed Care of Feral Cats Ordinance'.
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Community Meetings and Workshops         

Tree House has teamed up with Alley Cat Allies and other area groups to offer city-wide workshops to educate the public about how to care for community cats and Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR).   We truly believe that the key to this issue is education about the many humane options available to work with feral cats.  Currently we hold workshops on the third Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at our Bucktown Branch. For online schedules of other Chicago-area workshops, please visit our workshop schedule.

Counseling

We provide phone counseling to people who want to help the outdoor cats in their community.  Often people have never heard of TNR or they just need help planning a TNR project.  We direct them to the right information and resources.  We also explain responsible colony management, the Cook County Managed Care of Feral Cats Ordinance, and how to become a sponsored caretaker.  For TNR Counseling, email tnr@treehouseanimals.org, or call 773.784.5488, ext. 234. 

Feral Cat Complete Care Package 

$30 Package Includes:  Spay or Neuter Surgery (with dissolvable sutures), necessary anesthesia and post-surgery pain medication, rabies vaccination, distemper (FVRCP) vaccination, ear-tipping, and the cleaning and treatment of any wounds.  To be eligible for the Feral Cat Package, feral cats must be brought to the clinic in a humane trap, limit of one cat per trap. 

Additional Clinic Services: Micro-chipping (mandated by Cook County law) - $8.  FIV/FeLV test - $24.  If you are planning to adopt out the trapped cat, you may also request at the time of making the appointment not to ear-tip the cat, otherwise known as our TNA (trap, neuter, adopt) option.  Cats must be dropped off between 7:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. and picked up between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.  We also provide low-cost spay/neuter services for low-income pet guardians.  Proof of low-income status required.  For more information or to make an appointment, call us at 773.227.5535.  Spay/Neuter surgeries are currently performed at our Bucktown location only. 

Pet Food Pantry         

Tree House would like to help feral colony caretakers by providing food for their outdoor colonies.  Caretakers must be registered with a sponsoring organization in order to participate in the program.  Occasionally, we may be able to provide linens and other supplies as well.  Low-income pet guardians are also eligible to participate.  The program is open at the Uptown Headquarters Thursdays from 9am-6pm, and the Bucktown Branch, Thursdays & Saturdays from 12pm-4pm. Food pick-ups are limited to twice a month.  To sign up for this program, please call (Uptown) 773.784.5488, ext. 0, or (Bucktown) 773.227.5535, ext 2.

Recovery Space         

We understand that many people have difficulty finding recovery space for the feral cats they trap.  Tree House is offering recovery space for a $6 charge per cat per night at our Bucktown location.   Please request recovery space with the clinic when you are making your spay/neuter appointments for feral cats.

Resources

Related documents, including copies of the Cook County Feral Cat Ordinace and our Colony Caretaker application, can be found here.

Trap Bank                  

You may borrow a humane trap from us at no charge at either of our locations.  We only require a $60 holding deposit (cash, personal check, or photocopy of a credit card) which will be refunded upon return of the trap in clean, workable condition within the two-week lending period.  Exceptions can usually be made by calling and asking for an extension to the lending period.  Traps must be returned to their original rental location.  To rent a trap from our Uptown location, please call 773.784.5488, ext. 0.  To rent a trap from our Bucktown location, please call 773.227.5535, ext. 2.