Hurricane Harvey: 100 Homeless Texas Cats Get Help From North Side Shelter

CHICAGO, IL — Along with the scenes of destruction and human suffering, some of the most devastating and heartbreaking images from Texas in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey have been those of pets displaced and abandoned by the natural disaster. But a shelter on Chicago's North Side is doing what it can to help rescue efforts for those animals, especially when it comes to the cats that are now homeless because of the overwhelming flooding.

"[A]fter a number of conversations with people on the ground in Texas, we were informed that countless groups have offered their help for the dogs, but the cats are in much more of a desperate need for rescue assistance," Abby Smith, executive director of Felines & Canine in the Edgewater neighborhood, wrote on the shelter's Facebook page. "Our goal is to help where help is needed most, so we are stepping up for the cats of Texas."

The shelter, 6379 N. Paulina St., has committed to rescuing up to 100 cats affected by Hurricane Harvey. The first group of 22 felines arrived Monday from Texas, Smith wrote. Felines & Canines is "100 percent committed to helping as many cats as we possibly can for as long as Texas needs our assistance," and the shelter's focus will be on sick, hurt and older cats. (Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest news for Lincoln Square and Chicago — or other neighborhoods. And iPhone users: Check out Patch's new app.)

Watch: Some Of The Many Ways You Can Help Harvey Victims

"Despite their frightening ordeal, every single cat greeted us with nuzzles and purrs," Smith wrote about the first batch of felines to arrive at the shelter.

Besides directly trying to find new homes for the cats, the shelter also has turned its 8,000-square-foot Alabama facility into a temporary holding and transfer hub for the national rescue efforts. That facility is being used to temporarily house not only cats, but also dogs and livestock affected by the hurricane, Smith wrote.

While people might want to help these animals, not everyone can open up their homes for adoptions. The shelter, however, does need financial donations to help fund the added workload. Individuals interested in providing monetary support can go to Felines & Canines' website for more information on how to do that.

The first batch of cats displaced by Hurricane Harvey arrived Monday, Sept. 4, at the Felines & Canines shelter in the Edgewater neighborhood. (Photos via Felines & Canines)

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