OUR INTAKE POLICIES

Tree House Humane Society is a managed-admission shelter focused on supporting community cats and the registered colony caregivers who care for them. We provide scheduled admission appointments to support a vulnerable population of cats.  This includes nursing moms and kittens, as well as sick or injured cats. As an organization whose focus is on helping cats in need and allowing cats to thrive, we know that bringing every outdoor cat into the shelter may not be their best possible outcome.  Feral cats are well equipped to not only survive but thrive outdoors in their community.  True strays have an 18x greater chance of reuniting with their previous owner if left in their original neighborhood. By shifting our focus to working with our transfer partners and vulnerable cats in need, we have the opportunity to save animals more efficiently.

For admission outside of these circumstances, we recommend Chicago Animal Care and Control or Anti-Cruelty Society, where each animal can be reunited with their owner, adopted, or transferred into another organization. In support of these facilities providing immediate admission and care, Tree House partners with Chicago Animal Care and Control to transfer cats back into our care, furthering our vision to see every cat thrive.

A quick note about intake requests

At this time, our intake capacity is limited, and response times may be longer than usual. While we may not be able to assist immediately, we remain committed to supporting our community and can help provide guidance and resources as we navigate this temporary transition.

We truly appreciate your patience and understanding.

What to Do If You’ve Found A Cat:

In Chicago, thousands of stray cats are found every year. They may be pets separated from their families, stray cats born on the streets, or community cats in a managed colony.  If you find a cat, here are some steps you can take:

  1. If the cat is friendly and approachable, it is likely someone’s pet. Post photos of the cat in local social media groups, such as Lost Cats Illinois, or talk with neighbors.
  2. Get the cat to a veterinarian to scan for a microchip. Be sure to ask for ownership verification if reunited with the owner.
  3. Post signs around your neighborhood and on your local community Facebook pages.
  4. If you are unable to locate a guardian, you can take the cat to your local animal control facility. Three of them in Chicago are:

Tree House’s mission is to focus on stray cats. Therefore, we are a managed-admission shelter and do not accept owner surrenders.