Kittypalooza!
By Alexander Hough in Arts & Entertainment on Jan 11, 2010 7:20PM
The Tree House Humane Society is holding its fifth annual Kittypalooza at the Empty Bottle this Thursday. This year's fundraiser is dedicated to the memory of Radley, the former resident cat of the Empty Bottle who died last August, and will feature four local music acts, Brice Woodall, One & Only, Cobalt and the Hired Guns, and Todd Kessler.
Tree House is one of Chicago's good guys, running a number of pro-cat programs, such as trap-neuter-release assistance and the new low-cost spay/neuter clinic at the Bucktown branch which recently serviced - an uncomfortable euphemism despite the program's noble aim - its 2,000th animal (dogs, too!). In addition, tthe no-kill cageless shelter runs adoption services and serves as a valuable educational resource for all things cat-related. The recession has hit Tree House hard, most notably in the lower adoption rates - they'd ideally house fewer than the 300 former strays currently residing at the two Tree House locations - and in a doubling of the rate of returns and surrenders from a year ago. So, in case you didn't already hate the greedy bankers who precipitated our financial crisis, they've also made life worse for kittens. Anyhow, Thursday's event will raise money to offset these trends, particularly by bolstering the pet food pantry, which provides low-income pet owners with food and litter to prevent relinquishment due to financial concerns.
In addition to the music, there will also be complimentary snacks, special drinks (The Radley, a cocktail of vodka, grapefruit juice, and soda), and Radley's Raffle with prizes from New Leaf Natural Grocery, Karyn's Raw, and Namaskar Yoga. Admission is a $10 suggested donation, a paltry sum that only a greedy, cold-hearted person wouldn't gladly pay. Like a greedy banker. Who hates kittens.
And if you've made it this far in the post, you're obviously a cat lover, so to reward your reading, here's a soft news piece involving a cat getting called for jury duty.
Thursday, January 14, at 8:00 p.m., Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western, $10 suggested donation