They've been dubbed the "Terminal Tower Cats" for over three years...a group of feral yet mild-mannered kitties living in the underground parking garage of downtown's Terminal Tower building.
For years, the cats have kept quietly to themselves. Employees of the multiple companies in the building have bought them food dishes and kept them well stocked with plenty of dry food and even cat treats. Several women, who will remain anonymous due to the nature of this article, are especially involved in the care of these ferals. One woman, who will be referred to as Laura, even captured the group of cats and kittens one year and had the whole lot of them spayed and neutered on her own dime. She then returned them to their colony in the parking garage. This group of concerned ladies has kept watch over the cats over the years, and the cats have acclimated to them, and to their rough environment of concrete walls and bustling surrounding streets.
The cats were known for taking naps on people's cars during the day, emptying the food bowls at night, and freeing the parking garage of rats and mice, commonly found downtown in underground parking garages.
Sudddenly, last week, every single one of the Terminal Tower Cats disappeared. It is alleged by one woman, a friend of Laura who works in the building, that Forest City Enterprises is responsible for the removal of the cats. No one knows where they went, if they were taken to a humane group, killed, set free somewhere else, or suffered a worse fate at a kill shelter.
Forest City Enterprises owns the Terminal Tower building and it's alleged/rumored that they wanted the cats gone because employees "complained about the cats sleeping on cars." As of publication no one at Forest City would comment for this article, but I urge you to contact them yourselves to inquire about the Terminal Tower Cats. They have lived peacefully, not bothering a soul, for years there, and suddenly they are removed because a corporate giant thinks it looks bad? Does that sound right to you?
To contact Forest City Enterprises and ask if they are responsible, the only public relations-related contact listed on the website is:
-Business Media/Financial Media: Jeff Linton, VP Corporate Communications: 216-416-3558; jefflinton@forestcity.net
Just a reminder, these are allegations, not facts, but let's find out if Forest City Enterprises is really responsible for the disappearance of the happy colony of Terminal Tower Cats. An update to this story will be posted.
UPDATE: Please see the update to this article by clicking here. Also, a meeting between myself and Mr. Linton is scheduled for next week.
Comments
OMG this is horrifying. I HOPE they are not responsible, I pray they aren't bc this is such bad PR if they are. Those POOR CATS... I feel SO BAD for the poor things.
I can't imagine why anyone would be so callous as to get rid of cats who never hurt a soul. The fact that they slept on cars,how does that cause any harm?
Human selfishness and callousness is the only thing I see.
Apparently greed trumps the kind hearted ,caring people yet again.
I salute the humans who cared for those cats and let them live their lives .
I am saddened to hear of their disappearance.
This story makes me very sad, as someone who works very hard to TNR feral cats in my area. The colony caretakers must be so heartbroken to see cats they took care of and sterilized just disappear. My heart goes out to them and the cats. I hope they are able to get some answers to this very sad mystery.
One can only hope that whoever is responsible for this is paid back at some point in their life.
All creatures deserve to live -
Thanks for making us aware of this sad situation
I can't understand why they would be unwilling to tell anyone what happened to the cats. If they took them to a shelter that would be okay; if they had them destroyed that would NOT be okay. I suspect their silence suggests the latter. And they should be ashamed of themselves.
When we destroy the least of us, all of us suffer.
Goodness Gracious - I hope those poor kitties are okay. I feel horrible for "Laura," it sounds like she loved those poor animals.
I only hope that this company will come forward and admit what they have done. This is terrible, and those poor people who tried to help the ferals must feel so futile in their attempts now. It is heartless and cruel what has been done here.
Oh who cares if they were napping on cars?!? I mean really, birds crap on peoples cars all the time and you don't see the Public works people out there trying to get rid of them!!!
I hope that someone (humane society, local authorities)are following up on exactly what has happened to these poor felines! My heart goes out to the people who have cared for them.
You know what will happen with the well-managed feral colony gone? More rats and mice, and then more un-neutered homeless cats will move in. Whoever removed the cats has created a vacuum. What parasites and/or diseases will the rats, mice, and cats carry? The managed colony was surely vaccinated and tested for FIV/FELV when spayed/neutered.
I feel for those who cared for the cats and I hate to imagine what happened to the cats - I just hope it was quick and painless.
If you want facts about TNR, check out Alley Cat Allies.
I certainly hope that this is looked into by the authorities. And if wrong doing is found I hope those responsible are punished to the full extent of the law.
I am praying for all those cats. I hope they aren't or didn't suffer, but I suspect that they did.
I love what Ann said "When we destroy the least of us, all of us suffer".
The terrrible things that people do to animals breaks my heart.
What a sad story! There were cats to take care of, and work became a warmer, more human place. Now it will become a more rat infested, colder place where people who work there will begin questioning the kind of people they work for. Some honesty on the part of the company would go a long way here, as to where the cats were taken and what was done. Shame, shame!
This is not even in my country but I feel so much for the cats the cats who lived happily and trouble free. For the caring ladies who looked after them. For cat lovers everywhere. Why would this company do this... Do they realise just what they have done.. This story needs answers and needs an explanation.. Shame on them..
Why is it that the defenseless are always the ones who end up suffering the worst at the hands of cruel inhuman treatment by people who think only of their "conviences".
I really really hope the kitties are ok - I cannot believe that they would do something like that. The way people treat animals is a real reflection of their character - the people who did this are showing their true, nasty character.
crazy...hope they did the right thing, but seems kinda strange that if they did do the right thing they would be taking credit for it to make themselves look good.
Such a sad and upsetting story. It sounds like a cowardly act, carried out in secrecy. Those poor cats...and I feel so bad for those who cared for them too. I hope the truth about what happened is discovered.
What a horrible story. These cats weren't destroying property or harming anyone...they were only trying to survive. It sounds to me as if they brought joy to many people. If this company is responsible for injury or death to these poor cats they deserve to be punished. I hope the truth comes out.
The local ASPCA needs to get involved in this disappearance to determine if a crime has been committed. If they were removed and dumped..that's a crime. If they removed and inhumanely disposed of...that's a crime.
Another idea is to determine how the company that owns the building can be hurt where it would do the most good-in their wallets. Of course, now that the cats aren't present to keep the rodent population down, the company certainly WILL be hit in the wallet..for rodent extermination and repair of damage caused by rodents...which the cats were doing FOR them.
There's no question that it's the company's right to care for their property as they see fit, but it would have been better had they involved the caregivers in the process. And, the fact that they refuse to comment is damning indeed.
I happen to work in the Terminal Tower and know for a fact that the cats food bowls that have been in place for as long as I have worked here are no longer there, not a one. It breaks my heart when I pull into the dark, depressing Terminal Tower parking garage and don't see these helpless little critters around lately.
He who harms cats will in another life come back as a rat!
God Bless and keep the kitties world wide close to his heart. Bless those who help and care. No cat will ever be forgotten if their story is told and touches the hearts of other...as this did.
How horrendous that the cats would be removed from their colony like that! When a group of people have taken it upon themselves to trap-neuter-return a harmless group of feral cats only to have them mysteriously disappear, one is led to believe that foul play has occurred. I wish the colony caretakers the best of luck in figuring out what happened. The perpetrators should be ashamed of themselves.
Well to us it smells like this Forest City Enterprises has something to do with this. Someone must have seen something, you should continue to ask questions.
What sad people! Who would hurt animals and the caring humans for the sake of some cars? Cats are very gentle, we're sure no car got it's paint scritched.
Please keep on asking where this well-cared colony dissappeared to.
Thank you!
Purrs, Siena & Chilli
If they were so determined to remove the cats, it is insane that they did not involve the caregivers in some way. After all the work they have put in and the relationships they developed, they deserved that chance. I truly hope that the kitties are safe somewhere and being well looked after.
September 30, 2009
This is so sad. Cats have be abused throughout history. Just when you start to think that we are all civilised people, you read about something like.
What to do?
It's good that this is brought out in the light. I hope there will be more written about this. Where are the cats? What happened to then? Find out more! Write more again!
This breaks my heart!! The caretakers obviously did the right thing in inplementing TNR and then to think that someone came along and removed them is horrible. I have taken care of several cat colonies and TNRed them all, and i would be devastated if this happened to one of my colonies. It's completely wrong! Quite honestly, I am shocked that they were able to remove the cats all at once without anyone knowing. The whole thing is very suspicious. I think Alley Cat Allies should be contacted for advice on how to investigate this and what actions to take. Thank you for putting a spotlight on this unfortunate incident! I certainly hope someone will come forward with information.
This is terrible news. Please keep on investigating and report further. My heart goes out to these cats and their kind, loving carers!
Terrible thing to have happen. The cats were earning the roof over their heads just by keeping down the rodent population. Would think the co would be happy. Sure hope the cats are safe somewhere but doubt they are.
Honest question: where did the cats go to the bathroom? I wonder if perhaps having a feral colony within a concrete enclosure was a sanitary hazard for the humans who park there.
Whatever reason the cats were removed, there should at least be an explanation behind who did it and why...people deserve that, especially the women who cared for the cats for years.
I hope these poor cats are okay. Im awe struck that a company would do something like that...
I am a feral cat mother, and I am a partner in sevearl small businessess, including constuction, after reading this article, and calling this company ( I'm not giving them the extra publicity by stating their name , I have discontinued all contracts with them. ) This was a shameful act, lowly concieved, and wrongly done. These were not attacking animals, they were not a pack of wild dogs, that by the way we have so many of. They were docile animals. America is soo manlly, all dog country. They will hunt and kill feral cats, but hold a dog that's attacked . They'll put down a wild animal that attacks, but not a dog. I wonder if these dogs are so important to the owners , how and why do they get loose, why aren't they indoors. How many cat attacks have you heard of ???
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