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Dear Friend,
The "Millennium Park Cat" finally has a home.
️Buddy had been living in Chicago’s Millennium Park since last spring and, while friendly, expertly evaded capture for months, according to park security and staff.
Buddy turned into a minor celebrity on social media. He was frequently posted in neighborhood Facebook groups and popular with the park's visitors over the summer and fall months.
“I had never seen a stray cat who was so open to meeting people,” says Melissa Miller of Michigan City, Indiana, who first met the 2-year-old tabby on an 11-degree day when she was ice skating in Millennium Park.
While giving Buddy some water, Melissa met someone trying to help Buddy. She gave them her contact information to let her know if they ever caught him, since she was hoping to add him to her family. She went home hopeful but didn’t set her expectations high.
While Buddy had eluded capture for much of the year, Judy Drake, a local cat whisperer who regularly works with Trap-Neuter-Return cats, had teamed up with local trappers to train them and provide the equipment.
It took weeks of learning what Buddy liked best to coax him to safety, but he had a village out there to help him. And on December 23, Buddy was finally captured in a trap and brought to PAWS Chicago where he received a veterinary exam, neuter surgery, and vaccines. Buddy’s arrival to PAWS was accompanied by Melissa’s contact information, of course.
 With a clean bill of health, the PAWS team reached out to a surprised and overjoyed Melissa Miller who officially adopted Buddy on December 28.
“I feel like it was meant to be,” says Melissa, “I had been meaning to get my cat a companion for a while now, and I felt such a connection to Buddy when I met him. He’s been so happy being home.”
Melissa went on to say, “Buddy loves to explore, drink water, and mostly eat. And he’s already bonding with housemate Nugget.”
Huge thanks to Judy Drake and the entire PAWS Chicago community for helping Buddy ring in the New Year in a new home!
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