Guests at Feline Community Network & Cat Themed Gift Shop are greeted by the presence of four beautiful cats named Rowen, Peaches, Birdie and Celeste.
Each cat does his or her own thing with some sidling up and looking to be petted and others just wanting to be admired and fawned over.
“They have been trained that when they hear the ding of the doorbell they know people are coming,” founder and executive director Michelle Duca said.
At night the cats, three of whom are either blind or visually impaired, head back to the office at the end of the day after being signaled with a clap.
“Cats are very trainable,” Duca said.
Duca, a self-described cat-rescuer who wears a t-shirt inscribed with “Cat Person,” opened her present shelter at 1001 W. 37th Ave. two years ago.
“We have 10,000 square feet of space in our Hobart location. It’s our fifth and final home. It’s my final home unless someone graciously offers us land,” she said.
The shelter also includes a cat-themed gift shop and resale shop.
Items sold in the gift shop are all from businesses that are local, family-owned, women-owned or veteran-owned.
Snacks, affordable cat food, kitty kick stix loaded with catnip, and cat tower self-heating round cat beds are just a few of the items available for sale.
Duca has been rescuing cats since she was a youngster.
“I have always been drawn to animals. I took home the class pets,” she said.
Feline Community Network presently is home to some 86 cats, including some of whom are sick or injured strays.
“These are cats we gave that second chance to. They all landed softly with us,” she said.
A walk through “cat land,” where the cats are housed, includes cages with a junior room for younger kittens; a senior room for older cats and even an area with bonded pets such as cat siblings or those that are happy to be together and need to be adopted as a small group.
“Everybody has a story here,” she said.
Those wanting to adopt a cat need to fill out an application with their preferences, then follow up with an appointment.
Duca said she wants the person adopting the cat or cats to be happy with their new pet or pets, and she wants the pet to also feel they are with the right owner.
“It’s like a dating service. We want to make the right match,” she said.
Duca maintains hers isn’t a traditional shelter.
“We strive to be community-focused. We’re taking all the cats no one else will take in,” she said.
Duca has been helping save animals in the area for some 14 years.
She started the Kibble Kitchen Pet Pantry in early 2011 in Portage, which provided temporary food and medical assistance to those who qualified.
Her organization has been housed in other locations, including New Chicago.
“We’ve been around I guess. People still don’t know about us even though we’ve been around a long time,” she said.
Duca said her shelter has a strong online presence on its Facebook account and social media.
“Ours is just getting people to know who we are. We are a non-profit and community-funded completely,” she said.
Right now the foundation is doing everything it can to hustle and keep the doors open, she said.
“We have 80 plus cats with nowhere to go and some with behavioral or medical issues or semi-feral. We are their last hope,” she said.
Duca is looking to the future, including some undisclosed plans for early next year.
“Right now, we’re ready to get back to the grassroots. Great things are on the horizon to network with other shelters and organizations,” she said.
Those with questions can go to felinecommunitynetworkgiftshop.com on Facebook or call the shelter at 219-940-3340
On its Facebook post, the Feline Community Network & Cat-Themed Gift Shop says: Come and explore our one-of-a-kind non-profit cat shelter, sanctuary and cat-themed gift shop in Hobart, conveniently located just east of Interstate 65.
“Our space is designed to provide a soothing and stress-free atmosphere, free from harsh chemicals or unpleasant smells often found in traditional shelter environments. We also strive to minimize noise disruptions, making it a comfortable setting for those with sensory sensitivities.”
Deborah Laverty is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
