Picture purr-fect: Feral cats in Chicago take center stage in new documentary

CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Some famous feral cats in Chicago are poised to steal the stage in “Cat City,” a new documentary directed by a Chicago-area filmmaker.

“Cat City” aims to highlight several of the couple hundred-thousand feral cats estimated to be roaming the streets of Chicago.

“The majority of kittens, you know, born feral do not make it,” said director Ben Kolak. “Those few that do, though, will often survive many years and, kind of, become legends in their neighborhood. Those are some of the cats that we feature in our film.”

Kolak said Chicago is unique among large, American cities — thanks largely to a 2007 ordinance that protects feral cats in Chicago.

“In places like New York and Los Angeles, it's not on the books as being allowed,” Kolak said. “There's certainly colonies there and people practicing it, and oftentimes officials kind of turn the other way.”

Kolak said “Cat City” also works to document the different communities that take care of these cats. It focuses on the Humboldt Park, Englewood and Austin neighborhoods.

“Oftentimes issues of race and class often get played out over these cats as well. We really made the film with that in mind, that it could be a way to kind of interrogate a lot of these other larger issues in our city.”

“Cat City” comes out on DVD and on-demand Tuesday.

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