In this corner of Bates-Hendricks, stray cats find their homes

Miranda Jeyaretnam, Indianapolis Star
Updated ·2 min read
4
Kia Xiong and Tyler Donnelly are photographed with two feral cats, Chadwick and Pip, who will get to take advantage of the Cat Hotels created by the couple on Wednesday, July 19, 2023, in the Bates-Hendricks neighborhood of Indianapolis.
Kia Xiong and Tyler Donnelly are photographed with two feral cats, Chadwick and Pip, who will get to take advantage of the Cat Hotels created by the couple on Wednesday, July 19, 2023, in the Bates-Hendricks neighborhood of Indianapolis.

The 317 Project tells stories of life in all of Indianapolis’ vibrant neighborhoods – 317 words at a time. Have a tip for a story in one of Indianapolis’ neighborhoods? Let us know at 317project@indystar.com.

The orange tabby that ruled South New Jersey Street went by many names: Garfield, Fat Gus, Toby. To Gretchen Szostak, he was Otis, the leader of a trio of cats called the OGs.

Otis slinked up the porch looking for food and attention. At Szostak’s house, where four giant dogs bound up to the door, he found both. On Szostak’s porch sat an elaborate two-story wooden house, with five openings leading to beds of straw and blankets for stray cats and an occasional raccoon to lay on.

A cat with many names, Garfield, Fat Gus, Toby lounges under a car on Wednesday, July 19, 2023 in the Bates-Hendricks neighborhood of Indianapolis. (Credit: Michelle Pemberton/IndyStar)
A cat with many names, Garfield, Fat Gus, Toby lounges under a car on Wednesday, July 19, 2023 in the Bates-Hendricks neighborhood of Indianapolis. (Credit: Michelle Pemberton/IndyStar)

Cat houses are a common sight in Bates-Hendricks, particularly when it gets cold. A few houses down from Szostak, Kia Xiong and Donnelly Tyler duct-tape two pieces of Styrofoam every winter and carve out a circular opening. The house is labeled “CAT HOTEL,” with tape forming the shape of a cat’s ears, nose and whiskers.

Xiong and Tyler have looked after four stray kittens since they moved to Bates-Hendricks in September 2020. Chadwick came from the first litter of kittens they found in their backyard, Pip came from the second, while Stubs — named after his stubby legs — and Calico popped up at their house, origins unknown.

A cat hotel sits on the porch of a home on Wednesday, July 19, 2023 in the Bates-Hendricks neighborhood of Indianapolis.
A cat hotel sits on the porch of a home on Wednesday, July 19, 2023 in the Bates-Hendricks neighborhood of Indianapolis.

The couple treated them with flea medicine and had them neutered. Soon after, the kittens came around at least twice a day for food or to hang out. Occasionally, Xiong and Tyler put on the nature channel — the kittens were mesmerized by the birds — and treated them to shredded rotisserie chicken from Costco.

A feral cat named Chadwick takes a bath on the porch of Kia Xiong and Tyler Donnelly, who create Cat Hotels on Wednesday, July 19, 2023, in the Bates-Hendricks neighborhood of Indianapolis.
A feral cat named Chadwick takes a bath on the porch of Kia Xiong and Tyler Donnelly, who create Cat Hotels on Wednesday, July 19, 2023, in the Bates-Hendricks neighborhood of Indianapolis.

“It’s like a cat buffet,” Xiong said. “They know somebody’s going to feed them.”

Once, Tyler rushed home from work after hearing that a cat was hit by a car. As he scooped down with a blanket, he noticed other cats peering out, inching forward toward the scene. Perhaps they were curious, Xiong thought, or perhaps they were expressing grief.

Like their human neighbors, the cats found their community in Bates-Hendricks.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: 317 Project: The cat corner of Bates-Hendricks