The main window of The Catcade shattered just before 9:30 p.m. Wednesday in the 600 block of West Belmont, and within minutes, neighbors were swarming the Lakeview cat rescue to make sure none of its 31 feline residents slipped out into the night. They succeeded — every single cat stayed put, and by midnight all of them had been scooped up by foster families for safekeeping.
According to police, the incident happened just before 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 21, as reported by WGN-TV. Residents told The Catcade's owners that they saw two people, who appeared intoxicated, get away after busting the main window, though it remains unclear who they were or whether they faced any consequences for the damage.
Neighbors Spring Into Action
Co-owner Shelly Casey said a neighbor rushed inside the building and worked to keep the cats away from the broken window, preventing any of them from bolting into the Lakeview night. That same neighbor grabbed a broom from home and swept up the shattered glass, according to Casey, buying time while the rest of the rescue mobilized.
The quick response meant that none of the 31 cats inside The Catcade managed to escape, despite the gaping hole left in the storefront. By the time the night was over, the station's report notes, every cat had been picked up by various foster families by midnight — a scramble that Casey credited to the neighborhood's fast reaction.
Adoptable Cats Expected Back Once Window Is Fixed
The cats, who are all adoptable, will return to The Catcade once the window is repaired, Casey said. No timeline for the repair was given.
The Catcade has been part of the Lakeview fabric since co-founders Chris Gutierrez and Casey first dreamed up the concept in late 2016, blending a cat rescue shelter with a café and arcade under one roof, according to WTTW News. The business opened in August 2017 and had adopted out more than 800 cats by October 2019, per the outlet.
By 2024, that number had grown substantially: Casey told Block Club Chicago the rescue had facilitated 2,804 adoptions since it opened. That same report detailed plans for The Catcade to move from Belmont and Racine avenues to a larger space at Belmont and Broadway, one with double the square footage and isolation rooms for litters or disabled cats, while adoptions were on hold pending licensing approval for the new site.
