City Kitties, a West Philly based volunteer-run feline rescue organization, is going through a foster care crisis due to an influx of homeless cats and slow adoption rate during summer months. In addition to that, several foster parents are moving away and City Kitties are in need of volunteers to open their homes to formerly stray cats and kittens.

Five cats need immediate transfer from their current homes. See below their profiles and photos.

Floyd: This poor stray guy has been through so much in his life. Floyd (formerly “Popcorn, Sr.”) was cared for by a kind family in North Philly who fed him daily for five years, but could not afford to take him to a vet. His caretaker said that his eye injury likely came from abuse suffered at the hands of a man who used Floyd as “bait” for his fighting dog.

City Kitties provided Floyd with eye surgery, vaccinations, and much-needed flea treatment, and he recovered at the Cat Doctor for several weeks. He is in immediate need of a foster home. He is great with kids and also seems to get along with other cats. Floyd’s left eye was removed, but he gets around just fine and needs no special care.

Steve: Poor Steve has been on adoption listings for more than a year, and now his foster mom can no longer care for him. He needs a place to go ASAP! This ~2-4 year old tabby was found wandering the streets of West Philly and was taken in by his foster mom. He was in rough shape then, but look at him now! Friendly and incredibly handsome, Steve loves nothing more than snuggling between his foster parents on the couch, or saddling up to a human relaxing around the house. He is laid-back and enjoys food (maybe a little too much at times!) and attention. Steve can be picky about being handled if he’s not in the mood, but he will grow to trust and love a new family as he has his foster parents. They report that Steve is an ideal feline companion, perfect for someone in need of a reading or napping buddy.

Cherry & Johnny: This adorable pair of bonded kittens have been in foster care for several months — far too long for such beautiful kittens. Despite their winning personalities and matching fur coats, Cherry and Johnny were overlooked during their stint in the window at Baltimore Pet Shoppe, and again when they moved into foster care. What’s not to like about this dynamic duo?! Cherry and Johnny have spent time around children, dogs, and other cats. They get along well with everyone and are gentle with kids. Unfortunately their foster mom is moving out of the area, and they need a foster or adoptive home immediately.

Jalapeno: This beautiful tabby kitten wandered up to a City Kitties volunteer while she was watering a hot pepper plant (thus the name) and screamed for food! Skinny and friendly, there was no way the volunteer could leave her outside. Jalapeno scarfed down several bowls of kibble, then made herself right at home, flopping on the floor for a much-needed nap. Unfortunately, her rescuer has no room in her home, and Jalapeno has been staying in a boarding cage at the vet temporarily — she needs a real home right away.

Jalapeno is about 8-10 months old and fully vetted. She has beautiful markings, a great personality, and an adorable, slightly bossy “meow” that will convince you to do her bidding! Please give Jalapeno the comfortable home she deserves.

To read more about fostering with City Kitties and to apply click here.

UPDATE (Aug 16) : The boy was found sleeping inside a school bus around 3:30 a.m. He was later reunited with his parents. Police believe he had wandered onto the bus from the playground when no one was looking.

Police say a 5-year-old boy went missing this afternoon from a camp at Malcolm X Park (52nd and Pine Streets). One witness told police that he saw a man dragging the boy down 53rd Street at about 5:30 p.m., ABC6 is reporting.

The boy, Karyim Muhammad, was last seen wearing a grey sweatshirt, dark jeans and black shoes. Police are checking surveillance videotape from the area.

Anyone with information on Karyim should contact Southwest Detectives at 215-686-3184 or call 9-1-1.

We are well into August (isn’t the summer flying by?) and more and more arts and entertainment places are putting the finishing touches on their fall/winter programs.

Crossroads Music (801 S. 48th Street) has just announced some of their fall/winter shows. The new season begins September 10 with a performance by West Philly bands Electric Simcha and Stinking Lizaveta.

The new program also features music performances in a variety of genres, including classical, folk, klezmer, and world music by a group of international artists.

Ticket prices for performances at Crossroads Music usually range from $10-30. For more information on the shows go here. Crossroads Music is still working on adding more dates to the new schedule.

Philadelphia’s new weekend curfew didn’t help a West Philly man who was attacked by a group of teenagers early Saturday morning near 47th and Walnut. Luckily, plainclothes police were able to help, catching all four teens before they could injure the man badly.

Police said four youths ages 14-15 ran up behind the man at about 12:40 a.m. and punched him. When he fell to the ground they surrounded him and demanded his belongings. Plainclothes officers from the University City substation were on the scene quickly and chased the youths down. All four face charges of attempted robbery, simple assault, wreckless endangerment and criminal conspiracy.

The officers had noticed the group of teens walking around the area earlier in the evening. But the group stayed clear of the West Philly section of the new curfew zone, which runs from 38th to 43rd, Market to Baltimore. The City implemented the 9 p.m. curfew in Center City and West Philly for youths under 18 following several beatings in Center City last month.

The line to register a student in grades 1 through 8 at the Penn Alexander School began at 7:30 a.m. today, more than 24 hours before registration begins.

As of 9 p.m. this evening about 20 people had set up camping chairs along the school’s fence along Locust Street between 42nd and 43rd. A clipboard hung from the fence near the school entrance. Several parents, who will spend the night waiting in line in hopes of getting a spot in the school’s crowded lower grades, had been in line by 5 p.m.

“I feel like an idiot,” said one parent, a Penn professor who recently returned from sabbatical leave to realize he had to re-register his 3rd and 5th graders at the school. “I can’t speak for everyone here, but personally I feel like an idiot.”

Several parents in the line faulted the school for its reluctance to address the overcrowding problem. Suggestions have ranged from starting a lottery for the lower grades to expanding the school’s capacity by erecting temporary trailers.

Parents have often waited in line to register children at the school’s kindergarten, but the line to register students in grade school is a new phenomenon brought on by word that the school would for the first time institute a cap on lower grade levels.

Registration is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. tomorrow. School officials have already said that many who hope to register for the lower grades, particularly 1-3, will likely be turned away.
 

The tiny circus came to Clark Park this morning. Performers from the movement arts group Tangle strung a trapeze, hoop and long pieces of fabric called “silks” from a large tree between the bowl and playground and entertained dozens of people young and old.

The West Philly Tool Library supplied the ladder, a key piece of equipment when you do acrobatics while hanging from a tree.

You may have seen the tiny circus in this spot before. This time the performers were promoting their upcoming show “Ampersand” at Philly Fringe on Sept. 8-9 at Philadelphia Soundstages at 1600 N. 5th St. Ampersand combines “trapeze aerial rope and partner acrobatics with power narratives of belonging.”

Their Fringe shows are:

• Sept. 8 – 7:30 p.m.
• Sept. 9 – 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Check out the slideshow below for more photos.