The Cat Hospital - Los Angeles - 2008

[Immortalowl]

This explore took me through the mostly derelict south campus, abandoned since the newer facilities were built north of this site in the mid-90s.

The disused buildings hadn't been demolished due to the huge California budget deficit. There were also around 150 feral cats living in the buildings that needed to be rehomed somewhere else. They were absolutely everywhere; in the cupboards, under the floors, in the pipework…this definitely added a creepy dimension to the explore. There were also several brown pants moments when cats came flying out of dark corners when I disturbed their hiding places.

This place was pure American hospital win…chock full of furnishings, paperwork and equipment. To give you an idea, some military guys training in the derelict buildings came upon a fridge just two years previous to my visit. In it was a bag containing the mummified remains of 10 legs, feet and brain matter!

Some history…

This facility grew out of a county poor farm to become a modern hospital, ranked in the top 10 rehabilitation centres throughout the United States.
As the railroads snaked westward in the 1800s, settlers began arriving on the west coast in greater numbers and not all of them found the American dream. The Los Angeles County Poor Farm was built in 1888 and catered for the fallout, including the ill, the homeless and the elderly.
Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy were started in late 1920s and the hospital rapidly expanded after it was designated as a respiratory centre for polio patients in 1951 boasting whole wards full of iron lungs.
Today the hospital operates a 395-bed rehabilitation centre and caters for patients with disabilities from severe spinal cord injuries to brain damage.

Part of the hospital in 1929


Iron Lung ward for polio patients, 1953, a couple of years before a vaccine was developed


Hai! No trespassin!


















Death certificate


Autopsy report


Adios!

[TCCI]

Very cool l like this one

[boxfrenzy]

Good stuff - this looks a great place to have visited - top reporting

[Clough]

Thats really good thanks for sharing!

[Krypton]

Nice one!

The cat in the last pic looks like one of my cats Elwood haha

[KingElvis]

That's excellent.

[Dystopia]

Dereliction and cute animals - two things I love dearly!

[Immortalowl]

Thanks, guys!

Those who haven't had enough cat action can see the rescue op here:

http://current.com/news/politics/895...os-kitties.htm

Think that cat in my last pic featured in the video too

[Nicola]

What a fabulous place and really interesting history!

[boxerheaven]

this is fantatic