Four Wayward Kittens Found by Community Garden Members Will Need ‘Forever Homes’ Soon
(Left to right) Maggie, Bart, Lisa, and Ralphie. Photo by Nikki Kowalski.
By Lisa Kava
Four little kittens, recently rescued and currently being fostered on the Upper West Side, will soon need forever homes.
The kittens, named Maggie, Bart, Lisa, and Ralphie, after characters on the television show, The Simpsons, were rescued by members of The West 104th Street Community Garden. They are believed to be only eight weeks old, and are being fostered by a garden member and cat lover, Nikki Kowalski.
104th Street Garden. Photo credit: Simone Nicholson
The West 104th Street Community Garden is located between Manhattan Avenue and Central Park West. On October 20th, a garden member spotted the kittens and a mother cat, in an alley adjacent to the garden, and wrote about them in the garden newsletter. Upon reading, another member and cat rescue advocate, Sara Lewkowicz, became determined to rescue the kittens as the weather was getting colder. However, after looking for them day and night, it became apparent that the kittens were no longer living in the alley.
The search-and-rescue operation took a few weeks. “I was starting to feel despondent that I’d never find them,” Lewkowicz said. She told the story to as many neighbors as possible. Ultimately, one spotted the kittens in her backyard. “This neighbor happens to be the sister of my next-door neighbor in my building around the corner, so through chit-chat I was able to ascertain that these were the kittens originally spotted by the garden member,” Lewkowicz explained. She then enlisted a rescue organization called Harlem Cats, directing their rescue staff to the yard.
Ralphie, the renegade. Photograph by Nikki Kowalski.
Three of the kittens were rescued on November 20th, and the fourth, Ralphie, on November 24th. “It took four days to trap him but finally, the day before Thanksgiving, we were able to do it,” Lewkowicz said. “We were frantic to get him out of the cold.”
Once the kittens were rescued, they needed a foster home, but Lewkowicz was already fostering kittens. Kowalski stepped up, and has been busy feeding the kittens, changing their litterboxes, and socializing them. “Lots of holding and cuddling and getting them used to people in general,” Kowalski said. “All four of these guys were friendly very quickly.”
The kittens, who are being seen at discounted prices by the vets at Brilliant Vet Care on West 91st Street, had a clean bill of health after their visit on November 29th, according to Lewkowicz. “The vet said they are in excellent health, very clean and well nourished.” The kittens will soon be spayed and neutered and then listed for adoption with Harlem Cats. “Our goal is for the kittens to be adopted together, or at least in pairs, since kittens at this age need to be with other kittens,” Lewkowicz said.
Next, Lewkowicz hopes to rescue the mother cat, for whom she has been leaving food in the yard. “We want to assess whether the mom is a feral cat [an unsocialized, undomesticated cat, who lives outdoors and is fearful of people,] or if she was dumped. If there is an indication that she was dumped, we would like to figure out a foster and adoption situation for her too. If she is feral, we will get her spayed so she will not have any more kittens.”
We will update this story with a link, once the kittens are ready for adoption. In the meantime, if you would like to help contribute towards the kittens’ medical expenses and supplies, Kowalski has set up a GoFundMe, which can be found here.
there was a full sized white and black stray cat at the 87th street community garden just this week i saw.
What cuties! I imagine they’ll be snapped up quickly. Thanks to everyone who’s helped look after them.
They are sweet ❤️I’d love to have one of them ! I’m looking for a kitten !
I have a coworker who scooped up a bunch of kittens in another area of the city. I have the same question that I had for her. If the kittens are in good health then doesn’t that mean the mother cat was caring for them (whether she’s feral or not), and won’t she be looking for them? Just curious.
They look purrrrfectly healthy and pawsitively adorable. My husband said meow way.
Brilliant Veterinary Care is a new, privately owned animal hospital at 641 Amsterdam Ave (91st street)
Sorry! Address is fixed.
What about the mother cat?
somebody needs to trap and neuter the mother cat or there will be more kittens in a matter of months. Are any local rescues working on this?
I would love to adopt 2 of these kittens as a pair. Even though you don’t publish emails, please share my email Sara. I’ll share more with her and you privately. But most sincerely and seriously want to provide a forever home for a pair of these babies.
Anyone on the fence about adopting a kitten, I highly recommend it! I’ve never had a pet cat until this July when my husband persuaded me to adopt a kitten who was part of a barn cat’s litter of five. I had no idea I’d love her so much!
I miss my two cats who passed some time ago but lived to 16 and 18 years old. Like the previous commentor, i’d be interested in adopting 2 kittens.
Would love to have 2 of these precious kitties, as a bonded pair. Wishing I could take all 4 but 2 are plenty.
I am interested in adopting one or two kittens.. I would be deliglhted to have them
I would just like to say thank you to all of you. I understand the amount of time and perseverance it takes to accomplish saving these babies. I’m so grateful to find people whom understand how important this was. I hope you’re able to get the mommy before it gets any colder. Love the names. Keep up the great work. It is appreciated.
Looking to give a good home to a little female kitten. I adore cats, and will take the best care.
Hi I think the mother cat is mine. Please contact me ASAP.
Gabriela