Someone abandoned a cat in Brooklyn, New York, on Wednesday. On Nostrand Avenue, he was abruptly abandoned. His litter box and other cat necessities were just next to him.
He was in tears.
A photo of the sorrowful exhibit was published on the Flatbush Area Team for Cats (FAT Cats) Facebook page, prompting calls for his arrest – which proved difficult. Nostrand, as he was eventually christened, vanished shortly after being discovered after being chased away by a street sweeper.
“People often post if they see an animal frightened or in need of aid,” Elizabeth Champ, one of the founders of FAT Cats, a Brooklyn-based trap, neuter, and return advocacy organization, told The Dodo.
Champ claimed that as soon as she heard about Nostrand, she and several others in the area began on the quest for him.
FAT Cats stated on Facebook last Wednesday, the same day his photo was shared, “We would want to thank our neighbors, many of whom took time out of their day to look for this sad kitty.” “We believe he is hiding somewhere till things become calmer and cooler due to today’s heat and the quantity of work and commotion on Nostrand Ave.”
On Sunday morning, after days of searching with the help of rescue groups and anxious neighbors, Nostrand was discovered in the backyard of Brooklyn resident and retired cat rescuer Karen Oh.
“We immediately brought him to get vetted, and screened for a microchip,” the rescue wrote on Facebook. “No microchip, but we are happy to say he is a healthy 1-year-old male.” Champ said that Nostrand was a “dream” during his initial visit to the Prospect Park Animal Clinic, where he was examined.
“[He] didn’t even mind having blood drawn for testing,” she said. “Unfortunately, many male cats get dumped when they mature because there are not enough low-cost spay/neuter resources in NYC,” Champ added. “People can’t afford to get them fixed, so they often dump them and get another cat.”
Luckily for Nostrand, he’s now in the safe care of FAT Cats and is due for a neuter appointment soon. Then, he’ll be on the search for his forever home, thanks to the impressive community dedicated to saving him.
“Flatbush, like the rest of Brooklyn, is in the midst of a lot of change,” Champ said. “Animals, on the other hand, are one thing that truly draws people together.”
