Neighborhood Cats, Inc.

A few months ago, Tuttle was a big boy with a fine white coat that he’d groom until he practically sparkled in the sunlight. When he’d flop down for his afternoon naps on the pavement behind his caretaker’s Brooklyn row house, paws in the air, he looked like a plump little seal resting on a pebbly beach. No one knew where he’d come from – the weary feral was hungry and thirsty when he wandered into the yard one early spring day – but he quickly settled into his adopted colony and soon had his days arranged just the way he liked them: breakfast at 7:00 a.m. before his caretaker left for work, then a wash and a trip around the yard on the narrow fence top, to keep an eye on his subjects. Playtime with his colony mates came next, then, before dinner, the best part of the day: the long, peaceful upside-down nap in the sun.

The tired, lonely cat had finally come home and for a little while, life was good for Tuttle. But it didn’t last. Before long, he quit playing with the other cats or batting at leaves as he strolled through his yard. He didn’t wash anymore, and his once-immaculate coat became gritty and disheveled. He still showed up at mealtimes but after a cautious bite or two he’d walk away, his food nearly untouched. One by one, Tuttle had to stop doing the things he loved because inside his mouth, broken and decaying teeth and inflamed, abscessed gums were growing more painful each day. He got steadily thinner and, almost overnight, looked like a very old cat. His worried caretaker knew he needed help urgently but couldn’t afford extensive medical treatment so she turned to Neighborhood Cats.

When we went to get Tuttle, to bring him to our veterinarian, we found him doing the one part of his cherished routine still left to him. It was mid- afternoon - nap time - so he was lying on his back in his usual spot in the yard. His eyes were slitted in pain and the right side of his face was lopsided from the swelling in his jaw. But he was doing his best to carry on. On the way to the hospital, we promised our brave, sweet boy we’d make him well and bring him back to his beloved home soon.

At the clinic, Tuttle was diagnosed with advanced dental disease. His suffering was extreme so we had to move quickly. Today he’ll undergo the surgery that will finally give him relief and stop the deadly, systemic spread of infection. Surgery, laboratory tests, medicines and follow up care as he recovers will all be costly, but we knew we could count on you, our compassionate friends, to help.

Will you make a donation now for Tuttle’s life-giving care? With your support, he’ll once again be sleepy-eyed and purring in his place in the sun. Please give, to save Tuttle today.


Tuttle is just one of many special cats being helped by Neighborhood Cats. Any funds received in excess of Tuttle’s medical expenses will go towards saving other cats in need.

Last week, Sebastian had the worst day of his young life. On that fateful day, the black and white stray was making his way across a Brooklyn street when he was struck by a passing car.  The blow landed squarely in his face, shattering his teeth and tearing a gaping hole over one eye. Dazed and bloodied, the terrified cat ran blindly – but there was no safe place waiting for him. Poor, hurt Sebastian was forced to wander the wintry city for days as infection set in and the stabbing pain in his face and mouth steadily worsened. As his strength ebbed, each weary step must have been agony.

By the time Sebastian made his way to a back yard in Crown Heights where a feral colony lives, his wounds had turned septic. The caretaker there quickly saw the newcomer was in trouble so she trapped him and called Neighborhood Cats for help.  We rushed him to our veterinarian; hours later, the once friendless cat was in surgery.

The terrible laceration on Sebastian’s face missed his eye by just three millimeters – a mere whisker away.  His untouched eye was his first bit of good luck! The doctor cleaned his wound and stitched it up. Now, he is resting and gaining the strength he'll need to undergo a second operation to remove his broken teeth.  We've gotten him this far, but now we need your support. Won't you help us save Sebastian? Your gift, in any amount, will go towards his surgeries, medications and additional veterinary care so he can get well and go on to the better life he deserves.

Sebastian doesn’t know it yet but he’s not alone anymore... because now he has friends like you! Whether he turns out to be feral or friendly (he’s still too traumatized to tell), we’ll make sure he finds a home where he’s wanted and loved. The best and happiest days of his life lie ahead – if we work together to help him now.

Please, make a gift for Sebastian today.


Sebastian is one of many special cats being helped by Neighborhood Cats. Any funds received in excess of Sebastian's medical expenses will go towards saving other cats in need.

When Cookie’s teeth started falling out, she did what anyone in trouble would do – she tried to find help. The plucky, elderly stray sat on the sidewalk and meowed hopefully at Brooklyn passersby but though countless people flicked a glance at her tired face and half-shut eyes slitted in pain, no one stopped. Poor Cookie had no choice but to keep going, wandering the city streets day after agonizing day as the infection in her mouth spread and the pain worsened. Finally, she made her way to a house with a feral colony living in the yard. The caretaker there quickly saw the thin gray cat needed immediate medical attention. With no money to pay for urgent care, she reached out for help. And Neighborhood Cats answered her call.

We rushed Cookie to our veterinarian where she was diagnosed with an extreme case of periodontal disease. Most of her front teeth are already gone. Those that remain are nearly invisible, swallowed in the angry mass of swollen gums. She’ll need surgery to remove damaged tissue, clear away deep pockets of inflammation and extract teeth that cannot be repaired. She’s also battling anemia and a respiratory infection brought on by stress and prolonged neglect. Still, we need to move ahead with surgery as soon as possible, to arrest the deadly disease in her mouth and spare Cookie even more pain and suffering.

Cookie is about 12 years old. She’s been sad, battered and alone for too long - but with your support, better, brighter days can still lie ahead! Your donation, in any amount, will help cover costly dental surgery, hospitalization, laboratory tests, antibiotics, pain medications, and an extended recovery in a caring foster home. Join us – because together we can give this gentle senior the comfort and peace she deserves in her golden years. Please, make your gift to save sweet Cookie today.


Cookie is one of many special cats being helped by Neighborhood Cats. Any funds received in excess of Cookie's medical expenses will go towards saving other cats in need.

Long before his jaw got broken, Tyler knew hunger and hardship. Life for the thin orange tabby on the streets of Staten Island was a constant struggle for food and a warm place to spend the night. Then he got hurt, probably struck by a car, and suddenly he was unable to eat or even rest his tired head without pain. Poor Tyler was in a desperate race against time.

Jaw dangling, the cat wandered about, looking for someone - anyone - to make the throbbing in his face stop and the gnawing emptiness in his belly ease. How many people turned away when he plucked up his courage and came near, his eyes pleading for help? Long days and nights passed before Tyler stumbled into a backyard where a young woman was serving dinner to her feral colony.  In one glance, she took in the drool-soaked chin, matted chest, disheveled coat and wasted frame. At that moment, she made him a silent promise: “If you can get well, you won’t be alone anymore. This will be your home.”

Tyler clearly needed extensive treatment, far more than the caretaker could afford, so she called Neighborhood Cats. We immediately agreed to help and brought Tyler to our veterinarian. There, x-rays revealed a symphyseal fracture; a break running down the center of his lower jaw, splitting it in two. Tyler’s suffering was compounded by advanced dental disease. Some of his teeth were broken, some were missing and the sockets where the teeth should have been were angry and inflamed. Prolonged malnutrition and stress had further weakened the tabby, allowing fleas to multiply until he was dangerously anemic from blood loss.

He went right into surgery. His jaw was wired to keep the bone in place as it heals. His damaged teeth were removed and the massive infection in his mouth was treated.

He came through it all like a champ and now Tyler is resting comfortably, eating soft food with gusto and – best of all – purring contentedly in his recovery kennel! It will be five more months before he’ll be strong enough to take his place in his new colony. During that time he’ll need a lot more care: medication for pain, antibiotics, rechecks, follow-up x-rays and, eventually, a final procedure to remove the wire from his jaw.

There’s a long road ahead... but Neighborhood Cats also made Tyler a promise - to give him the very best medical care, every step of the way, so he can go on to the happy life he deserves. Will you help us keep that promise? Any gift, large or small, will help this gentle boy live his days in peace and safety.

Please make a donation to save Tyler today
 

Tyler is one of many special cats being helped by Neighborhood Cats. Any funds received in excess of Tyler’s medical expenses will go towards saving other cats in need.

Pixie doesn’t act like a kitten who was sealed in a box and left to die. If you pick her up, the little tabby will purr instantly, hard enough to make her whiskers vibrate. She’ll cling to your arm, your hair, your shirt – whatever she can hold onto. She loves and trusts everyone she meets. But two weeks ago, someone she trusted put Pixie and her brother into a crate, taped it shut and dumped them among heaps of rubble at a construction site in Jersey City.

It was a worker at the site who found the dusty brown box, baking in the sun. He pried it open and pulled out the panting kittens. Their fine baby hair was plastered to their bodies, soiled and streaked with filth. Pixie, the smaller of the pair, couldn’t open her eyes. The man knew she needed help right away so he called Neighborhood Cats. When we arrived at the construction site, he lifted them gently. Cupped in his big, calloused hands the blind kitten and her brother looked like cast-off toys, played with then discarded by some careless child.

At the emergency clinic the veterinarian told us a viral infection had attacked Pixie’s eyes. There was good news and bad news. With proper treatment, the left eye will see again. But it’s too late to save the right eye. Pixie will have to undergo surgery to remove the fragments of tissue that remain, and to close the socket where her bright blue eye used to be.

We’ve spent the past weeks helping Pixie and her brother get better. They’ve been treated for respiratory infections, dehydration and malnutrition. We medicate her good eye many times each day with drops and soothing ointment. Now, our little girl is back in the hospital, finally strong enough, the doctors say, to have the surgery she needs to get well.

The challenges this kitten has faced in her short life – the too-early loss of her mother, cruel abandonment, unthinkable pain and darkness that will never fully go away – would be enough to daunt anyone. But they haven’t stopped Pixie! She’s three pounds of pure, purring sunshine. Tonight, as she goes to sleep, to dream her kitten dreams in her hospital bed, she’ll be purring still.

You can make Pixie’s dreams come true! Neighborhood Cats’ funds are stretched thin, and we urgently need your help to meet the costs of her surgery and other medical expenses. Any gift, large or small, will ensure she can have the very best care until she’s ready to start a happy new life in a forever home. Please help.


Pixie is just one of many special cats being helped by Neighborhood Cats. Any funds received in excess of Pixie’s medical expenses will go towards saving other cats in need.

Think about the worst toothache you’ve ever had. Now, imagine having that pain in every one of your teeth – at the same time.

That’s what happened last week to Otis.

When the big orange and white cat arrived at the city shelter, he was in agony. His jaw hung open. Blood and drool dripped from his lips. At first, the doctors thought his helpless, dangling jaw might be fractured. They ordered x-rays and swiftly diagnosed the real problem. Otis was suffering from an extreme case of dental disease, one so severe his broken and decaying teeth had shifted in their sockets, forcing his jaw to remain open. On top of that, he had stomatitis, a serious condition that inflames the oral tissues and causes ulcers to form on the gums, tongue and the sensitive back of the throat.

Otis couldn’t eat, he couldn’t drink, he couldn’t draw a breath without pain. His future was bleak. Then the shelter called Neighborhood Cats. Otis’ caretaker, they told us, had tried to get treatment for the ailing cat but had no money for veterinary care. He desperately wanted his cat to get well and come home again. Could we help? We didn’t hesitate. “Yes,” we said. “We’ll do our best to save Otis.”

One day later, we sent Otis into surgery. Our veterinarian agreed he was too sick to wait any longer. The operation took four hours. Otis needed 17 extractions that day and, after a period of recovery, he’ll have to undergo another operation to remove the rest of his teeth. The first surgery was grueling for our little man. But when he came out of the operating room, his jaw wasn’t dangling anymore. When he was fully awake, he went to his water dish and took a long, cool drink.

We knew when we said “yes” that helping Otis would be costly. Now, those costs are mounting rapidly; in addition to the emergency surgery he’s had and the one still to come, there are charges for hospital care, antibiotics, pain medications and weeks of recovery. We said “yes” anyway – because we knew that you, our compassionate friends, would want us to end his suffering. And we knew we could count on your support, as we work to save this innocent life.

Your donation, large or small, can help Otis get better! Please, will you make your life-giving contribution today?

Otis is seven years old. He is feral but he’s a big softie too, who loves his caretaker and his home on a quiet side street in Queens. He wants to go home and his lifelong friend wants him back. With your help, we can make both their wishes come true.



Otis is just one of many special cats being helped by Neighborhood Cats. Any funds received in excess of Otis’ medical expenses will go towards saving other cats in need.

Webber just may be the bravest cat you’ll ever meet.

Last month a Brooklyn woman who looks after a group of feral cats found the big, one-eyed tabby lurking on the edges of her colony. He looked thin and tired and it was easy to see he’d been on his own for a long time. When the other cats accepted him calmly, Webber seemed grateful to have found a safe place to rest. “Always room for one more,” the kind caretaker thought. She started putting out an extra dish for the new cat. But after a few weeks, the tabby looked thinner than ever.

The caretaker knew something was wrong with Webber. He was losing weight steadily and needed medical attention fast. But she couldn’t manage the expense so she turned to a local shelter for help. And they reached out to Neighborhood Cats.

We quickly brought Webber for veterinary care. We’ve learned he’s a senior cat, about 10 years old. He’s been losing weight because it’s hard for him to eat – because he’s missing a lot of teeth, and every one of those that remain are broken. He’s been in unthinkable pain for a long while. The doctors also diagnosed respiratory and ear infections. And one more thing: we’ve learned that Webber is completely deaf.

Most in Webber’s place – partly blind and wholly deaf, sick, hungry but in too much pain to eat – would be crushed. Many would lose hope. But not Webber! Despite all he’s been through, he remains fiercely independent and unmistakably hopeful. This big boy wants to get better.

Can an elderly, ailing feral cat find a happy ending? Yes, with your help he can! If we can make him well, our good-hearted Brooklyn caretaker is ready to welcome Webber back to the safety of her quiet colony. He’s on medications now to treat his respiratory and ear infections and is responding nicely. But his shattered and splintered teeth and infected gums require extensive surgery. The extractions and dental repairs he needs will be costly. And we can’t give him this life-saving care without your support.

Webber’s past is a mystery but we know he’s lived through too many hard times. Now, one operation is all that stands between this proud old cat and his forever home. Will you help him get there? We need to stop his pain and the spreading infection in his mouth. And we have to act fast.

Please, help save our brave Webber with your donation today.



Webber is just one of many special cats being helped by Neighborhood Cats. Any funds received in excess of Webber's medical expenses will go towards saving other cats in need.