A couple from Brooklyn New York came across a sickly little kitten sitting on the sidewalk while they were feeding community cats. They got her off the streets and went back to find her siblings.
Will and Divya of Flatbush Cats, a TNR-focused cat rescue in Flatbush, Brooklyn, found a kitten sitting in the street while many people just passed her by.
Flatbush Cats
The kitten, named Mani, had one severely infected eye and was so weak that she didn't have much strength to run or hide. The couple, who already had six fosters, just couldn't let the kitty suffer out on the street. They noticed that one of her siblings also had a bad eye.
"It's easy to find a reason to say 'we can't take them in' from a distance, but when injured kittens are just sitting on the sidewalk all of that goes out the window. I carried Mani home in my arms because we already had six foster kittens and every single trap/carrier was already being used," Will shared with Love Meow.
"I whispered 'it's going to be ok" into her ear over and over again as we walked, though I was terrified that she would get scared and jump away."
Flatbush Cats
After getting the kitten to safety, he went back for her brother, Fetty, whose eyes were crusted shut. While trying to get Fetty, his bonded sister Storm came along.
"Storm was protecting her brother Fetty as he'd temporarily lost his vision from a really bad infection. The morning I went to trap Fetty, I couldn't find him, but I saw his guardian angel Storm tucked under a windowsill, trying to stay dry from the rain. I knew he must be close by, and sure enough he was hidden in the grass right below her."
Flatbush Cats
"Once I set up the trap, she marched in right alongside him, hitching a ride to the VIP life," Will said.
The couple began to treat the cats and showered them with cuddles and love.
Flatbush Cats
Both Mani and Fetty required surgeries to remove their bad eye.
Fetty cuddling with his rescuer for some much-needed TLC.
Flatbush Cats
Soon after the surgery, Mani was purring and lapping up baby food, KMR and kitten paté.
She was purring nonstop and so happy to have someone to love.
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Once Fetty was cone free after his surgeries, he started flopping around for belly rubs and tackling his sister Storm.
"We've been waiting so long for him to be able to enjoy normal kitten activities and playtime!"
Flatbush Cats
The couple spent many weeks showing the feline siblings how wonderful humans and indoor life could be....
Now they run to their humans with a smile and a purr every time they walk in.
Flatbush Cats
"Mani is strong, sweet, wild and adventurous. her earliest days on the streets will soon be a distant memory; replaced by love, warmth and all the luxuries a queen could ever want.
"I still hold her close and whisper in her ear every day, we both find it quite calming."
Flatbush Cats
The three have all found their forever homes!
"Fetty and Storm were adopted together, and we ended up adopting Mani (rescue fail)."
Flatbush Cats
"Storm and Fetty will never go back to the streets. We're so proud of how far they've come, and so relieved they won't be looking for warmth outside at night."
Flatbush Cats
"Our goal is zero kittens out on the sidewalk in Flatbush. That will take years, and lots of local teamwork, but we'll get there."
Watch their rescue story in this video:
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