Last Updated on August 10, 2023 by Pets Feed
Nathaniel Styer was working from home earlier this week when he noticed an unusual scene outside his apartment window.
An intense gust of wind and heavy snowfall caused by the polar vortex, known as the “blizzard,” began to blanket her neighborhood (Brooklyn, NY) in white.
And it seemed like he wasn’t the only one who wanted to be inside.
A tabby cat had jumped onto the windowsill and was scratching and rubbing the screen. “She was 100% asking to come in,” Styer told The Dodo.
He recognized the cat as Chunk Chunk, one of the members of a colony of street cats. Styer knew Chunk Chunk was going through a crisis – and he had to act.
“I’ve never seen her react that way before,” Styer said. “It was clear that she didn’t know what to do in the storm.”
Styer isn’t the biggest fan of the stray cats that roam the neighborhood, but his fiancée, Renee Becerra, devotes her time to the colony and keeps her members healthy. Chunk Chunk appeared in the fall, making her one of the newest members of the colony, and she didn’t seem prepared for the weather.
“I was always quite reluctant to bring cats inside, but I knew Renee really wanted me to help Chunk Chunk,” he explained. “I love Renee and I knew helping Chunk Chunk was the right thing to do.”
Styer opened the window and let Chunk Chunk out of the cold. But once she was safe and warm, she didn’t know what to do.
“She allowed me to hold her, which is unusual for cats in our community,” Styer said. “When I put her down, she ran around the house and tried to run out the other window. He only saw that it was closed when he hit it.
Styer put Chunk Chunk in the bathroom, away from her dog, and she finally settled down. When Becerra arrived at the house, she was not entirely surprised when she learned the identity of the guest of the house.
“From the first time she showed up to our window, she has been one of the friendliest cats I have ever seen,” Becerra told The Dodo. “She always asks for affection and starts purring within seconds.”
Since moving into their apartment two years ago, the couple have helped several lost cats find forever homes, and when spring comes, Becerra plans to have as many adults spayed as possible and then spay them. to free. Fortunately, Chunk Chunk has a notch in her ear, a sign that she has already been sterilized.
Becerra has tried to help the cats in the community resist the cold and encourages others to do the same.
“Winter is the toughest time of year [for these cats],” Becerra said. “I have built three winter shelters and regularly provide food. Winter shelters can be purchased from some cat shelters, but they are also very easy to make … If you have room or a safe and quiet place in your neighborhood, I would definitely recommend putting some in. outside. “
As for Chunk Chunk, the sweet girl is unlikely to face another cold day in New York.
“We’re still figuring out what’s next for Chunk Chunk, but until then she’s staying with us,” Becerra said. “Chunk Chunk seems to be more suited to life indoors than outdoors, so I will contact our contacts at ASPCA to see if they can help me find a home for him.”
Images: Renee Becerra
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