The big tabby had been wandering the streets of Brooklyn, New York for some time. While no one knew how they'd ended up as a stray, it was clear they were homeless and had no one to care of them.
That was until they came to the attention of Gissell, an animal rescue volunteer, who would change the cat's life forever. After often seeing the cat when she drove by, she was determined to do something about their living situation.
Rescue mission
When she arrived at the spot where they were often seen, Gissell saw the cat curled up asleep in front of a homeless shelter. She called out to the cat, and to her surprise, they immediately woke up and went over to her. The cat was very friendly and really seemed to enjoy the attention of their new friend.
The tabby was very big, and Gissell suspected they were likely to be a heavily pregnant female, only adding to her determination to get the cat off the street.
Happy ending
After giving the cat lots of strokes, Gissell headed off to get the supplies she needed. She soon returned armed with some cat food and a humane trap. But the cat was nowhere to be seen. Giselle called out to the cat, and to her relief, the tabby quickly appeared, excitedly running over to her.
When she got the cat home, she was in for a surprise. The cat was not a pregnant female, but a large, neutered male. Gissell contacted a local rescue group, Little Wanderers NYC and Melina Nastazia, a foster volunteer, offered to take on the cat's care. Naming the cat Crookshanks, Melina discovered he had fleas and ear mites which she had treated straight away.
It's safe to say Crookshanks is enjoying his new life with his foster family and very grateful to be indoors and shows his appreciation with loud purrs and lots of kneading. While he's a huge fan of catnip and has a very good appetite, his favourite thing is cuddling on Melina's lap and burying his head into her chest so he can get as close to her as possible.
