Louie

As you might know, a few of us on Mark's street have been involved with saving some stray cats.

It started in the summertime, with a very skinny grey cat. I would encounter Grey, and I'd give her a can of food, responding to her loud and unwavering meow. Soon, I noticed many cans of food, which was good until it got very hot out.

Over the last several months, I've met four or five women on the block who've helped feed Grey. All of us were bent on rescuing her, before she had kittens and before the cold weather set in. Eventually, grey cat hung out with orange cat, and grey cat looked suspiciously bigger. Then Grey had a couple kittens under an open stairway. On a cold night last month, she led rescuers to them. She and her kittens are now happily being fostered by one of the rescuers.

Meanwhile, a very sweet black and white cat showed up, and was quickly rescued. The other women and I set up a website to communicate and report on progress and vet trips. Black and white cat must have had a home before, because he is very affectionate. He may get a job as a local store cat, and is due to get fixed this weekend or next.




This brings me to Louie, the orange cat, who is still living outside. I've been worrying about Louie, since the temperature's been dropping. He's a very sweet orange cat, who is still a bit afraid of people. Early on, he had a deep gash on one of his ears, but it's since healed nicely.

At first, Louie hung out in an abandoned wood pile. After a while, he moved to an abandoned futon outside a building, without any shelter. A couple weeks ago, Mark and I created a cat house for him with a cardboard box, writing 'Cat House, Please Do Not Throw Away' on top in magic marker. We stuffed the box with shredded newspaper, and set it near the abandoned futon.

Louie seemed to use the box (there were telltale cat hairs along the opening). Then it rained last week. I emailed the other women, since I was at my place in Park Slope. They reported that it was holding up all right.




Last weekend, I visited Louie and he looked wonderful. Someone had placed a bathmat at the bottom of the box, and a couple blankets. Someone else had wrapped the box with bubble wrap and placed a plastic mat on top, to protect it from rain. I reached into the box today and found it toasty warm.

Louie has a bunch of people looking over him, and looks very happy for the moment. We're planning on getting him off the street soon, after the black and white cat is adopted. Sadly, I can't foster him because of my insane schedule. But I'll be checking in on him when I can.


For an earlier post on strays, click here.

Photos by myself of Louie and his home in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.