Hindu Toilet Seats, Unusual Kitten Friendships And More: July's Best Stories From Brooklyn Heights & Beyond

BROOKLYN HEIGHTS — July was crazy hot and its stories were just plain crazy. Your Patch reporters covered unexpected interspecies friendships, a highly controversial toilet seat cover, an unusual suspect for a mail thief, and more.

So we're also going to provide you with a roundup of Patch’s top 12 stories from Brooklyn Heights, Fort Greene, Bed-Stuy, Bushwick, Brownsville, Williamsburg and Greenpoint from the month of July, just in case you missed them. Some stories are funny, others are sad, but they all come right from the borough you call home.

And if you like what you see, be sure to sign up for Patch's free daily newsletters to find out about Brooklyn’s biggest stories right as they are happening…and not a month later!

Here’s how July went down:

Hindu God Toilet Seat Dropped By Etsy After Outrage
The DUMBO-based retailer told Patch it would no longer sell toilet seats that depict Lord Ganesha holding a toothbrush.

Kittens Are Being Cared For By Rats In The Brooklyn Cat Cafe

Remy and Emile have been tasked with taking care of orphaned kittens in Brooklyn Heights.

'Witch-Goddess' To Cast Hex On Donald Trump At Bushwick Shop

Join occult bookstore owner Dakota Bracciale and fellow witches as they curse the president next month.

Here's How Hot Your Subway Platform Is As Summer Turns Stations Into A Sweaty Hell

We took thermometers into NYC's biggest subway hubs - from Penn Station to Atlantic Terminal - to find out just how hot and sticky the transit situation really is.

'I Have No Forgiveness In My Heart,' Devastated Step-Mom Tells Killer Of Her 'Little Girl'

Two women were killed in the Stuyvesant Garden Houses courtyard in Bed-Stuy, said police.

Lena Dunham's Dog Wasn't Abused Despite Star's Claim, Shelter Says
Lena Dunham said she gave up Lamby because his past trauma caused bad behavior. But a Williamsburg shelter said he had no history of abuse.

70-Year-Old Woman Found Dead, Tied With Electrical Cord In Brooklyn: Police And Reports

Noreen Mulzac was found lying on the bedroom floor in her Canarsie home Monday afternoon, police said.

NBA Star Taj Gibson Donates $20K To Slain Bed-Stuy Mother's 3-Year-Old Girl

The Minnesota Timberwolves forward donated $20,000 to a GoFundMe campaign established for Chynna Battle's daughter, Amelia.

'Mail Rat' Lives In Nest Of Letters Stolen From Bed-Stuy Home, Reports Say

The homeowner wondered what had happened to dozens of missing bills and letters.

Prostitution Ring Bust: Men Trafficked Teenagers From Brooklyn Motels, Prosecutors Say

Jonathan “Jayo” Harris and Tariq “Ricky” Washington allegedly lured teenaged girls to East New York and forced them to prostitute themselves.

Pics: Toilet Paper Wedding Dress Contest Finalist Hails From Bushwick

Bathroom tissue wedding dress designer Van Tran is one of ten finalists who stand to win $10K for her creative, if flushable, design.

Greenpoint Ganja House Bust: Owners Of $2.5M In Drugs Sentenced
Philip Feng and Victor Bae stored 500 pounds of marijuana, other drugs and $150,000 in cash in a Greenpoint warehouse, prosecutors said.

LBGT Seniors Get Affordable Housing In Fort Greene
Construction will begin on The Ingersoll Senior Residences next month, according to a New York Times report.

Header photos courtesy of the NYPD (upper-left corner), the Brooklyn Cat Cafe (upper-right corner), Rajan Zed (lower-right corner) and Gage Skidmore/Flickr (lower-left corner).