After Raising 5 Kittens, Candy Is Still Waiting 2 Years Later: Huntington Adoptable Pet Of The Week

HUNTINGTON, NY — Candy’s story doesn’t begin in a warm home or a sunlit window. It begins in the shadows of Queens in 2023 — where survival, not comfort, defined her days.

She was “just another cat in a colony that had so little… only minimal care and too many dangers,” the shelter said. “Too many nights where the cold pressed in and hunger lingered a little too long.”

And yet, even then, Candy carried something soft inside her — “a quiet tenderness that refused to harden, no matter how harsh the world became,” according to the shelter.

By April 2024, that tenderness had turned into something extraordinary. She was found with five tiny babies, barely two to three weeks old, their eyes still learning the world, their lives entirely dependent on her.

Candy didn’t just survive for herself anymore; she lived for them. Every ounce of strength she had went into keeping them warm, feeding them, and protecting them.

When she was rescued, she didn’t understand that her life was about to change. She only knew to stay close — to keep her babies safe.

When placed into foster care, the shelter said Candy faced something unfamiliar to her — a sense of quiet, safety and gentle hands. This was a space where her babies could finally grow without fear.

“And in that space, she blossomed into the mother she was always meant to be,” said shelter president Debbi Larkin. “She was extraordinary for such a young cat. She was only a year old at that time. She poured love into her kittens like it was endless — cleaning them, guiding them, watching them with those dazzling green eyes full of devotion. She gave them everything.”

And because of her, within just three weeks of entering the shelter, every single one of her babies found a home. One by one, they left.

“Unfortunately, Candy stayed and stayed and is still with us,” the shelter said. “The world grew bigger again, but this time, it felt lonelier. At the shelter, without her babies to care for, Candy didn’t quite know who she was supposed to be.”

The nurturing instinct still lived inside her, but there was no one left to give it to. She became quiet and timid and careful, the shelter said.

“She watches more than she participates,” the shelter said. “Loud voices make her flinch. Sudden noises send her retreating. She prefers the safety of high places — the top of a cat condo where she can quietly observe the world, or the comfort of a tucked-away cubby bed where nothing can surprise her.”

The shelter said she gets along with the other cats, peacefully sharing space, but she hasn’t chosen a best friend.

“Not yet,” the shelter said. “Maybe she’s still waiting.”

“But Candy is not invisible… not really,” the shelter said.

“You just have to meet her where she is,” Larkin said. “With the right person, the right patience, she begins to come alive. A plastic spring skitters across the floor, and suddenly she’s chasing it, batting it, proudly tossing it as if she’s rediscovered joy itself. A wand toy flickers through the air, and she leaps — graceful, athletic — almost like she forgets she was ever afraid. And then there are the bird and squirrel videos. That’s when her eyes light up, wide, bright, captivated. In those moments, you see her spirit clearly: curious, playful, engaged with the world in her own gentle way.”

Candy doesn’t want to be held or confined, according to the shelter. She won’t curl into your lap on command.

“Love for her isn’t something you take — it’s something she gives, slowly, carefully, on her own terms,” the shelter said. “But when she trusts you, she will. And when she does, you’ll see it — the personality waiting just beneath the surface. The softness. The quiet affection. The resilience of a cat who has given everything she had for others and is still willing to try again.”

The shelter said she’s been waiting for two years. Two years of watching other cats — especially kittens — get chosen first. Two years of being overlooked, not because she isn’t worthy, but because she isn’t small anymore. But Candy has already done the hardest work of her life. She raised her babies.

“She protected them,” the shelter said. “She loved them enough to let them go. Now she’s the one who needs someone. Someone who is patient. Someone who is gentle. Someone who understands that trust isn’t instant — it’s built. A quiet home would suit her best. Maybe another calm, laid-back cat to share the space. No overwhelming chaos. No constant noise. Just consistency. Understanding. Love. She may need to start small — just one room, one safe space to learn that this is hers. That she is safe. That she doesn’t have to be on guard anymore.”

If you think Candy may be the forever companion you are looking for, you can call the Grateful Paw Cat Shelter at 631-757-4517, email cats@laphuntington.org, follow the shelter’s Facebook page, or visit in person. The shelter is located at 3 Verleye Ave. in East Northport and is open Tuesday through Sunday from 12 to 4 p.m., with Thursday evening hours from 7 to 9 p.m. by appointment.

“Candy is a stunning gray tabby with immaculate white fur and mesmerizing green eyes that tell her story,” the shelter said. She is about 3 years old and is healthy — spayed, litter box trained, up to date on vaccines, tested negative for FeLV and FIV, parasite-free, with her ears, eyes, heart and mouth all checked.

“Everything about her says she’s ready,” volunteers said. “Everything except her heart, which is still waiting to be chosen. She gave her babies the chance at a beautiful life. Now she’s hoping — quietly, patiently — that someone will give her the same.”

Because beneath that shy exterior, the shelter said, is the same extraordinary love.

“She just needs someone willing to wait long enough to see it,” volunteers said.