5 ‘Grimm’ Kittens From East Meadow Yard Seek Homes: Huntington Adoptable Pet Of The Week

HUNTINGTON, NY — Hank, Sean, Monroe, Rosalie and Juliette, five kittens with names inspired by the television series Grimm, are this week's Huntington adoptable pets of the week.

The kittens arrived at Grateful Paw Cat Shelter in July after being trapped in a backyard in East Meadow, the shelter said.

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At approximately 2 months old, the four black kittens and one gray kitten were immediately vetted and placed into foster care.

They were found with three adult cats, but the adults were feral, according to Grateful Paw. The adult cats were humanely trapped, spayed or neutered and returned to the backyard where they were found through a trap-neuter-return program.

The kittens, however, had a different path ahead.

"The three boys were fairly calm from the beginning, while the two girls — well, let's just say Rosalie and Juliette had a little more spice," the shelter said.

With time, patience, love and a safe foster home, all five have settled down beautifully, according to Grateful Paw. They are now relaxed, playful and affectionate, and they happily interact with the foster family's cats and dogs.

The shelter said there is a reason behind their very human names; their foster mother is a major fan of the television series Grimm.

"For those of you who, like me, knew absolutely nothing about it, Grimm is an urban fantasy police drama about a detective who discovers that he is descended from a line of guardians known as Grimms," the shelter said.

But volunteers said there is "absolutely nothing mythological" about the five kittens — except, perhaps, that four of the five are black.

"For anyone who is superstitious about black cats, let us assure you: there are no evil forces associated with these kittens," the shelter said. "We suspect the only evil force in their minds would be another kitten stealing their toy, sleeping in their favorite bed, or — heaven forbid — eating their food."

Sean is described as the friendliest of the five.

He loves springs and the light-up ball, and he has developed a special relationship with the foster family's large dog, Ricky. Sean is curious, playful and always ready to see what is happening around him, the shelter said.

"He is definitely one of those kittens who seems to believe that everyone he meets is simply a friend he hasn't gotten to know yet," Grateful Paw said.

Monroe is also very friendly and playful.

He spends much of his time with Sean, chasing toys, wrestling and "generally getting into kitten trouble," the shelter said.

Monroe and Sean also have a favorite hiding spot behind the chairs. Because they are still small, volunteers said, they can disappear back there so well that the foster family sometimes has to use a flashlight to find them.

"Only to find two sets of beautiful yellow eyes staring back at you, after they have disconnected the TV and phone wires," the shelter said.

Hank is the group's "little independent soul."

He plays with the others, but also enjoys quiet time — unless his foster mother is in the room. Then, the shelter said, she suddenly becomes "the most interesting thing in the entire universe."

Considering Hank is the loner of the group, volunteers said, it may not be surprising that he was the first kitten to figure out how to escape from their room.

"And when he did, he took off like he had been shot out of a cannon, determined to investigate the rest of the house," the shelter said. "Clearly, Hank has places to go and things to see."

Rosalie is closely bonded with her sister, Juliette. The two girls eat together, sleep together, play together and spend much of their time side by side.

There is, however, one small problem, volunteers said: Rosalie is a food hog.

"If Rosalie finishes her food before Juliette does, there is inevitably a little commotion because Rosalie apparently believes that sharing is not part of her life philosophy," the shelter said.

Rosalie and Juliette also love sitting on the back of the recliner, where they can perch up high, supervise everything below and look out into the hallway.

"We suspect they are spending a considerable amount of time up there plotting how they are going to get over the baby gate," the shelter said.

Juliette, meanwhile, is the foster home's resident drama queen.

A few days after she arrived, the shelter said there was "what can only be described as mass hysteria." Juliette, who has long hair, got a small piece of poop stuck to her fur and panicked.

"She had absolutely no idea what to do about this horrifying situation," the shelter said. "So, she did what any self-respecting drama queen would do: She ran around screaming, falling over, and creating complete chaos."

Her foster mother figured out what had happened, cleaned her up, and the crisis ended.

"The other kittens, meanwhile, watched the entire performance as if to say, 'What exactly is wrong with her?'" the shelter said.

Juliette and Rosalie also have a fascination with moving water bowls around the room. Their foster mother eventually gave them a large dog bowl that, so far, they have not been able to move.

Grateful Paw said the household is "not ruling out a future escape attempt."

All five kittens also love toilet paper and paper towel rolls, which the shelter said are considered "premium kitten entertainment." Their apparent goal is to fling them around the room and see who can get one into the water bowl first.

"Because apparently, that's what kittens do for fun," the shelter said.

Then there is Ricky, the foster family's large dog.

All five kittens get along with Ricky, with the exception of Juliette, the shelter said. Ricky, however, loves the kittens and is constantly sticking his head over the gate or into their large crate to check on them, see what they are doing and try to give them baths.

"Even when one of the kittens gives him a good smack, Ricky simply backs up — and comes right back for more," the shelter said. "Apparently, he has decided these kittens are his babies."

All five kittens have been thoroughly vetted. They have tested negative for FeLV and FIV, tested negative for parasites, had their eyes, ears and hearts checked, and received the first half of their vaccinations. They will receive their remaining vaccinations when they are spayed or neutered.

The kittens are currently a little over 2 pounds, healthy, rambunctious and enjoying being kittens, according to Grateful Paw.

Over the next few weeks, the shelter will continue watching them grow and develop their individual personalities. They are expected to join the rest of the kittens at Grateful Paw Cat Shelter toward the end of September. By then, they will have been spayed or neutered and microchipped.

Because the five have been together for so long, Grateful Paw said adopters will be encouraged to consider adopting them in pairs, or adopting one only if they already have a young cat or kitten at home close to their age.

"They have grown up together, and there is something very special about watching kittens who have been through so much continue their journey together," the shelter said.

Volunteers say the kittens deserve warm beds, sunny windows, toys scattered across the floor, people who adore their individual quirks and a home where they can grow into the cats they are meant to become.

Those interested in learning more about Hank, Sean, Monroe, Rosalie and Juliette can call Grateful Paw Cat Shelter at 631-757-4517, email cats@laphuntington.org or follow the shelter on Facebook for updates on their status over the next several weeks.

The shelter is located at 3 Verleye Ave. in East Northport. Hours are Tuesday through Sunday from noon to 4 p.m., with Thursday evening visits by appointment from 7 to 9 p.m.

"Hank, Sean, Monroe, Rosalie, and Juliette started their lives in a backyard, but their story doesn't have to end there," the shelter said. "Perhaps their greatest adventure is still waiting for them."