HUNTINGTON, NY — Kitty has already lost her shelter, familiar surroundings and the people who cared for her. Now, Grateful Paw Cat Shelter is hoping the 9-year-old tabby will not lose her chance at a safe home again.
"Kitty has already lost almost everything," the shelter said. "Her shelter. Her familiar surroundings. The people who cared for her."
Kitty, a brown tabby with golden eyes, spent nearly six years trying to survive, according to Grateful Paw.
When the facility where she once lived closed, Kitty was left homeless, the shelter said. She wandered lost and confused before ending up in an industrial area, where she survived for years. In 2023, a Good Samaritan named Debra and her coworkers began caring for her.
Then, in November 2025, Kitty lost that life, too.
She came to Grateful Paw Cat Shelter terrified, the shelter said. Kitty did not understand that trapping her and bringing her to the shelter was meant to keep her safe.
After she was vetted, Kitty was placed in a room with calm, gentle cats. But the activity, voices, strangers and sounds were overwhelming for her.
"She hid in her cubby and only emerged to eat and use the litter box," the shelter said.
Kitty responded to very few volunteers, which broke the heart of the Good Samaritan who had brought her to the shelter, according to Grateful Paw.
At the beginning of this year, Debra opened her home to Kitty. There, the shelter said, Kitty finally began to bloom as much as she could.
But the home is no longer the right fit. Kitty has become deeply attached to her caregiver and territorial toward the other resident cat, Grateful Paw said.
"This situation is not fair to Kitty or the other cat who is older than Kitty," the shelter said.
Grateful Paw said Kitty cannot return to the shelter.
"That is not an option," the shelter said. "She has already endured too much loss."
Now, volunteers are looking for a very specific home for Kitty.
"Kitty is not broken," the shelter said. "She is a survivor who just needs someone to understand her."
Kitty is not looking for a busy household or a home filled with other animals. She needs to be the only cat, because she wants her person to herself, the shelter said.
She also needs a quiet, peaceful home without chaos or overwhelming activity. Grateful Paw said an adults-only home is best because children frighten Kitty with their noise and energy. She also needs a home without dogs, because she is afraid of them.
Most of all, the shelter said, Kitty needs someone extraordinarily patient.
Kitty still needs time to adjust and trust at her own pace, and that may not happen overnight. She needs someone who will accept her as she is and not expect her to suddenly become an outgoing house cat, volunteers said.
After spending years outdoors, Kitty is still learning what it means to be an indoor cat. She does not really understand toys, the shelter said. She does not like being picked up, though she will tolerate it when necessary.
When she is frightened, Kitty may retreat, but she will slowly emerge once she feels safe.
"But please don't mistake fear for a lack of love," the shelter said.
When Kitty feels secure, volunteers say, she can be incredibly loving. If someone sits quietly on the floor beside her, she may come sit next to them. She enjoys gentle head scratches, soft petting and a little brushing.
Sometimes, for a few moments, Kitty will climb into someone's lap.
"That is Kitty saying, 'I trust you,'" the shelter said.
Kitty is fully vetted, spayed, vaccinated, parasite-free, healthy and negative for FeLV and FIV. She also has a good appetite, though she prefers food without fish because it does not agree with her, according to Grateful Paw.
The shelter said Kitty has spent nearly a decade surviving and now needs someone willing to give her the rest of her life to feel safe.
Someone who will not give up when trust takes time. Someone who will not look at her and decide she is too difficult. Someone who will look into her golden eyes and say, "You're home now. This time, you're staying."
Those interested in meeting Kitty can call Debra at 631-793-7500 or email dragonflydj@gmail.com.
Debra, the Good Samaritan who has cared for Kitty through the years, will continue caring for her in her home until the right person comes along.
Those who cannot adopt Kitty are encouraged to share her story. Grateful Paw said the person who can give Kitty the quiet, patient, adult-only, pet-free home she needs may be someone who sees the post through a share.
"Kitty has survived long enough," the shelter said. "Now she deserves to live."
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