Jersey And Her 2 Babies: Huntington Adoptable Pets Of The Week

HUNTINGTON, NY — Jersey and her two babies are the Grateful Paw Cat Shelter's Huntington Pets of the Week.

Jersey is the second pregnant feline to join the crowd, said Debbie Larkin, president of the shelter.
She arrived in a good Samaritan's backyard on July 9 looking for food and a place to nest. She was very vocal and super friendly, following them around their yard, according to Larkin. They homeowners finally relented and fed her because she was making such a racket, Larkin said.

"They assumed she was someone’s cat who had gotten out of the house because she was so clean and sweet," she said. "They had no idea she was pregnant because she was so small and her belly was not that big. She appeared to be very young."

The people who found Jersey posted on social media and lost cat pages hoping that someone was looking for her.

"No such luck! Nobody claimed her," Larkin said. "They felt bad and weren’t sure what to do, but while they were trying to figure out a solution, she just walked right into the house behind them!
They decided to keep her inside while still looking for her owner, but still nobody reached out."

Jersey found a place in the bottom of their closet and gave birth to two kittens, Jasper and Jax, on July 11. She had made herself a nest in the bottom of the master bedroom closet but five days later, she relocated the kittens into a quiet corner in the living room.

"And of course, in typical cat form after they made up a nesting box with blankets and soft
items for her in the living room, she moved them again to another location … this time into the spare bedroom," Larkin said. "She was playing a game of musical kittens with her humans. Jersey has been such a good mamma with her babies … the kittens have been placed in foster care and Jersey is back with her original foster mom while waiting to be spayed."

Jersey is a tiger/tabby with orange and white markings and mesmerizing yellow eyes. She was seen by the shelter's in-house veterinarian last week, where she tested negative for FELV and FIV, was wormed and received her shots.

The rescue believes Jersey is under a year old and is set to be spayed in about three years.

"Very sad to see such young cats having babies, but they will be taken care of," Larkin said. "Jersey is very affectionate with humans but really prefers to be an only cat. She loves to play and snuggle and has a voracious appetite. Her two little boys (Jasper and Jax) were tested and partially vetted this week and then placed in a foster home until they are ready to be neutered and come back into the shelter ready to be adopted."

Jasper is the grey tiger and Jax is the tabby with white.

"Both boys are very adventurous and sometimes get themselves into trouble ... they are trying to hang with the big cats and dogs in their foster home! They will definitely be well socialized when they return to the shelter."

If you are interested in meeting any of the three, you may call the shelter at 631-757-4517, email cats@laphuntington.org, visit the Facebook page or visit at the Grateful Paw Cat Shelter.

The rescue is at 3 Verleye Ave., East Northport, and visiting hours are Tuesday through Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.

The shelter will be open on Thursdays from 7 to 9 p.m. by appointment only. These additional hours are for those who want to visit but are working and cannot make it during the daytime hours or on the weekend.

Jasper and Jax will not be ready for adoption until the end of September, but keep an eye on the shelter's social media for updates on their progress.

"Jersey, another young cat who has had a rough start to her life, but thankfully she found a safe place to have her babies," Larkin said. "She belongs inside with a loving family so please reach out so we can let her know people are thinking about her."