Stanley The Tuxedo Cat Seeks A Fresh Start This Spring: Huntington Adoptable Pet Of The Week

HUNTINGTON, NY — Stanley, a black-and-white tuxedo cat rescued as a backyard kitten, has spent nearly a year at Grateful Paw Cat Shelter waiting for someone to choose him.

He was “born in the soft bloom of May 2025,” a tiny black-and-white kitten already “dressed for the world in his perfect little tuxedo… as if he knew one day he’d be meant for something more.”

Before he ever knew the comfort of a warm bed or a gentle hand, Stanley and his brothers, Felix and Garfield, were surviving in a quiet backyard in Williston Park. Hidden away with their feral mother, the kittens learned quickly “how to become invisible… how to be careful… how to stay just out of reach.”

“They were smart, cautious, and determined,” the shelter said. “But they were also just babies — far too young to be doing it alone.”

Rescue did not come easily. It took patience, persistence, and the work of a dedicated local rescuer to bring the kittens to safety. Their mother, not suited for indoor life, was humanely trapped, spayed, and returned.

“But Stanley, his story was just beginning,” the shelter said. "In foster care, Stanley began to change. Once safe, he discovered something new — kindness.”

The shy backyard kitten became energetic and curious, running, leaping, and climbing to the highest perch “just to look out over his little kingdom.” Feather toys quickly became his favorite, and he chased them “with the determination of an Olympic athlete," the shelter said.

But when Stanley returned to the shelter, everything changed again.

“In a room full of kittens, Stanley faded into the background,” the shelter said. “Maybe it was his tuxedo coat. Maybe it was his shy nature. While others were chosen, he waited, and he waited— and he is still waiting.”

Nearly a year has passed.

“What people don’t see right away is the real Stanley,” the shelter said. “The one who waits by the door, looking out, listening for your footsteps. The one who dashes across the room the second he hears the treat bag crinkle. The one who ‘sounds the alarm’ so all his friends — especially Rover — know it’s time to play or eat.”

Playtime reveals his personality even more.

“He will leap, twist and soar through the air for a feather toy — unless Rover beats him to it!”

Stanley can be a bit standoffish at first, the shelter said. He will not rush into someone’s arms, but volunteers say that with patience, he opens up into “the playful, spirited and deeply lovable boy he is.”

“Imagine being in a room full of others and being passed by, again and again, because someone else seemed fluffier, easier or more outgoing,” the shelter said. “That has been Stanley’s life.”

“But he deserves more than to be overlooked. He deserves to be chosen.”

Stanley would thrive in a home where he can run, play, and watch the world from a sunny window. And for those considering adopting two cats, his best friend, Rover, could be the perfect companion.

“They are always side by side — two tuxedo boys who understand each other perfectly,” the shelter said.

Stanley is fully vetted. He has tested negative for FeLV and FIV, is parasite-free, vaccinated, neutered, microchipped, and “impeccably tidy with the litter box — sometimes he even cleans up after the others.”

Those interested in meeting Stanley can call the Grateful Paw Cat Shelter at 631-757-4517, email cats@laphuntington.org, visit the shelter’s Facebook page, or stop by 3 Verleye Ave. in East Northport. The shelter is open Tuesday through Sunday from 12 to 4 p.m., with Thursday evening hours from 7 to 9 p.m. by appointment.

With spring now here — “a season of new beginnings” — volunteers say they hope Stanley’s time has finally come.

“Come meet him," said shelter president Debbi Larkin. "Bring a feather toy. Bring a few treats. Bring a little patience and lots of love. Let’s give Stanley his own new beginning… the one he has been waiting for.”