They Once Fought For Food Outside, Biscuit And Giblet Now Need A Home: Huntington Adoptable Pet Of The Week

HUNTINGTON, NY — Biscuit and Giblet started life outside, where every meal meant competing with adult cats and every night brought uncertainty.

By Thanksgiving, Grateful Paw Cat Shelter hopes the bonded siblings will be preparing for life with a family of their own.

The 2-month-old kittens were found wandering in a backyard, struggling to get enough food among the adult cats already being fed there, according to the shelter.

A Good Samaritan noticed the kittens and decided they were far too young to continue fending for themselves.

They were brought indoors and placed into foster care, where they are now discovering regular meals, warm places to sleep — and all the things kittens are supposed to spend their time doing.

“But sometimes, a little kindness changes everything,” the shelter said.

The dark-coated siblings look enough alike that they could be mistaken for twins. Their personalities, however, quickly reveal which kitten is which.

Biscuit: The Mouse-Carrying Gentleman

Biscuit is the more independent of the two.

He is also polydactyl, meaning he was born with extra toes.

Those oversized paws make his name especially appropriate, volunteers said, because when Biscuit is comfortable, he enthusiastically “makes biscuits” — the common term for a cat rhythmically kneading its paws against a soft surface.

Biscuit likes to observe people before deciding whether he is ready to get closer.

“He’s a thoughtful little fellow who likes to take his time,” the shelter said.

Cuddling, however, can quickly change his mind.

Once Biscuit is enjoying some quiet snuggle time, volunteers say he becomes considerably more approachable and happy to join the fun.

Then there are his toy mice.

“Biscuit carries them everywhere,” Grateful Paw said.

Eating? The mouse may accompany him.

Sleeping? The mouse is nearby.

Even a trip to the litter box does not necessarily mean leaving his faithful companion behind.

Biscuit also practices his hunting moves on kicking toys, putting his extra-toed paws to work.

“Beneath that watchful exterior is a sweet little boy who is learning that love doesn’t have to be earned through a struggle,” the shelter said. “It can simply be given.”

Giblet: The Cuddle Bug

Giblet has fewer reservations about asking humans for affection.

“If there’s a lap available, a tummy ready for rubs, or a human willing to offer cuddles, this little girl would like to know why you haven’t invited her over yet,” the shelter said.

She loves being close to people, cuddling and receiving belly rubs.

But Giblet is hardly a couch potato.

When playtime begins, volunteers say the affectionate kitten becomes a “tiny athletic superstar.”

Give her a ball, and she bats it between her front paws like a soccer player.

Bring out a wand toy, and Giblet begins leaping, pouncing and showing off her kitten acrobatics.

“She is a bundle of joy wrapped in a soft, dark coat, with a heart that seems to have an endless supply of love,” the shelter said.

Learning To Be Kittens

Now safe in foster care, Biscuit and Giblet no longer have to compete with adult cats for every bite of food.

Their appetites are strong, and their days are spent playing, exploring and learning about indoor life.

Among their favorite attractions are an exercise wheel, a tunnel and a swing.

Sometimes, the kittens climb into the swing and rock themselves to sleep, creating what their foster family considers their own kitten-sized cradle.

They also climb their cat condo, use scratching posts and wrestle with each other until their energy runs out.

Then comes the quieter part of the day.

“They stop, groom themselves, snuggle down, and drift off to sleep,” Grateful Paw said.

Their foster family is often left listening to the sound of both kittens purring together.

“Two tiny hearts, finally at peace,” the shelter said. “Two little bellies, no longer empty.”

The kittens have tested negative for FeLV, FIV and parasites. Their eyes, ears and hearts have been checked, they have received their first vaccinations and they are litter-box trained.

Biscuit and Giblet will be spayed and neutered before adoption under the shelter’s arrangements.

They are expected to arrive at Grateful Paw Cat Shelter in mid-November, just before Thanksgiving.

Their holiday-inspired names were chosen by their foster mother because of that timing.

Grateful Paw hopes Thanksgiving will bring one more thing for which volunteers can be grateful: a permanent home for both kittens.

The shelter would like Biscuit and Giblet adopted together.

They survived their uncertain beginnings side by side and now play, wrestle, explore and sleep together.

“They have each other’s familiar scent, companionship, and comfort,” the shelter said. “They deserve a future where they can continue sharing all those little moments — the silly ones, the sleepy ones, and the ones that make a house feel like home.”

Those interested in Biscuit and Giblet can call Grateful Paw Cat Shelter at 631-757-4517, email cats@laphuntington.org or follow the shelter on Facebook for updates on their progress and arrival.

Grateful Paw Cat Shelter is at 3 Verleye Ave. in East Northport. It is open Tuesday through Sunday from noon to 4 p.m., with Thursday evening visits from 7 to 9 p.m. by appointment.

“This Thanksgiving, two little kittens will have full bellies and a safe place to sleep because someone chose to care,” the shelter said. “Now they’re waiting for someone to choose them forever.”