Zippy, Cat Rescued From Parking Garage, Still Waiting: Huntington Adoptable Pet Of The Week

HUNTINGTON, NY — Zippy, a green-eyed cat rescued after he was found wandering in a Hempstead parking garage, is this week’s Huntington adoptable pet.

Some cats arrive at the shelter frightened of people, Grateful Paw Cat Shelter said. Zippy was not one of them.

When he was found earlier this year, Zippy was not running away from humans. He was walking toward them.

“Looking for a kind face,” the shelter said. “Hoping someone might have a meal to share. Maybe even wondering if this would finally be the day his life changed.”

The parking garage manager had been watching him for a while. No one knew where Zippy had come from, how long he had been surviving among the concrete ramps and moving cars, or where he disappeared when no one was looking.

What they did know, the shelter said, was that the young cat needed help.

When a local rescuer arrived and placed a carrier on the ground just a few feet away, Zippy walked right in.

“Almost as if he knew this was his chance,” the shelter said.

Zipper, affectionately known as Zippy, is estimated to be about 2 years old. He has an unusual tiger-striped coat with crisp white markings and “unforgettable sea glass green eyes,” according to Grateful Paw.

When he arrived, his coat was filthy, scruffy and matted, signs that life had been difficult for some time. But the biggest mystery was a serious wound on his neck.

“We’ll probably never know what happened,” the shelter said. “Was it another animal? A passing car? An accident while trying to survive in the garage?”

By the time Zippy reached Grateful Paw, the wound had already healed on its own, leaving some scarring, dermatitis and a patch where the fur does not fully grow back. The area now looks much better, the shelter said, though it occasionally becomes irritated and is treated right away.

His physical wounds have healed. His emotional wounds are taking longer.

When Zippy first arrived at the shelter, he did what friendly cats often do: he walked up to everyone in the room to introduce himself. The resident cats, however, were not immediately interested in making a new friend.

Between the unfamiliar smells from the animal hospital and the scent of a newly neutered male cat, the room “erupted with hisses, growls, and plenty of drama,” the shelter said.

“Poor Zippy looked completely confused,” Grateful Paw said.

Instead of arguing, Zippy backed away, respected everyone’s space and waited.

These days, things are calmer. Zippy tries to cuddle with some of the other cats and even shares his favorite sleeping spot.

That spot is unusual: a litter box lined with a soft fleece bed, next to the other litter boxes.

“It may seem unusual to us,” the shelter said, “but after imagining the places he probably slept while living in that parking garage, it suddenly makes perfect sense.”

The spot is just inside the doorway, where Zippy can keep an eye on everyone coming and going.

His second-favorite place is on top of the condos by the window, where he spends hours watching birds, squirrels and people passing outside.

“He finally has the luxury of simply watching the world instead of trying to survive in it,” the shelter said.

Zippy is also discovering playtime. His current favorite toy is a wand toy with a little worm attached, and volunteers say watching him chase it is a reminder that he is still a young cat learning how to be carefree.

Mealtime is another favorite.

“Zippy absolutely loves mealtime,” the shelter said.

If the communal food dish is not placed down quickly enough, volunteers said, Zippy may be found standing directly in the middle of it while the other cats wait around him.

“The other cats aren’t always impressed,” the shelter said. “Zippy doesn’t seem to notice.”

When someone enters the room, Zippy often comes over, rubs against their legs and asks for affection. He enjoys gentle pets and scratches, but the shelter said he has one request: let him decide.

Zippy remains a little hand-shy around his face and head. Volunteers do not know whether that traces back to whatever happened before he was rescued, but if a hand moves too quickly or too close, he will politely make his boundary known.

“And that’s okay,” the shelter said.

Zippy is also not a fan of being picked up.

“For now, Zippy gets to make the rules,” the shelter said. “After everything life has asked of him, we think he’s earned that right.”

The first two years of Zippy’s life remain a mystery. The shelter does not know who he belonged to, whether anyone ever loved him, or how he ended up weaving between moving cars and racing up and down parking garage ramps — a habit that earned him the name “Zippy” from the garage manager who watched him each day.

“It’s honestly a miracle he wasn’t seriously injured,” the shelter said. “But we do know this: He never stopped believing that people could be kind.”

Despite everything he has been through, volunteers say Zippy still chooses people.

Now, the shelter hopes someone will love him exactly as he is — with patience, respect and no pressure.

“Trust isn’t something you demand,” the shelter said. “It’s something you earn.”

Zippy is fully vetted. He has tested negative for FeLV and FIV, is parasite-free, fully vaccinated, neutered, microchipped and has “impeccable” litter box manners, according to Grateful Paw.

Those interested in meeting Zippy can call Grateful Paw Cat Shelter at 631-757-4517, email cats@laphuntington.org, follow the shelter on Facebook, or stop by and ask to meet the handsome green-eyed boy in the Purple Room.

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 appointments available from 7 to 9 p.m.

After surviving a parking garage, dodging cars, enduring injuries and spending his first years trying to make it through another day, volunteers hope Zippy’s next adventure is much simpler.

“We’re hoping he can zip straight into someone’s heart,” the shelter said.