Jasmine Ran Up To Cars Begging For Food, Now She Needs A Home: Northport Kitty Of The Week

NORTHPORT, NY — Jasmine was barely more than a kitten herself when she was found outside a convenience store in North Carolina, running up to car after car looking for food, kindness and someone who would not leave her behind.

Now, after a 12-hour journey to Long Island, the petite 1-year-old cat is Northport Cat Rescue Association’s Cat of the Week.

“At just 1 year old, this petite little girl’s journey has already taken her hundreds of miles,” the rescue said. “But she still hasn’t reached the place she has been searching for all along: home.”

A longtime friend of Northport Cat Rescue Association first spotted Jasmine outside the convenience store. The young cat approached people and cars, seemingly hoping someone would offer food or affection, NCRA said.

The woman fed Jasmine and eventually went home, but she could not stop thinking about her.

“She wondered where Jasmine would sleep that night,” the rescue said. “She wondered where her next meal would come from and whether anyone was protecting her.”

Most of all, the rescue said, the woman wondered whether Jasmine would still be there if she went back.

A few days later, she returned — and Jasmine was there again.

“The same little girl. The same convenience store. Still outside. Still waiting for someone,” NCRA said.

This time, the woman could not drive away without her. She brought Jasmine home and quickly fell in love.

Jasmine was sweet, gentle, affectionate and grateful for attention, the rescue said. But the woman already had two large dogs that were not friendly with cats. As much as she wanted to keep Jasmine, she knew she could not promise the young cat the safe life she deserved.

“Sometimes loving an animal means doing what is best for them, even when it breaks your heart,” the rescue said.

So the woman made another choice out of love: she drove Jasmine 12 hours from North Carolina to Northport.

“Twelve hours for one little kitty who had once stood outside a convenience store running up to strangers’ cars hoping someone would notice her,” NCRA said.

The rescue said the woman made the trip because Jasmine mattered, and because she wanted to know the cat would be safe with people who would protect her and carefully find her a permanent home.

“Jasmine had spent enough time wondering where she belonged,” NCRA said. “Her rescuer wanted to make sure she would never have to wonder again.”

What happened to Jasmine before she appeared in that parking lot remains unknown. The rescue does not know whether she was abandoned, lost or born outside and forced to survive on her own.

There were signs suggesting Jasmine may have had kittens at some point, NCRA said.

“The thought is heartbreaking,” the rescue said. “This 1-year-old girl may have already been a mother while she was still essentially a kitten herself.”

Jasmine cannot explain what happened to her, but volunteers say her behavior may tell part of the story.

She becomes cautious and nervous around other cats, though she is not mean or aggressive toward them, the rescue said. She simply seems unsure and uncomfortable.

Because of that, NCRA hopes Jasmine can find a home where she can be someone’s only cat.

“The only cat curled up beside you on the couch,” the rescue said. “The only cat sleeping next to you at night. The only cat waiting for you to come home.”

Most importantly, volunteers said, Jasmine deserves to finally know she belongs.

For a cat who has traveled so far, Jasmine’s wish list is small. She wants someone to love, a warm place to sleep and a home where she feels safe, according to NCRA.

Jasmine is vocal, gentle and affectionate. She will lie beside someone while they watch television, sleep nearby, cuddle close and keep them company, the rescue said. When she is content, she makes biscuits, and she also appreciates treats.

“She is low maintenance,” NCRA said. “She isn’t asking for an extraordinary life.”

What Jasmine needs, the rescue said, is someone who will look at her and let her know she is home.

Her journey has already been far too long for such a young cat, NCRA said. She went from a convenience store parking lot in North Carolina to Northport because one person could not forget the little cat she had seen running toward cars looking for food and kindness.

“So many people could have driven past Jasmine,” the rescue said. “One person stopped. That’s all it took; one kind heart.”

Now, NCRA hopes one more person will stop for Jasmine and give her the home she may have been searching for every time she ran toward another car in that parking lot.

Jasmine is spayed, fully vaccinated, microchipped, litter box trained, and has tested negative for both FeLV and FIV.

Those interested in adopting Jasmine can complete an adoption application through the Northport Cat Rescue Association website. For more information, call 631-606-2631 or email info@northportcatrescue.org.