Hope In Ashes: 1 Of 4 Missing Cats Found Safe After Hampton Bays Fire

HAMPTON BAYS, NY — A week after a fire ripped through a former Hampton Bays motel, leaving 24 homeless, the desperate search continues to find one family's missing cats — with the miraculous discovery Thursday night of one of the four, who was found unharmed.

A GoFundMe page, Help The Gonzalez Family Rebuild After House Fire, was created by Amber Nicole of Hampton Bays to support Jennifer Gonzalez, 22, her mother, and her two younger sisters, 12 and 14, who lost all of their possessions and possibly, four of their six cats, who are still missing, in the blaze.

Describing the fire, Jennifer said she was at work at the Southampton Youth Services facility when her little sister called. "She was crying, screaming that the house was on fire and that our cats were inside, and weren't coming out," she said.

In the days since, Jennifer has posted on social media about her family's missing cats: Mila, a black-and-white 1-year-old, was found Thursday night by Tracy McLaren of the Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation, who runs the AdvoCat program and the facility's Trap/Neuter/Release program, as well.

McLaren said she heard about the family's plight and set up camera's and a feeding station near the house. On Thursday night, she was able to trap Mila. When she brought the cat home, Jennifer's little sister "was so excited to see her — and the cat was excited to see her, too," she said.

McLaren made an appointment for Mila to be vet-checked Friday.

In addition, there have been reports of another cat that might fit the description of one of the other three still missing, McLaren said.

Stormy had been wearing a light blue collar and is 11-months old, and gray-and-black. Estrella, also 11 months, was wearing a pink collar and is white-and gray. Spooky, also 11 months, had a blue collar and is black-and-white, Jennifer said.

McLaren asked residents to keep their eyes open for sightings. "If you see something, say something," she said. "Also, just because they had collars with tags on, doesn't mean they still do."

The totally indoor house cats, frightened by the firetrucks, water, and fire itself, may have run far, she said.

"Normally an animal will go home, because of the scent — but even last night, all you could smell was smoke and fire, and the cats might have been put off," McLaren said. "I'm praying to God they all made it out. That building is really, really charred."

If you see the missing cats, call McLaren on her call, which she answers 24/7, at 516-527-1944, or call the Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation at 631-728-7387.

According to officials, the fire broke out about 4 p.m. on April 1 at the motel located at 317 East Montauk Highway; the 8-room motel was "fully engulfed" in flames.

No one was hurt in the fire, officials said.

Southampton Town Public Safety and Emergency Management Administrator Ryan Murphy said after the blaze, 24 people are being provided with assistance by the American Red Cross.

Reportedly once known as the Sea View Motel, the property is still before the town's justice court for violations cited by the town, Murphy said.

The investigation is ongoing as to the cause of the fire, although, according to a resident, it may have started on the first floor due to cooking, Murphy said.

Jennifer and her family "lost everything when their home went on fire April 1," the GoFundMe said. "With only their memories and the clothes they wore that day, this family of four is looking to rebuild their lives."

The funds will be used for financial assistance — the family is now living in a motel — and to help with finding a new home. Also needed are all the items lost, that make up a life, including kitchen utensils, and furniture.

Jennifer's family was left with nothing, she said, and they have wracked with fear for the cats still missing.

"Our cats, when they get scared, they hide under my bed, or on top of the cabinets," she said.

One cat, Oreo, was saved, Jennifer said, when an EMT put an oxygen mask over its face. "He got a bit of oxygen and started meowing," she said.

Her family is devastated, Jennifer said.

But, she said, everyone at SYS, as well as members of school staff and neighbors, have been supportive, reaching out to help. "This is such a great community," she said.

Jennifer is thankful that her family survived; many of the other residents weren't home at the time the fire broke out.

"I'm really, really grateful that our neighbors came knocking on my mom's door, helping each other to get out. It could have been so much worse," she said.

GoFund Me is a Patch promotional partner.