City Critters is a New York State charitable organization licensed to operate in the City of New York for the rescue and placement of stray and abandoned animals.
City Critters is a member of the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals.
Donations made to City Critters, or paid on our behalf, are tax exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; financial statements and current IRS Determination Letter are available for review upon request.
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Mail contributions to:
- City Critters Inc.
- P.O. Box 1345
- Canal Street Station
- New York NY 10013
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50 Cats Abandoned in Chelsea
On Saturday, January 15, 2000, an article appeared in The New York Times concerning the abandonment of an estimated 20 cats in an apartment in the Elliott Chelsea Houses, a New York City Housing Authority project. According to the article, the cats had been left in the apartment for two weeks by the tenants, who were threatened with eviction proceedings. In response to odor complaints from neighbors and ensuing pressure from Assemblyman Richard Gottfried's office, NYCHA allowed representatives from the Center for Animal Care and Control's "Animal Rescue" into the apartment on Thursday, January 13. The Times article stated that CACC had removed 11 cats and left food and water for whatever animals remained, estimated to be about 10, intending to return on Monday the 17th (a holiday).
A City Critters volunteer who lives near the Elliott Chelsea Houses directed our attention to the Times article and we immediately asked the CACC to let us foster and place the abandoned cats. CACC agreed to let us foster nine cats (two newborns had already been sent with a surrogate mother to Orphaned Pets, a New Jersey shelter rescue group). We picked them up that Saturday and moved them to a local vet to be tested, spayed and neutered, and boarded for the short term.
The next morning we visited the Elliott Chelsea Houses to inquire about the welfare of the cats. We were prepared to rescue a few cats, and had brought along two sherpa bags, some mesh cat evacuation sacks, and a few cans of cat food.
We were not prepared for the number of cats we found, how hungry and frightened they were, or how filthy the place was (NYCHA staff would not enter). About a dozen cats were trapped in one bedroom, with the door closed, the window sealed, and no food, water, or litter. In the rest of the eleventh story apartment, the unscreened windows were wide open. The cats that remained had devoured all the food that had been left. There was no water other than the brown standing water in the bathtub, which they were trying to drink. The situation was clearly not under control. So we set about trying to catch and remove the cats and get them to safer places.
Between Sunday and Tuesday we nabbed the remaining 39 cats. Most were boarded with local veterinarians; some went to our local adoption centers, such as the Kips Bay Petco. All were separately tested for Feline Leukemia and FIV, vaccinated, dewormed, spayed, neutered, and treated for mouth and dental infections. All the cats were basically healthy, well socialized, and highly adoptable.
The cost of veterinary care required a commitment of $12,000—$15,000 within a very short period of time.
Two hungry cats crouch in the trash-filled bedroom. Like the other "Chelsea" cats, they turned out to be affectionate and friendly. They were quickly adopted.
A dozen cats were trapped in this room. With food and water long gone, the cats were using their empty bowls as litter pans.
A toothless 15-year-old orange tabby enjoys his first meal in two weeks. He was found hiding on top of the kitchen cabinets.