In early January 2025, less than an hour before sunset, the Greenpoint Cats team received an urgent message from a Good Samaritan named Jacob. He was asking for help after spotting a stray cat perched on the edge of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, approximately 50 feet above a busy street in New York City.
The Greenpoint Cats team rushed to the scene and found a young black-and-white kitten stuck on the ledge, surrounded by serious danger.
“The kitten had been sitting there for six hours, with traffic rushing by on one side and a 50-foot drop on the other,” Greenpoint Cats wrote on Instagram. “It was terrifying to witness and even more dangerous for the kitten.”
While waiting for police officers and firefighters, Greenpoint Cats sent out calls for help to the community. Soon, dozens of people gathered below, arriving on foot, by bike, and by car, including volunteers from Puppy Kitty NYC. Some helped divert traffic so that rescuers could prepare a safety net below the ledge.
“We knew it would be too risky for anyone from the public to climb up onto the overpass, so I contacted our local precinct,” said Becky Wisdom, president of Greenpoint Cats. “Thankfully, officers arrived quickly and safely diverted the traffic.”
Officer Hernandez from Brooklyn’s 94th Precinct, who is also a cat parent, brought a large dog carrier to the overpass. He positioned it on its side with the opening facing upward and carefully pushed the kitten into the carrier, then secured the door.
The kitten, later named Perry, was finally safe. Within just a few hours, she appeared calmer and was even allowing belly rubs from her rescuers.
Puppy Kitty NYC took Perry into their care with the goal of finding her a foster home and eventually a permanent family. However, once the initial shock wore off, Perry showed signs of fear toward people. Like many kittens raised on the streets with little human contact, she resisted being touched.
“Perry was very fearful of humans and didn’t want to be handled,” Wisdom explained. “We knew she would need time in a foster home to build trust and feel secure.”
Rather than give up, Puppy Kitty NYC searched for the right foster match. They enlisted the help of Alyssa from Adoptables NYC, who dedicated her time to building Perry’s confidence. Alyssa spoke softly, used slow blinking eye contact, and offered food treats, while also using a back scratcher to gently pet Perry from a distance.
Gradually, Perry began stepping out of her hiding place and interacting. She started accepting food by hand and allowed gentle petting.
“Perry is doing very well now, allowing people to pet her and even purring,” said Meagan from Puppy Kitty NYC. “She’s really ready for a forever home.”