Maria Cassano observed a stray cat carrying a kitten through her father’s Long Island property a few years ago.
She was concerned that if the cat, whom she called Mama, didn’t get enough food, she wouldn’t be able to make milk for her baby. Her father was adamant about not feeding the stray dogs in the area, but Cassano persuaded him to make an exception.
A neighbor soon adopted Mama’s little kitten, but the Cassanos continued to set out her free meals for the feral cats in their neighborhood. Mama was especially grateful for the food, but the more she came around, the more they feared for her in the cold weather.
So Cassano’s dad decided to build her a cozy cat house of her very own.
“My father is fairly skilled, and while he’s not a fan of having dogs in the house,” Cassano told The Dodo, “he’s a genuinely compassionate man who likes to help out.” “So, when his girlfriend and I were concerned about the cats surviving the winter, my father purchased the components for a heated cat home, coated it in waterproof materials, built a base for it, and placed it in the backyard.”
Mama soon had a second kitten, and Cassano’s dad decided to install a camera in the cat house to make sure they were getting home safe every night.
What they didn’t expect were all the cute images of appreciative strays they’d take.
Cassano was eventually able to capture Mama and her kitten and bring them to a local shelter to be spayed and vaccinated. “It was fall, and the shelter said that Mama would be fine to return, but the kitten was likely too young to survive the winter if left outdoors,” Cassano said. “However, he took well to being handled by humans.”
Cassano raised the kitty and adopted him into a loving family. Mama, on the other hand, wasn’t alone for long, especially with all the wonderful things the Cassanos’ backyard had to offer.
Mama now spends her time in the yard with two black cats named Inky and Finky.
Cassano doesn’t have any hopes of domesticating the little feral family, but she’s happy to give them a comfortable place to stay.
“They won’t come inside or let us touch them — but they recognize us, nap on the stoop [or] in the lawn chairs, coexist with us in the backyard, and sometimes come up to the window when it’s time to eat,” Cassano said.
“Over the years, we’ve gotten a few more houses and a ‘cat igloo,’ so all of our residents can stay warm,” Cassano said. “I jokingly refer to them as ‘Steve’s Cat Condos.’”
Now each stray has a little cat sanctuary of their very own, and they couldn’t be luckier.
