In a desperate situation, a small black cat found itself in need of urgent assistance near a suburban road in Long Island, New York. Clearly trapped and frightened, the cat stumbled around, possibly hoping for someone to notice and lend a helping hand. The predicament arose as the cat got its head stuck while exploring the inside of a jar, leaving everything in complete darkness.
Fortunately, a compassionate observer spotted the distressed cat and promptly notified John Debacker, the vice president of Long Island Cat/Kitten Solution. Debacker wasted no time and swiftly made his way to the location. Upon arrival, spotting the troubled feline wasn’t a challenge for him.
“I noticed the cat immediately laying on the front of someone’s driveway,” remarked Debacker.
While the circumstance was heart-wrenching, Debacker, with his wealth of rescue experience, wasn’t entirely surprised. He has encountered numerous instances of animals getting ensnared in discarded litter.
“It’s horrible — it happens a lot, actually,” shared Debacker.
Armed with a net and a pair of gloves, Debacker skillfully contained the cat and gently removed the can from its head. Surprisingly, the cat, seemingly understanding that Debacker was there to assist, remained remarkably calm throughout the process.
“He didn’t fight me at all,” noted Debacker.
Upon closer inspection, Debacker recognized that the cat was feral, likely a resident of one of the nearby feral cat colonies. Given the nature of an older feral cat, which cannot be easily domesticated, the most suitable course of action was to implement TNR (trap-neuter-return). This process involves taking the feral cat to a veterinarian for spaying or neutering before safely returning it to its colony.
Liberated from the confining can, the cat was successfully returned to its feral colony. With a stroke of fortune, it is hoped that the cat will steer clear of cans in the future, free from such precarious entanglements.