“[T]hey really didn’t want any of the cats …”
Brooklyn Warehouse Cats Saved After “Free Cats” Sign Sparks Rescue
When a New York City resident passed a local warehouse in Brooklyn last week, a simple piece of cardboard taped to the door made them stop in their tracks. Scribbled in black marker were two heartbreaking words: “Free Cats.”
Concerned, the passerby stepped inside to learn more — and quickly realized the situation was more serious than it seemed.
According to Greenpoint Cats, a local rescue group, the warehouse owners had started with two cats. But after failing to spay or neuter them, that small family had doubled in size — and the owners now wanted to give away the two youngest kittens to anyone willing to take them.
“The finder explained to the owners the importance of spay/neutering the entire family — especially before handing off the kittens who were old enough to have kittens of their own,” Greenpoint Cats shared on Instagram.
To their relief, the owners listened. After a conversation about responsible pet care, they decided to surrender all four cats to the rescue instead of just two.
Greenpoint Cats immediately stepped in, arranging transport to a nearby veterinary clinic. There, each cat received a full health check and was safely spayed to prevent any more unwanted litters.
Just a week later, the little feline family’s lives have completely changed. One of the cats has already found a forever home, while three others — Crepe Suzette, Soufflé, and Flapjack — are still waiting for theirs.
“Crepe Suzette is a one-year-old tortie love bug who prefers being the only cat,” the rescue wrote. “Her daughter, Soufflé, is equally affectionate and described by her foster as ‘more puppy than cat.’”
Flapjack, the only black cat of the group, is still a bit shy but slowly coming out of her shell. “She’s learning to trust people again,” rescuers said, hopeful that her perfect match is just around the corner.
While the team is celebrating this family’s transformation, their work is far from done. The situation at the warehouse is part of a larger problem across New York City — unspayed cats multiplying in industrial spaces and back alleys.
“We’ve taken in more than 40 unwanted cats and kittens from local warehouses this year,” Greenpoint Cats explained. “It’s an ongoing issue that needs community support — from neighbors, businesses, and city agencies — to require and provide spay/neuter services that stop the cycle of suffering.”
Thanks to one concerned neighbor and a dedicated rescue team, these four cats have a second chance — and their story is helping shine a light on how compassion and education can change countless feline lives across the city.