In contrast to carolers singing under the Arch on Christmas Eve, Kirk Wilcox and his partner Angela were not caroling, but were in good spirits, as they took a break in the park along with their 11 displaced cats. The group has been roaming the city after being evicted from their apartment in the Parkchester section of the Bronx. The cats are housed in two large units made up of separate boxes with windows, air holes, and a litter box on the bottom. Wilcox created and built the units for the cats and they can be rolled by hand. He said there was “no way” he was going to leave the animals behind.
Washington Square Park was just a temporary stop. I talked to Kirk Wilcox while Angela was running an errand. He told me, “We’ve been all over the city.” They sleep on the subways at night when they are less prone to be bothered. Some people they have encountered have called Animal Control and the police but the officers see that they are taking care of the cats and they are left alone. “I have not run into a bad police or animal control officer,” Wilcox stated. Some of the cats had been outdoor cats; all friendly, they seemed to be adapting well. One of the felines, Libby, scurried about a bit in the park bushes but Wilcox snatched her back up. Wilcox said, “I believe everything is going to work out for good.”
How to Help These Homeless NYC Cats & Others
Wilcox provided his number in case anyone would like to help him and Angela and the cats. You can reach them at: ph #929.453.7289
I have heard more than enough stories of people who sadly leave their animals behind when they move. Often, the cats and dogs end up at the Animal Care Center (ACC), the city “shelter” system which is in need of serious reform. Other times animals are brought to ACC because someone died or got sick or sometimes just decided they did not have “time.” There are two main locations in Brooklyn and Manhattan with way too many animals brought in for the wrong reasons which means, under the current rules, adoptable and/or healthy animals are killed daily. While some improvements have been made, and many of the staff are very caring, other changes are too long coming. It was hoped that the ACC would be adopting a “No Kill” system at last under Mayor De Blasio but this has not been the case.
Please consider adopting from the ACC for the New Year and save an animal’s life, in the spirit of what Kirk and Angela are doing to keep theirs in their family.
** Here’s an easy link to two amazing cats there who need homes: lovely black & white guy Skyy… or this sweet calico girl. **
Good luck to Kirk, Angela, and the cats, and all the others without homes!
A related postscript: There has been some coverage lately about homeless people living in Washington Square Park. If people are not causing trouble, and they are there mainly at night when no one else is using the space, and since so many are being made homeless by policies which favor developers, landlords and the uber-wealthy, I think we might show a little empathy…
Happy New Year!
Photos: Cathryn