It was late afternoon in New York City when a woman heading home noticed something strange resting against the curb — a worn, dirt-streaked canvas bag.
It looked heavy and zipped shut, but what stopped her in her tracks were the words scrawled on one side: “cats caution.”
Her pulse quickened. She bent down, unsure what she would find, and gently unzipped the bag. The moment the fabric parted, soft, fragile cries rose into the air.
Forgotten On The Sidewalk
Inside were four newborn kittens — their tiny bodies trembling, their eyes only half open. They were so small they could fit in her palm, barely two weeks old and completely alone.
For a second, the woman froze in disbelief. Whoever had left them there had at least written a warning, but still, it broke her heart.
She worked with a rescue group called PuppyKittyNYC, so she knew exactly who to call. Within moments, she was on the phone with Meagan Licari, the organization’s president, who rushed to guide her through what to do next.
When Licari heard the kittens crying, her heart sank. “They must have gone hours without food,” she said later. Their tiny voices were desperate, but miraculously, they were healthy.
Their little bellies weren’t sunken, their fur showed no sign of fleas, and their eyes sparkled faintly with life.
Somewhere, they must have had a mother who had loved them before they were taken away.
A Warm Bathtub Becomes Their First Home
Because the kittens were so young, they needed someone who could feed them every few hours — even through the night.
Licari reached out to one of the group’s most experienced fosters, a woman who had raised countless newborns before. That night, the kittens found safety in an unexpected place: a warm bathroom, inside a soft blanket nest laid in the bathtub.
The foster gently cleaned each one, dried their fur, and fed them drops of kitten formula from a bottle. The tiniest of the four purred weakly after eating, curling up against his siblings for warmth. T
heir bellies slowly filled, and their cries turned softer — the sounds of relief.
Days turned into weeks, and the transformation was remarkable. The babies began to wobble on unsteady paws, exploring their little world as if the bathtub were a playground. Their fur grew thick and soft, and their eyes widened into curious pools of blue.
Every small milestone — their first confident step, their first playful pounce — felt like a celebration.
“They’re learning how to walk, but it’s still funny to watch,” Licari said with a laugh. “They move like little sailors trying to find their balance.”
Each day brought something new — a tumble, a squeaky meow, a brotherly wrestle that ended in a pile of sleepy kittens.
Tiny Survivors With Big Futures
Now at about four weeks old, the kittens are thriving. They’ve begun switching from milk to soft food, and they eat with enthusiasm that makes their foster laugh.
When they’re not eating, they’re climbing over each other in a fluffy heap, testing their tiny legs and learning how to play like real cats.
Each one has earned a fitting name — Shoelace, Buckle, Button, and Zipper — a playful nod to the bag that once carried them toward an uncertain fate. Zipper, the smallest, is bold and fearless. Buckle meows the loudest when he’s hungry.
Shoelace prefers to cuddle, while Button seems happiest tumbling over her siblings. Their personalities are shining brighter with each passing day.
In just a few more weeks, once they’ve received their vaccines and been spayed or neutered, they’ll be ready to find forever homes.
Licari hopes they’ll be adopted in pairs — two brothers or two sisters together — so they can keep growing with a playmate by their side. Families who already have a young cat would also be perfect matches.
Their journey began in fear and confusion, but now it’s filled with promise. From a cold sidewalk to a warm home, these kittens remind everyone at PuppyKittyNYC that even the smallest act of kindness — one person stopping to unzip a bag — can change the course of four little lives.
They are no longer hidden or forgotten.
They are loved, safe, and ready to start the next chapter of their story — one that will be written inside the hearts of the families lucky enough to adopt them.