Even in a community as tight-knit as Bergen Beach, there exists a major divide between those who love and care for the neighborhood feral cat population and those who view them as a nuisance and want them gone. With one cat confirmed dead and two still missing, residents can’t help but wonder if the felines have been poisoned and/or abducted.
The three cats in question (nicknamed Daisy, Violet and Rosie) were believed to be part of a larger clowder of ferals who had been living in a construction yard on East 69th Street until they were displaced by a fire there in January. These three adult brown tabby cats, likely related, and easily identified by their fluffy ringed tails survived thanks to the kindness of strangers, who provided the trio with food, milk and water throughout the cold winter months, when it is especially difficult for stray cats to hunt wild mice and birds that have hunkered down for the season.
When the first cat had been found dead on the sidewalk at the corner of Avenue X and East 70th Street early Saturday morning, April 1st, drenched by the downpour but intact, residents assumed the kitty had died of natural causes but realized they had not seen the other two cats for days. When the cats failed to show up for evening feedings several nights after, it seemed to be more than just a mere coincidence. While there could be any number of possible explanations, and residents fear the worst, they are still holding out hope that their furry friends will eventually return to them safe and sound