While waiting for her train at a New York City platform, Kristine Malone heard something unusual—little cries echoing from the tracks below! Curious, she peered down and spotted a small, fuzzy orange ball nestled among the stones of a wall. Looking up at her, the tiny creature let out another urgent cry for help.
Rescue Mission
Thinking swiftly, Kristine made an urgent post on social media, hoping someone would have advice. Fortunately, John Debacker, the vice president of Long Island Cat/Kitten Solution, Inc., saw the message and rushed to help.
Upon arriving at the train station, John faced unexpected challenges. As he explained, “It was tricky getting to the kitten because he was down in the tracks. We were trying to figure out how to reach him from street level without endangering ourselves.” He sought assistance from two Metro-North police officers, who, being animal lovers, gladly agreed to help. “They shut off the power and escorted us onto the tracks,” he said.
Once on the tracks and close to the fuzzy ball, the team discovered it was indeed a little kitten. Working quickly to avoid scaring the animal, they carefully scooped him up with a rescue net and secured him to safety.
The rescue mission was a success! The team emerged from the tracks with the little orange kitten safe in their arms.
With extensive experience rescuing stray cats, John immediately sensed that this little kitten, named Metro, was special. “He was very scared, but unlike typical feral kittens, he was sweet almost instantly,” John shared.
New Life
Afterward, John took Metro to a local shelter, Last Hope, Inc., for temporary housing. A couple of weeks later, Kristine, the woman who initially heard Metro’s cries, returned to adopt him, providing him with a loving home.
Metro is now thriving with Kristine and her daughter, enjoying a life free of danger. Though happy with his new situation, he’s likely learned to avoid train tracks forever. As Last Hope, Inc. shared, “[Malone] and her daughter, Destiny, sing Metro’s praises, and he is thoroughly enjoying his new life like a feline fairy tale.”
