Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Ravenswood Cats Trapped, Dying In Crawl Spaces
By
Jen Carlson
Published Aug 24, 2010
Modified Aug 24, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Carlson
Published Aug 24, 2010
Modified Aug 24, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Remember the troupe of stray cats that pretty much took over the Ravenswood apartment complex in Queens? The New York City Housing Authority wanted them out, but no all residents agreed with the tactics they were going to use—which included sealing up crawl spaces that kittens were trapped in!
Yesterday those locals trying to help, including SaveKitty's President Debi Romano, posted an update alerting everyone that the cats were indeed sealed up, and are now "trapped and dying a horrible death from incredibly hot temperatures in the crawl spaces and lack of food." Turns out the NYCHA (NYC Housing Authority) hired a contractor "who raced through the job, prematurely sealing up the crawl spaces. It was done in such haste that they sealed the buildings in 4 days, instead of the two or more weeks it should have taken."
Romano, who originally was trying to fund a trap, neuter and release program, is still seeking help in breaking through the seals and saving the cats. Today the NY Post reported on the scenario, saying 12 or more could be stuck in the spaces. However, Housing Authority spokeswoman Sheila Stainback told them they checked and found no cats before sealing the area.
Tagged
cats
nycha
queens
Ravenswood
SaveKitty
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Neighborhood 'zoo' of blocked driveways leads New Yorker to boot someone’s parked car
"First of all, why did he even own a boot? That's not something a normal person has."
By
Carol Chen
Published Oct 9, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. ET
Several arrested in wake of ICE protest where Manhattan man was shot in the neck
Oscar Belgal was in his car with his 5-year-old when ICE agents fired seven shots into the vehicle.
By
Brittany Kriegstein
News
Several arrested in wake of ICE protest where Manhattan man was shot in the neck
Oscar Belgal was in his car with his 5-year-old when ICE agents fired seven shots into the vehicle.
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Bronx homeowners facing foreclosure are in the market for assistance
By
Willow Higgins
Cornell students warned of fraternity 'rape culture' years before Jane Doe case
By
Walter Wuthmann
ICE agent fires 7 rounds, shoots man in neck in NYC's Marble Hill, NYPD says
By
Giulia Heyward
and
Arya Sundaram
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .