It’s not often you see a strange animal fumbling around town with a jar on its head.
But, when some residents began noticing the distressed animal, they went in for a closer look.
What they found was a fluffy cat – with her head stuck inside a jar.
For days, the neighbors attempted to catch the confused cat, hoping to get her in before the holidays. Even some local rescuers got in on the action, but the cat, named Merry for the holiday season, refused to let anyone get close enough to help her.
The two rescuers, Marcia Sandford Fishkind and Eileen DiNicola, got in contact with a local expert in animal rescue, hoping he could help them.
John Debacker agreed to help, and on Christmas Day, he found himself in New Jersey.
I pretty much just ran out the door to help. I didn’t even tell my family where I was going,” said Debacker, vice president of Long Island Cat/Kitten Solution.
A phone call alerting Debacker to a sighting of the gray tabby, had him rushing to the location.
John Debacker poses with Merry after he rescued her. Photo by Eileen DiNicola
“John climbed over the fence and onto the junk so quietly and gingerly, as to not scare her away, and scruffed her quickly and got her right into the carrier,” DiNicola said.
Debacker said it was all about being calm and quiet.
“When I got there, I very stealthily, slowly approached the cat so it wouldn’t run away,” he said. His next move was to take off the jar.
“I slowly twisted it off her head while she was in the carrier [so] as to not injure her,” Debacker said.
She didn’t resist at all.”
Once Merry was free, she was put in a pet carrier. Seemingly unhurt, video of the rescue showed the cat embracing her new-found freedom and watching the rescuers with curiosity.
Merry was taken by rescuers to the Brick City Kitties Rescue Inc., and received medical attention. From there, she was taken to Fishkind’s home, to get acclimated to life off the streets.
Volunteers began working with Merry to see if the little cat was friendly or feral.
Merry was rescued and the jar, seen on top of her crate, removed from her head. Photo by Eileen DiNicola
If the cat was found to be feral, Debacker said they would spay her and then return her to the neighborhood. They do this to allow the cats to go back to their life, but not have to worry that they will have more kittens and continue with pet overpopulation.
According to the Animal Protection League of New Jersey, there can be upwards of 200,000 feral cats during winter, and more than 400,000 during the summer.
Debacker said that if residents want to help strays, as well as wildlife, they can make sure to properly discard waste.
“We always advise people to crush their cans, so hungry animals can’t squeeze their face in while searching for food,” he said. “It’s actually pretty common unfortunately.”
Fortunately for Merry, she was friendly and happy to be indoors. The shelter has now put her up for adoption.
For a look at this amazing rescue, watch below.
