An elderly cat was rescued from a Harlem apartment after spending nearly a week trapped inside without food or water. The apartment had been sealed by police following the unexpected deaths of the owners, Jeffrey Newman and Jayson Conner.
Kelly Mahoney, founder of Big Apple Cat Rescue, learned about the 15-year-old tortoiseshell-tabby mix, named Thai, through social media posts from friends of the couple. While it was known that their dogs had been removed, concerns grew about the cat's whereabouts.
Newman, 58, and Conner, 49, founded Backpacks for the Street, a nonprofit that provided essentials and services to homeless New Yorkers. Conner died of cardiac arrest on June 28, according to a Facebook post by Newman. Newman himself died a few days later; the cause of his death is under investigation by the city Medical Examiner, and police do not suspect foul play.
Mahoney contacted Thai's cat sitter, who confirmed the cat had been left behind when the apartment was sealed. Mahoney then contacted the NYPD, who stated the apartment could not be opened without a court order. After a persistent effort, she convinced a sergeant at the 32nd Precinct to investigate.
"She listened to the story, grabbed a new seal and said, 'Let's go,'" Mahoney recounted. Upon entering the apartment, which had likely been sealed for about a week, officers were surprised to find Thai alive. The cat emerged crying, and Mahoney described the moment as if she were saying, "You're here."
Thai is now in foster care and has shown no urgent medical issues. Mahoney noted the cat's resilience. A friend of Newman and Conner is expected to adopt Thai.