Somehow, some way, a nearly blind cat that was taken more than a year ago from the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) showed up on the streets of New York City earlier this month. What happened over that time remains a mystery for now, but thanks to technology and the kindness of a few people, a happy ending is on the horizon for the black cat named Jack Daniels.
As SFGate reported, the story began when Jack Daniels and his brother, who was (of course) named Jim Beam, were brought to the SPCA in May 2009 by animal control officers. Jack Daniels already had poor vision at that time, courtesy of scarred corneas, and relied on his brother, “who acted as a sort of seeing-eye cat,” according to SPCA veterinarian and interim co-president Jennifer Scarlett. The hope was that both brothers would be adopted by the same household, but then Jack Daniels was taken, just a week after he and Jim Beam had been put up for adoption. The SPCA got police involved and volunteers tried to find him, but to no avail. Later, Jim Beam was adopted, but Jack Daniels’ remained unaccounted for.
Fast forward to August 4 of this year and animal control officers in New York City “spied a nearly blind, apparently homeless black cat ambling along 110th street,” so he was brought to an animal shelter. As it happens, the cat had a microchip, which was scanned and noted that his owner was the San Francisco SPCA. Jack Daniels had re-emerged. As Scarlett was quoted, “That shelter is so busy. To think that someone took the time to track us down … I’m actually very moved by it. When you think of all the horrible things that happen in the world, it’s such a beautiful thing to see so many people come together for a little black cat.”
One of those people was LeeAnn Falciani, a book designer in Brooklyn, who was on the phone with her veterinarian, Dr. Jennifer Gabriele, when Gabriele received an email about trying to find someone to take Jack Daniels back to San Francisco. Gabriel told Falciani the story and the next thing you know, Falciani was on a plane, taking the cat to the Bay Area, and JetBlue let him fly free of charge.
And now, unless he has an owner in New York wondering where he is, he’ll go back up for adoption. Maybe, just maybe, the family that adopted Jim Beam is looking for another cat.
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Screengrab via Mike Kepka/The Chronicle.