Woman noticed a dirty zipped-up canvas bag on the sidewalk after work — then froze when she read the two words written on it

As a volunteer with a New York organization, the woman decided it was best to inform its president.

PUBLISHED 9 HOURS AGO

(L) Young Woman Packing Her Bag, (R) A woman looking somewhere surprised. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | (L)urbazon, (R) Koron)

A woman was leaving for work when a strange sight stopped her in her tracks. She noticed a dirty zipped-up canvas tote lying aimlessly on the sidewalk. The woman did not meddle with it until she read the two words written on the bag that left her cold to her feet in October 2025. The woman from New York rang up a senior to ask for advice and took the bag to a safe place. Soon, the chilling situation transformed into a heartwarming encounter that no one expected.

Kitten inside a bag. (Representative Image Source: Unsplash | Tran Mau Tri Tam)

When the unnamed woman caught hold of the bag and peered inside, she could not believe the heartbreaking scene. The bag was zipped up, but it had “Cats Caution” written on the other side. Inside the bag, four tiny kittens whimpered and cried while their mother cat was nowhere to be seen. She figured the babies were not even two weeks old. “They were crying a lot because they probably hadn't eaten in a few hours,” Meagan Licari, the president of PuppyKittyNYC, an animal rescue, told The Dodo. The woman who rescued the kittens worked as a volunteer for the organization and decided it was best to inform Licari.

Two kittens sleeping together. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Beton studio)

The rescuers were confident the kittens were being taken care of by their mother because they seemed nourished and healthy. However, the responsibility for their survival was now bestowed on them as the kittens needed constant care and attention. Later, a foster parent was assigned who bottle-fed the kittens and tucked them in soft blankets in her bathtub. In no time, the future looked bright for the four little furballs named Shoelace, Buckle, Button, and Zipper. They were eating and showing signs of playfulness that restored hope in the rescuers. Days passed, and at four weeks old, the kittens started showcasing their unique personalities.

A woman rescues kittens. (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Japheth Mast)

The four babies were ready to wean off milk and move on to a wet-food diet. “They're starting to … really walk around and play,” Licari shared, hinting at their favorite activities. The rescuers were thrilled by the progress of the babies and had started planning their vaccinations. In the upcoming weeks, the kittens will also be spayed and neutered to help control the local stray cat population in New York. Licari suggested the kittens be adopted in pairs to reduce the risks of anxiety and loneliness, except when the adoption family owned another young cat.

Cats eating food from bowl while owner pets them. (Representative Image Source: Pexels| Photo by Helena Lopes) — Cats eating food from bowl while owner pets them. (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Photo by Helena Lopes)

In a video shared by the organization, a woman introduced the babies while holding each of them to the camera. There were two black kittens, one gray and one white sibling, all huddled together in the woman’s lap. According to Pet MD, a kitten’s first year is the most delicate growth stage as it undergoes fundamental physical and cognitive changes. They develop new instinctual traits with every passing week and appear like miniature cats. However, newborns are incapable of defending themselves and tend to move around by crawling and require protection from their mother or foster parents.