Kitnapping: Cat rescue charity offers $1,500 reward for feline stolen from NYC adoption event

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A cat rescue nonprofit in New York is offering a $1,500 cash reward for the safe return of a kitten that was reportedly kidnapped from an adoption event in Manhattan over the weekend.

The Fabulous Feline, a 501(c)(3) based in Valley Stream on Long Island, is offering the reward after their cat, Sprout, was taken Sunday from a Petco Love adoption event in Union Square, according to local PIX11.

"It all happened so fast that I didn’t even realize it happened," Pat Irizarry told the outlet, noting that she and her partner attended the busy event with all of their cats securely locked in cages.

"It wasn’t until two witnesses told me that I realized our kitten was stolen; someone had cut the zip ties and removed it from the cage," she said.

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The Fabulous Feline is offering a $1,500 cash reward for the safe return of Sprout after the cat was reportedly kidnapped Sunday in Manhattan. (The Fabulous Feline)

A witness reportedly snapped a photo of the alleged pink-clad cat-napper, which is on the organization's Facebook page. Irizarry also filed a police report with the NYPD.

"I was so upset, I wasn’t in the right state of mind," Irizarry told PIX11. "Sprout was only four months old, and I had hand-fed that kitten and watched over it. She was born from a litter of three kittens and only two survived; one of her siblings was stillborn."

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Sprout was reportedly stolen from a Petco Love adoption event in Union Square, Manhattan, New York City, on Sunday. (The Fabulous Feline)

Irizarry explained to the outlet that her nonprofit is small and that she pays for many expenses herself while also relying on donations.

The adoption fees for The Fabulous Feline's cats – all of which are microchipped, vaccinated and spayed or neutered – range from $125 to $200.

"I’ll meet you in a secure location, no cameras, no questions," Irizarry said when asked what she would say to the alleged cat thief.

Sprout was reportedly stolen during a pet adoption event in Union Square, pictured here in December 2021. (Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images)

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"I’ll verify it’s my kitten, and you can take the money," she added. "Had you told me you could not afford the adoption fee, I would’ve gladly walked you through the process of how to obtain an animal for free."