Kitty Snows, a cat well-known for her contribution to controlling the rodent population in Washington D.C.’s Foggy Bottom neighborhood, has gone missing. Kitty Snows is part of the Humane Rescue Alliance’s Blue Collar Cats program, which deploys outdoor cats incapable of adapting to indoor life as a natural solution to rodent infestations.
The program encourages community members to look after these working cats, providing them with food, water, and shelter while they keep the area free of rodents. Since July 2021, Kitty Snows had been fulfilling this role after the community placed her in Foggy Bottom, where she quickly became an integral and much-loved part of the neighborhood.
DC’s Foggy Bottom neighborhood looking for stolen cat who combats local rodent problem
Local residents expressed their dismay after discovering that someone had illegally trapped and rehomed Kitty Snows earlier this month. Foggy Bottom resident Sadie Cornelius expressed the community’s fondness for Kitty Snows, highlighting how well the cat had adapted to her role. “She gets to live her best life outside while getting unlimited food and water,” Cornelius stated.
The community has rallied to locate Kitty Snows, with leads suggesting the cat may now be in an apartment at The Watergate — per WTOP News. Efforts to communicate with the individual(s) believed to have taken her have so far been unsuccessful, with Cornelius mentioning that a neighbor even wrote a letter requesting Kitty Snows’ return, but to no avail.
The situation poses concerns for both Kitty Snows’ well-being and the safety of those she’s with, as feral cats are not suited to indoor environments. “That’s actually really dangerous to have a feral cat inside, for the human and for the animal,” Cornelius added.
Residents, determined to see Kitty Snows returned to the streets where she plays a crucial role, are attempting to resolve the situation amicably without involving law enforcement. The Blue Collar Cats program noted the significance of such cats, not only as a humane and efficient method of pest control but also as an opportunity for these animals to live fulfilling lives.
