By Aziza Shuler, Scott Jacobson

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PHILADELPHIA (KYW) — At the Stray Cat Relief Fund adoption center in South Philadelphia, a group of playful, wide-eyed kittens are adjusting to their new situation after a rather unusual rescue.

These cats weren’t just found on the streets. SEPTA workers discovered a mother cat and her five kittens nested in the walls and ceiling of the 63rd Street Station on the Market-Frankford Line.

“For the last two nights they’ve been trying to pull the cats out,” said SEPTA manager John Murphy. “Today they decided to take out the wall. The cat was able to climb all the way down through our system and build a little nest.”

After spending the day caring for the cat crew, Murphy handed them over to Debra DiStanisloa and her team of volunteers at the Stray Cat Relief Fund, where the cats were examined and treated for worms and fleas.

Considering how clean and friendly the mother cat is, DiStanisloa suspects she was once a house cat. The Stray Cat Relief Fund takes in at least 700 rescued cats annually, and surprisingly, this isn’t the first time cats have been found at a SEPTA station.

“It’s common knowledge that there are cats down there in the subway. We rescued one a few months ago,” said DiStanisloa, vice president of the Stray Cat Relief Fund. “I know some of the staff have taken kittens home and bottle fed them. It’s good to see a rescue like this first hand… to know they don’t have to suffer on the streets.”

Murphy praised his team for their efforts.

“I work with a lot of great people,” he said. “They care. They love their jobs. They care about people and develop them.”

If you are interested in adopting or fostering the adorable subway kitties or any of the Stray Cat Relief Fund’s cats, you can apply at straycatrelieffund.org.

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