‘Lucky to Be Alive.’ Cat rescued along LIRR tracks still recovering
The cat, now known as "Garfield," was rescued on Sunday after MTA officials say a passing train engineer first saw the cat between the Lindenhurst and Babylon stations along the Babylon branch.
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The cat rescued from the Long Island Rail Road tracks along the Babylon branch is recovering from serious injuries.
The cat, now known as "Garfield," was rescued on Sunday after MTA officials say a passing train engineer first saw the cat between the Lindenhurst and Babylon stations along the Babylon branch.
The engineer contacted local cat rescue expert John DeBacker for assistance, who then notified MTA police.
Doctors say he's lucky to be alive.
"My understanding is he was hit by a train or was found by the railroad track and was basically found almost dead," said Tomas Infernuso, a surgeon at Animal Surgical Center.
The cat was found between the rails.
Rescuers were able to get him out safely.
"We're not sure how he survived the train hit, but he did," DeBacker said.
He's already had surgery.
"There was trauma to the spine, both back legs were broken and shattered," Infernuso said. "The whole frontal area, the nasal bone and the frontal sinuses, everything was basically ruptured and fractured. We're going to do a very aggressive physical therapy program to ensure that he can regain the function, because right now, the concern is the spinal injury."
Garfield has a long road to recovery ahead of him. But he's continuing to recover at the Animal Surgical Center.
After Garfield is fully recovered, the hope is that he will find his forever home.
