This definitely isn't new. I had an apartment in Bushwick through the 2000s, and due to construction in the surrounding area, the rats on our block and occasionally in our building were huge and relentless.

Then my neighbor moved in. She was a pet photographer by trade, but also cared for all the neighborhood cats as well as all the area bodega cats - making sure they all had their shots and were spayed / neutered. She also traps around the city when needed. We had 4 street cats that just hung out on our block because she would leave food for them. I would occasionally feed her own three cats and whatever stray she had locked in the bathroom when she had to go out of town.

That's how I got my cantankerous orange tabby. He was abandoned on the streets of Bushwick and was fortunate for my neighbor. He hates everyone but my wife and I, and tolerates our young son. But he sleeps with us every night and rubs on our feet when he needs attention. There's no way he would have made it this far (13 years and counting) without my neighbor bringing him in as a kitten.

I was hoping to see her show up in the article.