When Len Twist first realized Kearny had an enormous need for a trap, neuter, return (TNR) program for the town’s feral cat population, he was met with quite a bit of resistance. But after he explained how it all works, he found a believer — former Mayor Alberto G. Santos — and then the rest of the-then Kearny Town Council fell in line.
Fast forward 10 years and Twist’s model is being copied all over the State of New Jersey — there are at least 17 similar programs Twist helped to jump start.
A few weeks ago, Twist presented a special plaque to Mayor Carol Jean Doyle and the council at a meeting in thanks for their support of the program for the last decade. Afterward, Twist took a look back at how he got to the 10th anniversary.
It all began when Twist noticed a large number of feral cats in 2014 where he used to live on East Midland Avenue. (Think of where the railroad tracks once were.) At first, he would feed the cats on his own, but it was not enough. At the time, however, a former Kearny Health Department official didn’t believe in the program and was threatening to fine Twist for feeding the cats.
“He thought giving the cats water would attract mosquitoes,” Twist recalled. “That just wasn’t happening. The water was changed constantly and never got stagnant — so that was one the myths we dispelled.”
The rest of the myths also eventually dissipated.
Twist’s wasn’t the only colony of kitties, either.
There were many of them all over town, including in South Kearny, Belgrove Drive, Harding Terrace, Brighton Avenue, Tappan and John streets and elsewhere. He assembled a dedicated team — most no longer volunteer with him now — but the cats were being fed on a daily basis.
Ten years later, they still are. And he’s still working to do his best Bob Barker by controlling the pet population by having strays spayed and neutered.
Twist sets the traps — he has a lot of them.
“We only set the traps in the daytime,” Twist said. “It’s always been this way.” Why just in the daytime?
Well, Twist recalled one instance where a volunteer forgot to bring her traps in and one night, instead of capturing an innocent cat in need of medical attention, she welcomed a skunk.
“I jokingly told her she was on her own,” Twist said. “Then when the skunk got out of the trap finally, I jokingly told her the skunk had run up her steps and into her apartment. It was a joke, but a reminder that setting the traps only in the daytime is important.”
All sorts of animals have been trapped over the years aside from cats, but those almost always happened when someone forgot to bring a trap inside at night.
Now, originally, the cats were taken to the Lyndhurst Animal Hospital for spaying once trapped. In fact, back in 2014, 30% of the Bergen County Animal Shelter’s intakes, with whom Twist works, were cats who came from Kearny.
The cats are now spayed at Twin Oaks in Teaneck.
The cat population has been cut incredibly over the last decade, but there will always be homeless cats — especially in South Kearny — because heartless people still use that part of town to abandon the poor animals when people move or are unable to properly care for them.
Twist gives immense credit to the people who help him — there are many — and says he has plans in place to keep Twisted Cats going for many more decades to come.
All of the money Twist spends to get the cats spayed, to buy food, other veterinarian visits, etc., comes from donations — Twisted Cats is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization. He says many donate cash over the course of the year. He will write tax receipts for those who donate if they so desire.
In all, it’s been a great 10 years.
“It all began when I retired, I was going through chemo,” Twist said. “But those cats gave me a greater purpose and brought me to a better place and increased how I saw my own self-worth. It wasn’t just something to do — it was life-altering.”
You may donate, too, however you see fit, by sending checks to Twisted Cats, PO Box 298, Kearny, N.J. 07032. You may also reach Twist by phone at (201) 889-5146. Others, meanwhile, may donate cat food. You’ll find a collection box at the exit to the North Arlington Foodtown.
Learn more about the writer ...
Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, an organization he has served since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to Kearny to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.