Black Friday was a record-setting shopping day in the Big Apple — for cats.
A line wrapped around East 92nd Street for most of the day last Friday as dozens of soon-to-be cat parents waited to go pick out a kitty at the ASPCA’s “Cat Friday,” an annual promotional event that waived adoption fees.
“Moving these animals from the shelter to safe and loving homes is a life-changing gift to them and to the families who take them in, and I hope this amazing event inspires potential adopters to also open their homes and hearts to pets in need,” ASPCA president Matt Bershadker said in a statement.
The annual cat sale included waiving the adoption fees — typically $125 for kittens and $75 for cats that are more than a year old — as well as providing free collars, ID tags and a chance to win tickets to “Cats” on Broadway.
A total of 89 cats and kittens were adopted that day, a new record for the animal shelter. The previous record was last July when the ASPCA adoption center held its annual “Clear The Shelters” event that led to 81 animals finding their forever homes.
Last year, only 61 cats were adopted on Cat Friday.
And in addition to the 89 felines adopted, another 44 animals, including cats and dogs, were placed on hold and will leave the shelter once they are old or healthy enough.
“The enormous success of Cat Friday demonstrates New Yorkers’ deep instinct for compassion, even on a day so focused on consumerism,” Berkshadker said.
The event was so successful that there are only 20 adoptable cats left at the shelter, although an ASPCA spokeswoman noted “that number is always changing.”