Bonus: Chiclet on Mary Whalen in Red Hook
Image courtesy PortSide NewYork
Chiclet, a rescue cat from the Rockaways, may be one of the few cats in New York City who has sea legs. As a ship cat, she keeps an eye on the Mary Whalen, the repurposed oil tanker that serves as the floating office and venue for PortSide NewYork in Red Hook. There, she’s become the official greeter, keeps the ship rodent free and serves as an inspector on all pier and outdoor ship work. She even designed the PortSide NewYork Twitter page, and is actively involved in resiliency work, writing essays about the topic, which you can check out here.
Despite what her physical appearance might suggest, Chiclet is not a kitten. A “visiting four-year-old” named her after “a small gum” due to her overall small size. In 2012, Chiclet was also listed in Time Out’s list of top New York City mascots.