Cat Named Garfield Survives Train Hit, Rescued from Tracks

A cat who spent nearly a full day injured on active train tracks is now getting the medical care he needs, thanks to a vigilant train engineer who refused to give up on him.

The orange and cream cat, later named Garfield for his resemblance to the cartoon character, was first spotted on the tracks near Lindenhurst station on Saturday night. A Long Island Rail Road engineer assumed the worst when he saw the motionless feline.

But something made that same engineer look closer when he passed the same spot Sunday evening around 7 p.m. This time, Garfield moved his head.

The engineer immediately called for help. The MTA briefly shut off power to the rails, allowing three MTA officers and local cat rescuers to safely reach the injured animal.

"The cat was staring at us the entire time, we locked eyes with him," said Officer Vikki Machado. "We wanted to make sure he didn't run away."

The rescue team faced a delicate challenge. One wrong move could send the frightened, injured cat running into danger.

John DeBacker, Vice President of Long Island Cat Kitten Solution rescue, devised a clever plan with the MTA officers. "I asked them if they could step in front of the cat so that they would distract the cat so the cat would look at them and not me so I could cover him with the net," he explained.

The strategy worked perfectly. Garfield was safely captured and taken to South Shore Feral Care in West Babylon for emergency treatment.

Sunny's Take

Garfield faces a tough road ahead with a complete fracture of his front limb, a broken nose, and two fractured hips. But veterinarians say his youth gives him a strong chance of healing well. He's now stable with a full medical team caring for him, including an orthopedic specialist.

"We were able to give them the help they needed to rescue Garfield and it ended up being a good day," said Officer Patrick McCormick. The MTA completed the entire rescue without interrupting train service, proving that compassion and efficiency can work together.

Sometimes the smallest lives inspire the biggest teamwork.