In Loving Memory of Marie Siano
Marie Siano was more than a cat rescuer — she was a beacon of compassion in the Sheepshead Bay community. Beginning in the 1980s, Marie quietly and tirelessly devoted herself to helping the stray and feral cats that roamed the streets of Brooklyn.
Her home became a sanctuary for cats that had nowhere else to go. She took in the sick, the injured, the abandoned, and the forgotten. She nursed them back to health, gave them warmth and love, and found many of them forever homes. Those she couldn't place, she cared for herself, sometimes housing dozens of cats at a time.
Marie was a pioneer of TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) in her neighborhood long before it became widely recognized as the most humane and effective way to manage feral cat populations. She spent countless hours trapping cats, coordinating with veterinarians, and returning them to their colonies where she maintained feeding stations and monitored their wellbeing.
"Marie's kindness, selflessness, and unwavering devotion to cats inspired everyone who knew her. She never sought recognition or praise — she simply did what needed to be done because she couldn't bear to see an animal suffer."
When Marie passed, her family knew her work had to continue. Her son Mike, together with relatives, friends, and longtime volunteers, founded Siano's Strays to honor her legacy and ensure that the cats she loved so dearly would never be forgotten.
Every cat we rescue, every colony we manage, and every life we save is a tribute to Marie. Her spirit lives on in the purrs of the cats she helped and in the hearts of everyone who carries forward her mission.
Siano's Strays exists because Marie showed us what one person's love can accomplish. Now, together, we continue her work.