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Photo by Tom Callan

Feline volunteer Nicole Abramovici visits the BARC shelter dressed as her superhero alter-ego, Prowler. She’s part of a growing number of volunteers, called Superheroes Anonymous, who pick causes to devote their time to while donning homemade costumes.

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This superhero is on the prowl — to help Williamsburg’s homeless kittens.

Twice a month, Fort Greene resident Nicole Abramovici brings food, clothing and toys to stray cats and dogs at Williamsburg’s Brooklyn Animal Resource Coalition and a Manhattan humane society — while wearing a fancy get-up that makes her look like a real-life cat woman.

Abramovici is part of a growing number of volunteers called Superheroes Anonymous who pick causes, such as homelessness, crime or animal rights, and devote their time while wearing garb that accentuates their personal style.

More than two dozen vigilante do-gooders dress in Kevlar and tights and meet twice a month at Bedford Avenue’s Spacecraft for a clothing workshop.

That’s where Abramovici, a professional organizer, developed her persona — “the Prowler” — after sharing her ideas with the like-minded everyday heroes who helped her transform recycled clothing from a theater company into her costume, which features a black cape, stretchy black leggings, and dark gloves with fingernails molded to look like cat nails.

“A prowler prowls the neighborhood and cats prowl the neighborhood,” said Abramovici. “It’s the perfect moniker for what I was going to do which is go around the town and try to make sure that people and animals are all right.”

Now she collects food and extra clothing from her hoarding clients and brings those toys, cat food and bits of fabric to more than 50 cats at the shelter.

She’s not the only one in on the fun.

Superheroes with names like “Shade,” “Zero,” “Battle Star,” “Dream Catcher,” and “Superquiet” all worked on their costumes at Spacecraft after being inspired by their peers.

Superquiet, an Israeli woman actually named Jennifer Sebban, wears a black cape and eye-mask in order to quiet down the noisy neighborhood.

“I’m quiet, I shut up nasty people,” said Sebban. “I just go, ‘shush!’ ”

Spacecraft co-owner Stella Metzner said she enjoys helping Brooklyn’s next generation of volunteers find their own way in the world by helping people.

“The coolest part of this group is that each person is actually doing something heroic for humanity,” said Metzner. “Each person saving the world in their own way and creating a superhero persona out of that is cool.”

Spacecraft [355 Bedford Ave. at N. Fourth Street, Williamsburg (718) 599-2718] Monday-Friday 10 am-6 pm, Weekends, 11 am-7 pm. For info, www.spacecraftbrooklyn.com.

©2011 Community Newspaper Group