They want to remove 200 legendary stray cats

According to a new plan by the United States National Park Service, hundreds of stray cats will be removed from a historic, seaside tourist zone in Puerto Rico's capital this year. The tabbies bring joy to many, but reportedly annoyance to some.

Fans of the strays panicked upon hearing the news, which is not surprising, but the authorities have their own arguments. The situation of cats in Puerto Rico will change in the future.

Cats in Puerto Rico face an uncertain situation

The national park announced in its plan that it will contract with an animal welfare organization to remove about 200 cats from the 75-acre area surrounding El Morro, a 16th-century fortress, at the San Juan National Historic Site. If the organization fails to collect the cats within 6 months, the park will hire a “removal agency.” “All visitors will benefit from the removal of a potential disease vector from the park” – mentioned in the service plan.

“The six-month timetable to remove the cats is unrealistic. Anyone who has worked with cats knows that is impossible. They are setting us up for failure” – said Ana María Salicrup, secretary of the board of directors of the Save a Gato nonprofit group, which currently assists in the care of the cats and hopes to be contracted for the task.

Some of the cats currently living in the area are believed to be descendants of colonial-era cats. Some of them were brought to the capital by San Juan’s legendary mayor, Felisa Rincón de Gautier, in the mid-20th century to eliminate rats. The mentioned organization’s volunteers take care of the cats. They feed and neuter them, and prepare many for adoption.

About 2 years ago, everything seemed fine. Allegedly, the smell of cat feces began to bother more and more people in the historic area as the population began to increase. The park’s operators aim to protect the historic site, as well as the safety of visitors and workers, with this measure.

Pros and cons

However, it seems that the residents of San Juan do not want to part with these cats. They consider them part of the landscape, regarding them as the “wonders of old San Juan.” Many locals feed them. they often walk by just to meet these animals. They even have their own statue in the park.

The National Park Service also emphasized that the current cat feeding stations must be discontinued. It also drew citizens’ attention to the fact that unauthorized feeding of cats is prohibited. This is because it attracts rats and encourages those people who want to get rid of their cats to leave them here, as they will get food anyway.

The selected animal welfare organization will also decide whether to adopt out the captured cats, place them in temporary care, keep them in shelters, or choose another option. Finding homes for 200 cats is still difficult even though they will have the opportunity to place individuals in the United States; unfortunately, shelters there are also overcrowded. The National Park Service also noted that the 6-month deadline for trapping cats could be extended if significant progress is seen during that time. If not, they will abandon the current plan and hire a “removal agency.”