A worker at the local prison got in touch with Wera del Caribe, basically a friend that does TNR or Trap Neuter Return, about getting help neutering the cats in a cat colony in the prison.

Normally doing TNR is a straight forward process.  You place traps, neuter and mark the cats that are trapped and released them, but because this was inside of a prison where hardened criminals are incarcerated, we could not go in and regular traps could not be used because they have metal and that poses a security risk.

We were not discouraged but instead started to work on a solution.  I had already started working on a design for traps without metal, Wera del Caribe was trying to contact government officials and organizations to get material and economic support and Stardust Kitten Club started looking for foster homes for the cats socialized enough to be rehomed.

The warden even agreed to have a meeting so we could explain the benefits of a prison TNR program, but then something unexpected happened that threw all our plans overboard.

The warden learned that one cat was so friendly that he had been used to smuggle contraband, so he cancelled everything and decided to exterminate all the cats starting with Palmerito, the unsuspecting smuggler.

A group of correction officers decided to try to save the life of Palmerito  and reached out to try to find him a home.

So the plan to neuter the cats in the colony turned into a rescue mission to try to save as many friendly cats as we could, starting with Palmerito.

I lent a soft carrier so that the correction officers could transport Palmerito out of the high security area and into freedom.  Unfortunately the corrections officers were unable to capture Palmerito but they were able to take another lovely female cat that we took to the vet and although they found she is already spayed and we didn’t have to pay for that, we still had to pay for tests, dewormer and flea/tick treatment. She is now in a foster home waiting to find her forever home and has a vet appointment to get her vaccinated and to treat a stomach issue she is having.

Andie fro Stardust Kitten Club named this little beauty "Bonnie."

On the second attempt, Palmerito was also nowhere to be found and we got Leia instead, a super friendly and loving little girl who had also been previously spayed. She was also tested and vaccinated and she is at home in isolation while Stardust Kitten Club finds a foster home for her.

It is disheartening that we were unable to help the whole cat colony at the prison but we are committed to helping as many cats as we can.

Update April 10 2025

Pamerito was nowhere to be found.  There is an event at the prison and the people trying to catch her have a limited window during the day.

It is also a bit frustrating because our main contact works in 24x24 shifts and while they are at the prison they have no way to reach or communicate with the outside world.

Update April 12 2025

GREAT NEWS!!!

Palmerito has been found! We took him directly to a foster home that Andie had lined up for him. We got him off business hours so we will take him to the vet to get tested, dewormed and vaccinated.

Palmerito was lucky. It is uncertain what will happen to the rest of the cats at the prison but we will keep trying to help the administration with a humane solution for the problem.

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