Puerto Rico's famous stray cats will be removed from grounds surrounding historic fortress

A stray cat sits on a wall in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2022. The famous felines that roam the historic area of Puerto Rico's capital and attract hordes of tourists will be removed, according to a plan that the U.S. National Park Service unveiled Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Alejandro Granadillo, File)

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By Associated Press

November 28, 2023 at 11:47 PM UTC

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Hundreds of stray cats that roam a historic seaside tourist area of Puerto Rico’s capital where they are considered both a delight and a nuisance will be removed over the coming year, under a plan unveiled Tuesday by the U.S. National Park Service.

The agency said it will contract an animal welfare organization to remove the 200 cats estimated to live on 75 acres surrounding a fortress at the San Juan National Historic Site that the federal agency operates in Old San Juan. If the organization fails to remove the cats within six months, the park service said it would hire a removal agency.