Cats are adaptable creatures, thriving in diverse environments as long as they have food and shelter. This adaptability extends to some unexpected places, including correctional institutions. While they aren’t serving sentences, community cats living on prison grounds often face a challenging predicament, sometimes referred to as a “Cat Prison” due to their confined environment and limited options. Many prisons have historically resorted to trapping these cats and sending them to shelters, a move that sadly often results in euthanasia.
Fortunately, organizations like Alley Cat Allies are pioneering a more compassionate approach. They’ve partnered with prisons in New Jersey to implement Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs, a humane and effective method for managing community cat populations.
In 2015, Alley Cat Allies revitalized an existing TNR program at Bayside State Prison and launched a new one at Southern State Correctional Facility. At Bayside, a TNR program was already in place, but Alley Cat Allies enhanced and expanded these efforts, ensuring even more cats received care. Collectively, they have assisted all the cats at both locations – a total of 118 cats at Bayside State Prison and 38 at Southern State Correctional Facility.
Trap-Neuter-Return stands as the most humane and efficient strategy for harmonious coexistence between cats and humans, whether in a suburban neighborhood or, indeed, within the confines of a prison. Without Alley Cat Allies’ intervention, these “cat prison” residents would likely have faced euthanasia in shelters years ago.
Solving Unique Challenges in a Regimented Environment
Prison environments present unique challenges for any program, and community cat care is no exception. Security protocols are paramount, and establishing TNR programs required open communication and collaborative problem-solving. This cooperative approach, always crucial to successful TNR, was key to navigating the complexities of a prison setting.
Gaining access for trapping required adhering to strict prison procedures, including background checks, ID badges, screenings, and training in prison regulations, similar to anyone entering or leaving the facilities. Alley Cat Allies also collaborated closely with prison administration to ensure all supplies brought onto prison grounds were vetted and secure. These security measures are essential for maintaining a safe environment for everyone involved.
Recognizing the logistical challenges of transporting cats from prison grounds for veterinary care, Alley Cat Allies established the Bayside State Prison Cat Wellness Program. This initiative provides consistent, ongoing healthcare for the community cats. Each cat has a medical record, is microchipped, and receives an annual veterinary check-up. Between April and August 2017 alone, 40 cats received general wellness exams. Staff are also prepared to seek additional veterinary care for any cat needing it.
Throughout the necessary screenings and protocols, the core mission of these programs remained clear: the well-being of the cats and their relationships with their caregivers. Each cat is given a name – like Bruiser, Shady, Daisy, and Tom Tom – and corrections officers and inmates demonstrate remarkable dedication in their daily care. Regular visits from Alley Cat Allies staff highlight the positive impact these feline residents have on the prison atmosphere.
Prison Cat Programs: Benefits for Cats and People Alike
Caring for community cats yields significant benefits for the cats themselves, the inmates, and prison administrators. TNR programs offer proven advantages for correctional facilities and society at large. These benefits include:
- Population Control: Spaying and neutering effectively stabilize the cat population, preventing unwanted litters.
- Improved Cat Health: Veterinary care, including vaccinations, ensures the cats remain healthy and reduces the risk of disease.
- Humane Education for Inmates: Interacting with cats fosters compassion, responsibility, and accountability in inmates. They develop strong emotional bonds while learning nurturing skills.
- Reduced Recidivism: Studies show that inmates involved in animal care programs exhibit lower recidivism rates and fewer disciplinary infractions.
- Incentive for Good Behavior: Prison administrations can utilize the program as a positive reinforcement tool for inmate conduct.
- Formalized Cat Care: A structured program guarantees consistent care for the cats while adhering to prison regulations.
- Positive Impact on Corrections Officers: Officers who care for the cats also develop meaningful bonds with them.
According to the first national survey1 on prison-based animal programs in 2006, involving 159 prisons across 36 states, the reported outcomes were overwhelmingly positive:
- 100% reported reduced inmate stress levels
- 97% reported increased inmate relationship/trust skills
- 93% reported increased inmate self-control
- 89% indicated the program humanizes/calms the facility
- 85% reported increased inmate work ethic
- 80% reported increased inmate sense of pride/accomplishment
Alley Cat Allies’ successful TNR programs at Bayside State Prison and Southern State Correctional Facility demonstrate that TNR is the most compassionate and effective strategy for managing community cats, even in unique environments like a “cat prison”. These programs highlight the mutually beneficial relationship between cats and people. Inmates and corrections officers alike have formed strong bonds with the cats and express their appreciation for their presence.
As one corrections officer stated, “This program works. We not only have a partner in Alley Cat Allies, but we also have a program that meets the needs of the cats, the facility, and the inmates.”
Alley Cat Allies continues its vital work supporting cats and people in New Jersey prisons and serves as an inspiration for other correctional facilities seeking humane solutions for their community cat populations.
- Gennifer Furst, “Prison-Based Animal Programs: A National Survey,” The Prison Journal 86, no. 4 (December 2006): 407-30.
