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200 cats facing euthanasia get new lives helping rehabilitate South Carolina inmates
When asked to comment about the turn of fate that led it to a life behind bars, one cat said, "None of you seem to understand. We are not locked in here with you. You're locked in here with us! Meow!" Or that's how Redditor
EmiliaFromLV imagined it. While impossible to know for sure, the cats that were facing euthanasia in South Carolina seem delighted in having found new homes with caring humans, even if those humans are hardened criminals and that home is a prison.
Through Allendale Correctional Institution’s unusual yet deeply heartwarming “MeowMates” program, dozens of shelter cats roam the halls and bunk rooms, giving inmates newfound purpose. This flood of felines is changing everything for a group of men who once lived with little to care for but themselves.
It started with just two cats
Originally, Allendale’s program began with a modest two cats, but that number quickly grew after the warden realized the profound impact on both inmates and animals. Today, more than 200 cats call Allendale home, with inmates responsible for their care, training, and the occasional bath—yes, these guys are giving cats baths, even if the cats do tend to start out a little wary.
via GIPHY
Jackson Galaxy, the Animal Planet star, recently visited the program and was blown away by what he saw:
"This is the most exciting thing I've ever seen in my life. I'm not kidding! You've got cats everywhere and they're just wandering around, no fear all… it was beyond my wildest dreams."
—
Jackson Galaxy
Galaxy witnessed firsthand how these inmates, many of whom have spent their lives struggling with anger or isolation, are finding peace, empathy, and even joy through these furry friendships. One man admitted, “I’ve been incarcerated since I was 17, but focusing on this four-ounce kitten melted away a lot of my selfishness.”
Healing behind bars—and beyond
Life in rural Allendale County is hard for everyone, including stray animals, and without the prison program, most of these cats would face euthanasia. Not anymore. MeowMates has given the prison a unique role as a shelter, thanks to inmates who do everything from cleaning litter boxes to handling medical exams (yes, poop samples and all).
As
u/Figjam_ZA pointed out, “100% reported reduced inmate stress levels, 85% saw improved work ethic, and 93% reported better self-control.”
"Looking back, to have had a cat back then, it would have been an incredible comfort."
—
u/madscribbler
To be fair, not all the men came to the program as cat lovers. In fact, one inmate admitted to being outright terrified of them. But a few playful purrs later, he’s now their biggest fan, saying,
“There’s nothing that has changed me like taking care of these animals.” The cats, unfazed by typical prison stressors, don’t ask for much—just food, water, the occasional scratch behind the ears, and maybe a little personal space, as u/RoseHil observed: “Just feed and water it, it’s a fur-plant. Then chill out and don’t bring energy to the room the cat hasn’t already.”
What happens when you put 200 stray cats in prison?
by
u/SunAdvanced7940 incats
Second chances for two, and four, legged friends
It turns out these furry residents have also softened the hearts of their caretakers, even in such a structured and high-security place. Inmates form such strong bonds with their cats that the program actually rotates them periodically to avoid “adoptive” attachment. Some prisoners have told the warden they’d be content spending life in prison if it means taking care of these animals—a sentiment echoed by
u/Figjam_ZA, who marveled that “cats are checked on regularly and apparently do really well in that environment.”
While the cats are saving lives in more ways than one, the inmates have, in turn, saved hundreds of dogs and cats through the program since its launch. When Hurricane Matthew hit, Allendale even took in extra animals from other counties, adding emergency sheltering to their impact.
Could this be the future of prison programs?
Despite evidence of lower recidivism and positive inmate transformation, programs like MeowMates aren’t in every prison due to funding challenges. But this “feline felony” is sparking interest and discussions on Reddit and beyond, with
u/LimitlessMegan lamenting, “Studies show these programs work, but they’re rare because most prisons don’t actually focus on rehabilitation.”
For now, Allendale is a model for how both man and animal can find second chances, bringing life, purrs, and maybe even a little healing into places most wouldn’t expect.
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