SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — The U.S. government has temporarily halted a plan to remove iconic stray cats that live in a historic district in Puerto Rico’s capital until a lawsuit opposing the project is resolved, a nonprofit announced Monday.
The ruling was cheered by those fighting a decision by the U.S. National Park Service to remove an estimated 200 cats that meander a seaside fortress that Spain built in colonial times.
“It’s a victory for the short term, but long term, these cats are still at risk,” said Yonaton Aronoff, an attorney for Maryland-based Alley Cat Allies.
The cats, which have long been a tourist attraction, are both beloved and reviled by those who visit and live in Old San Juan, where the 16th-century fortress known as “El Morro” is located. It's part of the San Juan National Historic Site that the U.S. National Park Service operates.
The federal agency warned in 2022 that the population of cats had surged and that the felines could transmit illnesses to humans and were likely killing wildlife, adding that the smell of urine and feces enveloped the area.
In late 2023, the agency announced it would contract an animal welfare organization to remove the cats, and if the organization selected failed to do so within six months, officials would hire a removal agency.
The U.S. National Park Service didn't immediately respond to a message for comment.
The agency held public hearings on the plan that became heated, with critics noting that the organization selected would decide whether the trapped cats would be adopted, fostered, kept in a shelter or face other options.
Aronoff said in a phone interview that removing the current cats is an impossible task since new cats would take their place.
“They’re going to have to keep doing this forever,” he said.
The U.S. National Park Service was scheduled to start removing the cats in October, but it agreed to halt those plans until a judge rules on a lawsuit that Alley Cat Allies filed in March. The nonprofit alleges that the plan violates acts including the National Environmental Protection Act.
A ruling isn't expected until the first quarter of 2025, Aronoff said.
Meanwhile, cats of all colors and sizes continue to prowl the trails bordering deep turquoise waters that surround El Morro, and they even have a statue honoring them nearby. Some of the felines are believed to be descendants of cats from the colonial era, while others were brought by a former mayor to kill rats in the mid-20th century. Still others were simply abandoned by their owners.
A local nonprofit, Save a Gato, feeds, spays and neuters the cats and places them into adoption.
But finding homes for so many cats is hard, with the nonprofit previously noting that sanctuaries in the U.S. mainland don't have room for them.
FILE - A stray cat rests on a statue in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, Nov. 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Alejandro Granadillo)
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Oh, so this was what Atlanta expected out of $180 million lavished on Kirk Cousins.
Certainly not a shaky effort like the 36-year-old veteran had in the opener, raising concerns in the loss about the quarterback's return to form from a torn Achilles tendon.
Cousins down the stretch made all the clutch throws in Philadelphia his counterpart Jalen Hurts could not — and sent the Falcons home winners.
Cousins led a flawless last-minute drive for Atlanta and connected with Drake London for a 7-yard touchdown with 34 seconds left to give the Falcons a 22-21 victory over the Eagles on Monday night.
“He went out and played important in the biggest moments in the biggest times,” Falcons coach Raheem Morris said. “Those are things you want to have happen when you have a chance to go out there and get wins. It was great to see today with Kirk Cousins.”
Saquon Barkley dropped a short pass that stopped the clock with 1:46 left and forced the Eagles to settle for a field goal instead of a game-sealing first down. That was plenty of time for Cousins — especially against an Eagles defense playing soft coverage with a nonexistent pass rush.
Cousins, playing his second game since tearing his Achilles tendon last Oct. 29 while playing for Minnesota, shook off an uneven effort and hit Darnell Mooney for 21 and 26 yards on consecutive plays during the decisive drive.
Cousins found London on a short pass to his right for the tying score, and Younghoe Koo put Atlanta (1-1) on top with a 48-yard extra point after London was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. The go-ahead drive took just 65 seconds.
“We saved just enough time for those guys to go down and march down and get that game-winning touchdown,” Morris said.
Hurts had his final pass intercepted by Jessie Bates III to seal Atlanta’s win and set off a wild celebration on the sideline.
The Eagles (1-1) went ahead on Hurts' 1-yard tush push score with 6:47 left. Barkley finished with 95 yards on 22 carries in his home debut for Philadelphia, but his drop provided the Falcons with some hope.
And then Cousins started playing like the QB Atlanta thought it was getting when it signed him to a four-year, $180 million contract.
Cousins finished 20 of 29 for 241 yards and two touchdowns. Atlanta’s first TD was a 41-yarder from Cousins to Mooney, who finished with three catches for 88 yards.
Hurts was 23 of 30 for 183 yards, including a touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith. With No. 1 receiver A.J. Brown out with a hamstring injury, Smith led the Eagles with seven catches for 76 yards and a score.
Jake Elliott kicked two field goals for the Eagles. His 28-yarder with 1:39 left made it 21-15.
Atlanta kept stalling in the red zone, getting three field goals from Koo, before Cousins fired over the middle to Mooney, who shook loose from C.J. Gardner-Johnson and left him on the turf before he somersaulted into the end zone with 1:21 left in the third quarter for a 15-10 lead. Cousins failed on the 2-point conversion pass.
Hurts had some juice in his step during a second-quarter TD drive, running with abandon for big plays much like he did in the 2022 season. He spiked the ball in a rare, raw show of emotion on a 23-yard run, earning a delay-of-game penalty. He shrugged off the 5-yard setback and scrambled for 9 yards and 15 yards to move the Eagles to Atlanta’s 19.
With comedian Shane Gillis and actor Bradley Cooper among the fans cheering on the Eagles, Hurts connected with Smith in the back of the end zone for a 7-yard TD that made it 7-3.
Under new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, the Eagles have established an early knack for allowing long drives that end with three points instead of seven. Koo kicked field goals of 39, 22 and 34 yards, the last one enough for a 9-7 lead in the third quarter. In their opener, the Eagles held the Packers to just three field goals when they drove inside the 20.
“They made a couple more plays than we did down the stretch. We made some plays; they made more,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. “And that’s on all of us. That starts with coaching and goes to the players. We are all responsible for the loss.”
Rather than take a chip-shot field goal from Elliott, the Eagles’ fourth-and-4 gamble at Atlanta’s 9-yard line in the first quarter failed when Hurts threw an incomplete pass.
Elliott kicked a 29-yarder with 4:31 left in the third quarter for a 10-9 lead.
Bijan Robinson ran for 97 yards for the Falcons. The Eagles stuffed him late on fourth-and-1 at the Atlanta 39.
Barkley was quiet until the go-ahead drive, a week after he rushed for 109 yards and scored three touchdowns against Green Bay. Eagles fans booed when the opening drive of the game ended without Barkley touching the ball. They went wild when he had consecutive 9-yard runs to open the second drive. Barkley had 40 yards rushing in the first half.
Former Eagles QB Nick Foles, who led the franchise to its only Super Bowl title, served as an honorary captain and led the crowd in a rendition of “Fly, Eagles, Fly.”
The Falcons played without LB Nate Landman (calf, quad).
Atlanta hosts Super Bowl champion Kansas City on Sunday.
The Eagles play at New Orleans on Sunday.
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Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London reacts to scoring a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Atlanta Falcons safety Jessie Bates III (3) reacts to intercepting a pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London (5) celebrates his touchdown with Atlanta Falcons guard Chris Lindstrom (63) during the second half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Former Philadelphia Eagles' Nick Foles, third from right, walks with Philadelphia Eagles' Brandon Graham, from left, Jordan Mailata and Darius Slay Jr. as they honor Foles' retirement before an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) is brought down during the first half of an NFL football game by Atlanta Falcons' Jessie Bates III, left, on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, left, is tackled by Atlanta Falcons linebacker Kaden Elliss (55) after a catch during the second half of an NFL football game Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) looks to pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins is stopped by Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham (55) during the first half of an NFL football game Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith celebrates his touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) looks to pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts warms up before an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) runs past Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle David Onyemata (90) during the first half of an NFL football game Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) runs past Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle David Onyemata (90) during the first half of an NFL football game Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
