Photos by Nester Nuñez
HAVANA TIMES – In Cuban cities, cats continue to occupy their familiar territories. They can be found on rooftops, in large garbage dumps, sleeping on porches, or in the arms of those who care for them. They, too, are enduring the crisis: searching for food wherever they can find it and depending on people who often barely have enough to feed themselves. Nevertheless, they remain part of the domestic and emotional lives of many families, even when caring for them means an additional burden.
A comparison with the 1990s points to an important difference. During the post-Soviet “Special Period”, the collapse of the food supply led to extreme situations. Food shortages, including a lack of animal protein, contributed to a nutritional crisis whose most serious manifestations included an epidemic of optic and peripheral neuropathy.
In that context, some people resorted to eating cats and dogs to survive. Today, although obtaining food remains a daily struggle for much of the population, foods such as chicken, pork, beef, and fish are available, even if their prices and limited supply put them beyond the reach of many families. This difference does not mean that the current crisis is any less painful, but rather that the circumstances are not identical.
The relationship that part of Cuban society has with animals has also changed. In 2021, an Animal Welfare Law came into effect in Cuba, following years of demands from activists and citizens who found in social media a space to organize and denounce animal abuse. Since then, digital platforms have continued to serve as showcases for affection toward animals, but also as tools for exposing cases of abandonment, violence, and neglect. Independent groups and individuals share alerts, seek help for injured or abandoned animals, and mobilize resources to feed them and provide care.
Perhaps this is where one of the most significant differences between the two periods lies. The crisis continues to test the daily lives of Cubans, but their relationship with animals has also evolved. There is legislation recognizing animal welfare, a community that speaks out against abuse, and a growing sensitivity that finds public expression.
This does not mean that all animals are protected or that abandonment has disappeared. It means that, for many people, caring for a cat or rescuing a stray dog has also become a way of defending a sense of humanity that refuses to disappear amid the hardships.
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