Cuba’s deepening economic crisis is making life harder for stray cats, rescue workers and animal welfare groups struggling to find food, medicine and other basic supplies.
At Aldameros, a cat rescue center run by Cuban Gabriela Lopez, dozens of cats still move around freely, purring as workers feed them and gently rub their backs.
For visitors, the scene might look peaceful. However, behind the affection and daily feeding routine, the center faces growing challenges as Cuba deals with severe shortages and rising costs.
Stray Cats Feel the Impact of Cuba’s Crisis
At lunchtime, the cats gather around plastic bowls filled with pureed chicken, fish and vegetables.
They meow, push against one another and wait for their food. After eating, many stretch out on the floor and roll onto their backs.
Yet providing even a basic meal has become increasingly difficult.
Lopez says volunteer rescue centres can no longer rely on businesses that once donated leftover food. As prices have increased, some businesses now sell those scraps instead.
“They realized there was a market,” Lopez said.
That change has left rescue groups searching for alternative sources of food while donations continue to fall.
Veterinary Clinics Face Medicine Shortages
The crisis also affects Cuba’s veterinary services.
Havana-based veterinarian Daniel Hernandez says clinics are struggling to maintain supplies of medicines and vaccines.
One of the biggest problems involves maintaining a reliable electricity supply.
Many veterinary medicines and vaccines require refrigeration. Without stable power, clinics cannot always maintain the cold conditions needed to keep those products effective.
“The biggest problem we face is a steady power supply,” Hernandez said, describing the situation as extremely stressful.
The electricity shortage adds another burden to a veterinary system already dealing with limited supplies.
Donations Dry Up as Tourism Slows
Animal welfare groups have also lost important financial support.
Claudia Diaz, a volunteer coordinator with Cubans in Defense of Animals (CEDA), says the decline in tourism has reduced both cash donations and supplies available to animal rescue organisations.
Fewer visitors mean fewer opportunities for tourists and businesses to contribute food, money and other resources.
Those donations previously supported several animal welfare efforts, including pest control, rescue programmes and vaccination campaigns.
Now, groups like Aldameros must operate with far fewer resources.
Rescue Workers Struggle to Keep Centers Open
Despite the difficulties, Lopez and her volunteers continue caring for the cats.
The animals still need food, medical treatment and vaccinations, regardless of the wider economic situation.
However, rising prices and shrinking donations make it increasingly difficult for small rescue centres to cover their daily expenses.
“We’re doing everything we can to stay open,” Lopez said. “But it’s hard without any help.”
The situation highlights how Cuba’s economic difficulties are affecting more than households and businesses. Animal rescue groups are also feeling the pressure as they try to care for animals that depend entirely on them.
Cuba’s Cats Depend on Volunteers
For the cats at Aldameros, the volunteers remain a crucial lifeline.
Workers continue preparing whatever food they can find and caring for animals despite shortages of veterinary supplies.
Meanwhile, rescue organisations are searching for new ways to replace lost donations and keep their programmes running.
As Cuba’s crisis continues, the challenge for animal welfare groups is becoming increasingly urgent: finding enough food, medicine and electricity to keep vulnerable animals alive and healthy.
For Lopez, keeping Aldameros open remains the priority, even as the resources available to her become harder to find.
