Caring for the Forgotten: Nélida's Mission to Feed Havana's Stray Cats

A young Cuban photographer recently shared a touching photograph of Nélida, a woman from Old Havana renowned for her dedication to feeding stray cats. Despite the severe economic crisis and shortages impacting Cuban society, her efforts stem from a deep love for animals. Through just three images, lens artist Merle Ramírez captured a glimmer of hope embodied by Nélida and her steadfast commitment to aiding forgotten animals amid an environment marred by sadness and decay.

“Nela: the lady who feeds cats in Old Havana” was the simple caption accompanying a gallery of photos showing her sitting calmly on the street, enjoying her small world alongside the felines. This scene presents a poignant contrast to the harsh reality of a crumbling nation. In the comments section, the young photographer shared additional insights into the life of the cat protector: “She’s always around the Obispo and Mercaderes area, you can go there and help her.”

The young man did not ask for aid for Nélida with his post but instead shared the story of someone who might have already become a local figure in Havana. He clarified further in another comment, “I spoke today with a friend who is her neighbor, and they told me about her life. She doesn’t need urgent help, and I didn’t make this post with that intention. If anyone wants to pass by and help her, that’s another matter, but this post wasn’t made because she’s in a special situation or asking for help.”

A person named Robertiko Ramos added, “Nela is my neighbor. The animals she decided to feed need help: two colonies of cats. If you want to contribute, you can stop by La Marca and leave some money in the donation box, and we will give the funds to her.”

Stories tell of how the cats in Old Havana recognize Nélida from afar: She pushes her cart down O’Reilly Street until she reaches the corner with Mercaderes. There, under everyone’s watchful eyes, she pulls out disposable plates and empty sardine cans, providing food to all the felines that gather around her, as reported by the news portal 14 y Medio. She is a queen without a crown, and her loyal subjects are the cats of Old Havana, who see in her a pure and beautiful love.

"First, as if in gratitude, the cats purr for the woman and rub against her legs. Then, they eat. For the cats of O’Reilly, competing with the 'authorized' dogs of the Office of the Historian—who were given IDs and recognized as 'official strays' of Old Havana by Eusebio Leal—finding food is not easy. Restaurant leftovers and whatever tourists toss on the street are shared among the colony in order of arrival," the website indicated.

In a context where caring for animals is often viewed more as madness than love, this "fairy" becomes the only hope for the cats, who face the threat of being sacrificed in a country struggling to put protein on the table. “When the woman appears, however, and even though her visits are not on a fixed schedule, the cats recognize her as their 'godmother' and sit to receive, in addition to food, a few caresses. Some lick the cans, searching for the original taste of sardines under the rice, while others are content to bask in the sun,” reported 14 y Medio.

Besides Nélida, there is also an elderly Russian woman who has lived in Cuba for over 55 years, who daily feeds several stray cats in the El Vedado neighborhood in the Plaza de la Revolución municipality. This story was shared on Facebook by digital creator Yordy Battle, who noted: “The Russian lady in my neighborhood feeds more than 15 cats daily. They already wait for her at the corner of 9 and F.”