Every morning, I wake up to two lemon-colored eyes peering at me. They belong to Lady, a delicate and regal Persian-domestic mix, with short, feathery ebony fur. She is my only friend in this dismal mansion of dejection known as prison.
Indiana State Prison in Michigan City is the only prison in this state to allow select residents to care for a feline companion in their cells.
The cat program started nearly 20 years ago when a group of trusted prisoners working maintenance in the sewage tunnels beneath this facility happened upon a deceased female cat and her litter of squalling hungry kittens, who were so young they had yet to open their eyes.
Under a sympathetic administration, they were permitted to nurture and bottle-feed these kittens back to good health in their cells. As more residents asked to participate and morale grew, the cat program was initiated.
The prison partnered with the local Fried’s Cat Shelter, which provides the cats, food, litter, toys, treats and other necessities at a reasonable cost that covers their time and expenses for deliveries. The shelter also acts as a liaison between the caretaker, the prison and veterinary services when needed.
Each adoption eases overcrowding in their shelter. To date, almost 50 cats reside with their imprisoned owners, each discovering a life of love while avoiding animal control’s death penalty — ironically, in a place that still allows capital punishment for people.
To care for Lady’s needs, I work a prison job which pays a meager $100 a month. I budget about $30 per month for her supplies. My cell is Lady’s palace. My mat is her queen-size bed. I eat the dreadful Aramark food served in the chow hall — instead of paying for food from the commissary — so that she can have toys, which litter our floor. It’s a small sacrifice for the reformation this princess provides.
Right now, my best friend is curled up, purring beside me. Her warmth is comforting as her throat gently vibrates. It calms all of my anxieties. This love cannot be bought or sold.
I am thankful that after all these years, my nightmares have dissipated with the healing imprint of Lady’s paw. Other prisoners have experienced the same rehabilitative results with this program.
To properly care for a cat, it must be tended to unconditionally. Its love and respect must be earned and reciprocated consistently. These are lessons that also apply to life inside and outside the prison walls. It’s a furry road to redemption.
It is harder to give up on yourself when there is something or someone who is completely dependent upon you. And while everyone gets angry, I no longer overreact, because the consequences could cost me my best friend.
Society may never forgive us for the crimes that brought us to prison, but these animals do. Our cats allow love and compassion to flow through our broken souls. Their love restores.