SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — 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 part of the San Juan National Historic Site that the U.S. National Park Service operates. The U.S. National Park Service didn’t immediately respond to a message for comment. Aronoff said in a phone interview that removing the current cats is an impossible task since new cats would take their place.

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Persons: “, ”, Yonaton Aronoff, El, Aronoff, “ They’re Organizations: JUAN, Puerto Rico —, U.S . National Park Service, San Juan, Historic, U.S, National Park Service, Cat, National Environmental, NBC Locations: Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico — The U.S, Puerto Rico’s, Spain, Maryland, Old San Juan, El Morro, U.S