Jimmy, 85, lives in Puerto Rico with his wife. Their neighborhood is home to a number of stray cats, but the couple has never really seen eye-to-eye about how warmly to welcome them. For Jimmy, the preferred approach is to be hospitable – his wife, meanwhile, hasn’t wanted them around the house at all.

That’s how Jimmy’s clandestine work began. “My grandpa felt for the stray cats and would leave food in the back of the house near his tool shed, a spot where my grandma doesn’t go,” his granddaughter, Syl, told The Dodo. “This particular cat was especially friendly and got attached to my grandpa.”

Turns out, the especially friendly cat was pregnant – and Jimmy was pulled in even deeper undercover, as Syl writes:  Apparently, Jimmy’s wife nixed the idea of taking in the expectant mom cat and her soon-to-be-born babies, but he went ahead and made sure they had a place to stay inside his shed anyway.

After the birth of the kittens, Jimmy wasn’t regretful of that decision; his wife, meanwhile, remained blissfully unaware they were even there. 

Learning about his covert operation didn’t come as a shock to Syl. “My grandpa is really kind and has always loved animals,” she said. “So it’s not really that surprising.”

The mama cat, safely kept and well fed behind the scenes, certainly appreciates his help with raising her babies.  Despite his best efforts, however, Jimmy wasn’t able to keep his hidden feline family a secret from his wife forever.

Three weeks after the kittens were born, she DID find out. Though she probably wasn’t thrilled to learn that her husband had transformed their place into a cat nursery without her knowledge, Jimmy’s wife suddenly became much more understanding of their difficult situation.

“She’s okay with them staying there until they’re old enough to have new homes,” Syl said. Cuddly kitten faces do have a funny way of softening people’s hearts.

We may never know if Jimmy had planned this outcome all along, sowing the seeds for a cat-friendlier home with his covert tactics, but it seems to have worked regardless. It would appear that Jimmy is a man who needs no instruction when it comes to winning people over. His wife, no doubt, agrees.

While the cats under Jimmy’s care are in good hands, there are many stray pets in the area who are still in need of care. Visit the Puerto Rico Animal Care Society online to fine out how you can help.