After a Prison Cat Fundraiser Went Viral, Texas Officials Put His Caretaker in Solitary Confinement [View all]

[douglas9]

Just days after a fundraiser to save a sick stray cat at a Central Texas women’s prison raised nearly $11,000, Texas prison officials placed the incarcerated woman who cared for the cat into solitary confinement — despite the fact that she did not organize the fundraiser or receive any of the money.

Sonya Reed, a 53-year-old woman incarcerated at the Patrick O’Daniel Unit in Gatesville, was moved into administrative segregation, also known as solitary confinement, during an internal investigation into a GoFundMe created by her daughter, Kitti Reed, last month to pay for veterinary care for a beloved prison cat named Orange Julius.

The Barbed Wire previously published two stories about OJ and the comfort he has provided Sonya, precipitating more donations and an outpouring of internet support — but did not identify her until now as a precaution in order to protect her from backlash from prison officials.

“They really rely on those cats for emotional support,” she previously said, adding that the generosity from strangers has been overwhelming. “These animals don’t see their mistakes. They’re just a constant.”

https://thebarbedwire.com/2026/01/15/prison-cat-fundraiser/