(Image Source: KSDK)

 

 

 

 

BY MEGAN FAROKHMANESH

 

 

You're watching multisource US video news analysis from Newsy. 

 

 

Let’s call this what it is: a fluff piece. Well, more like fluff-y.

 

 

The Lincoln County jail in Nebraska recently added a couple more jailbirds to their ranks -- or in this case, jailcats. After a week of inmate volunteering at a local animal shelter -- and possibly a few, “Aww, can we keep him’s” -- Sheriff Jerome Kramer approved the adoption of two new furry friends.

 

 

But Nemo and Sage -- feline residents extraordinaire -- aren’t just for the sake of companionship. How do you bring calm to inmates that are stressed and angry? According to Digital Journal, just toss a couple of kittens at them: 

 

 

“Kramer thought the feline companions would “help the inmates feel a little more relaxed and less destructive” if they had cats to keep them company in the cell block.” 

 

 

The Lincoln County jail isn’t the first to put pets in the big house -- prison dog programs do exist in other states. But what are the rules for keeping cats in jail? KSDK has more:

 

 

SHERIFF JEROME KRAMER: “We got their mug shots and put them in a couple of cells where we thought they would be better received. We have a little list of cat rules that’s been laminated and put in the cells, just letting them know the basic care of the cat -- clean the litter every day. But they’re waiting in line to take care of the cat.” 

 

 

And seems to be happiness is a warm pet. Inmates just can’t keep their paws off their furry-footed fellows. According to WALB -- inmate Guy Meyers says,

 

 

‘“They bring out the soft part in you, just like your kids do.”’ 

 

 

So is the secret to pleasant inmates as simple as a fluffy friend? The Orlando Sentinel thinks this cat’s out of the bag: 

 

 

“They are keeping the inmates at the Lincoln County Jail company, and, forgive the cliche, but this looks like a win-win situation.”

 

 

And that’s no catastrophe. 

 

 

Transcript by Newsy.