
"They're part of Mets lore," said Bryan Kortis of Neighborhood Cats, a Manhattan rescue group. "So why not keep them around?" Kortis estimated the stadium may be home to 20 to 40 cats, based on Shea's size and its proximity to Flushing Bay, which makes the Willets Point section of Queens a haven for rodents. "They need cats there because they're right near the water, and if they don't have them, they're going to be overrun with rats," he said.

