EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — U.S. Army Warrant Officer CW2 Richard DeJesus has returned to El Paso with a new companion, Pluto, a stray cat he met while deployed in Poland.
DeJesus first encountered Pluto in late winter 2024, noting the cat seemed well-fed.
However, when Pluto reappeared in July of 2025, he was skinny and limping, prompting DeJesus to care for him.
“He’d lie on me and I would study,” DeJesus explained, noting the quick bond they formed.
U.S. Army Warrant Officer CW2 Richard DeJesus reunited with Polish stray cat “Pluto.”{ } Credit: SPCA International
But when it came time to leave and return to El Paso, DeJesus knew he couldn’t leave Pluto behind.
“Loving this cat, in good conscience I didn’t want to leave him send him back to being a stray again,” DeJesus said.
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U.S. Army Warrant Officer CW2 Richard DeJesus reunited with Polish stray cat “Pluto.” Credit: SPCA International
The problem? Getting Pluto a passport.
Thankfully, DeJesus said he got help from Polish locals and the SPCA International’s Patriot Pets program.
“Everybody really had strong involvement with me doing what I could to get him back here to the States; it was a pretty lengthy process,” DeJesus explained.
The odyssey is over and Pluto is in El Paso, enjoying his new home.
U.S. Army Warrant Officer CW2 Richard DeJesus with his family and Pluto. Credit: KFOX14/CBS4
“He’s finally getting adjusted to the point where he sleeps in the bed with us when we kind of just hang out. He’s always there,” DeJesus said.
The Patriot Pets program has reunited more than 1,200 service members with their pets overseas.
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