LITTLE ROCK — Imagine returning home to find 16 cats - four nursing mothers and 12 kittens - spilling out from a pet carrier left in your yard.
For Stephanie DeFio, this was her reality last Thursday.
Returning to her 1,700-square-foot home near Runyan Acres north of Sherwood, she saw some cats in her side yard. And then more.
What was she thinking?
"What are we going to do with these cats? One or two, OK. But 16?'"
"It's beyond my comprehension how someone could do this."
At first, Stephanie, 45, took just the youngest ones - perhaps 4 weeks and so small they fit in her palm - into her spare bedroom.
Husband Matt arrived home, and together they wondered what to do next.
"He said, 'We can't keep all these cats in the house.'"
As a storm began, Stephanie dragged a large dog crate to the rest of the cats outside to offer more shelter. But when a large, menacing dog arrived after dark, she took all the cats indoors.
"I was out there with a flashlight, rounding them up."
Stephanie spent the first night washing the faces of many of the kittens, whose eyes were glued shut by an infection. The next day, she began treating them with an ointment. The cats, whose ribs were showing, are already gaining weight.
"It's been a busy few days.
I'm cleaning litter boxes as soon as I wake up and last thing before I go to bed."
Despite her five-timesa-day cleaning of the threeboxes, there is also joy.
"These cats are so loving, the mamas are purring, cooing and rubbing on my cheek when I bend down to care for them. They're so thankful."
Watching the mothers care for the kittens is another plus.
"You can't tell which ones belong to one another; they all nurse whichever ones are hungry. It's incredible to see them work together, taking care of one another."
The DeFios couldn't take the cats to the no-kill shelter in Sherwood because they live outside the city, and the Humane Society of Pulaski County is full.
Stephanie called Feline Rescue and Rehome, which gave her food and medicine.
Susan Loesch with FuRR says this is the largest abandonment she's ever seen.
"We've had calls for large groups of feral or strays but never this many that's been dumped or abandoned."
FuRR is also helping the DeFios find adoptive or foster homes. One person has agreed to adopt two kittens, and another will foster one adult and several kittens.
FuRR also offers reduced-cost spaying and neutering.
"This is such a good example of why we should continue pushing for spaying and neutering of all pets," says Stephanie. "I have four dogs and six cats, but they're all fixed; that's the end of that."
How long will she keep the cats?
"There's no specific date, but it's only a matter of timebefore they get tired of being stuck in this one room."
Those wishing to adopt or foster a cat can contact FuRR at (501) 661-0956 or saveacat@teamfurr.org.
Paper Trails appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Contact Linda Caillouet at (501) 399-3636 or at lcaillouet@arkansasonline.com.
Arkansas, Pages 9 on 08/26/2009