ANDOVER – The town office telephone has never had so much activity.

Selectman Joan Carney said people from as far away as Kittery have called with concerns about the 70 or so cats and kittens found abandoned at a home on a back road last week. And many of the estimated 75 calls that came in on Thursday, want to adopt one of the abandoned felines.

She said town officials caught several of the cats and placed them in a comfortable cage near the town office. Four or five are expected to be adopted Thursday afternoon. Other appointments have been made with potential cat owners for Saturday through Wednesday of next week.

On Friday, the board will set aside some time to organize more appointments for those who want to see some of the cats with the intention of adopting at least one. She said calls have come from most nearby towns as well as from Lewiston, Auburn, Westbrook, Sanford, Falmouth and at least one town in New Hampshire. Selectmen, the town clerk or another town official will return all calls left at the town office and try to make arrangements for the cats to meet their new owners.

“We will be available for almost 24 hours a day if we can get a cat a home,” she said.

The response to the media coverage of the cats’ plight has been fantastic, said Carney.

“We never dreamt it would be like this,” she said.

She’s not sure how many have been spoken for yet, but she does know that the number is no where near as many as must be adopted.

An animal shelter in East Winthrop has also contacted the town office, offering to capture and take 20 of the cats on Saturday, said Carney.

The exact number of cats and newly born kittens is unknown right now. On Wednesday, Bethel Animal Control Officer Ozzie Hart searched the house and discovered cats everywhere – between the rafters, in the walls, under the dog house and in the basement. Several known litters have been found, and at least two or three cats are pregnant. Many of the cats are only six months old, but appear to be healthy.

Carney said people have also been generous with their gifts of cat food, with eight bags so far dropped off at the town office. But more is needed. She estimated 20 pounds a day is needed to feed them. A few people have donated money that is being used to buy food and kitty litter.

The cats were found last week when a friend dropped into the home owned by an elderly couple to check on the husband who was later transferred to a nursing home. The wife is in the hospital with a broken hip. The friend contacted the town office, reporting dozens of cats living in the house.

Carney said town officials don’t want the animals killed.

Anyone interested in adopting a cat can call the town office at anytime at 392-3302.

eadams@sunjournal.com

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