February 6, 2008

SIBERIA, Russia – A Russian woman from the Siberian town of Novosibirsk says she's the only hope for the community's stray cats.

Nina Kotova has a special affinity for felines. She says if she didn't care for the 136 cats living in her small apartment, they'd die from exposure. Temperatures in her town reach 40 degrees below zero during winter months.

Still, Kotova's three-bedroom apartment is overwhelmed by the critters, giving the appearance of a hoarding case. But in a city where few people keep pets and rescues are a rarity, alternatives are limited.

Of course, feeding time is a frenzy, since bowls aren't an option. Instead, she throws the feed out like a farmer to chickens.

And somehow, it seems to work. Kotova says she first took in a cat while at university. Fifteen years later, most of her income goes to caring for her felines.

Since Kotova manages to keep odors down and the apartment clean, neighbors don't seem to mind the situation. However, one man said the cats can become bothersome at night because they're constantly crying. He thinks they may be uncomfortable living in such confined quarters.

At the time of this report, we were not able to determine if Kotova's cats have been spayed, neutered or vaccinated.

Because the locals know she takes in cats, strays are sometimes left on her doorstep, showing that for needy felines in Novosibirsk, Nina Kotova is the only refuge.

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