A local resident is volunteering her time to rescue stray kittens, making sure they get the care they need and seeing that they will be adopted by caring families. The kittens are available for adoption at The Pet Castle, Inc., Ordinary.

Maggie Howlett said she started acting on the need to find home for stray cats following Hurricane Isabel in 2003. She more recently began networking with other animal rescue groups in the community to be put in touch with those who knew of stray cats.

Once a cat is identified, Howlett said she sees that it is treated by a veterinarian if necessary before she brings it into The Pet Castle for adoption.

Those who are interested in adopting the kittens must first sign a contract stating that they will get the animal(s) spayed or neutered if they are not already; that they will not drop the cat off at a shelter, and must prove that they are willing to give the cat a nice home. She said if those criteria are met, the kittens are free to adopt and can be...