This plump feline, one of 30 fugitives in the second cat-house bust in two weeks, lay safe in the city’s arms as the city planned to pursue animal cruelty charges against her owner.
The white-and-black cat, nicknamed “Moose” for her size, was found in good health, curled up with 25 fellow felines around a space heater in one small Newhallville room. Her relatives weren’t so lucky.
Mayoral spokeswoman Jessica Mayorga Friday said police are seeking a warrant to arrest her owner, Dino Cortina, on cruelty charges. Cortina also allegedly abandoned 50 felines in a Quinnipiac Avenue home. Their skeletal remains were removed two weeks ago. (Click here for a story on that.)
Taking a proactive approach after the shocking episode on Quinnipiac Avenue, police tracked down other properties where Cortina had lived.
Up popped 104/106 Bassett St. in Newhallville. Sure enough, cops found two cats peering out the window, according to Stephani Johnson, the city’s animal control officer (pictured at the top of this story on Monday).
Johnson and staff from the city’s Livable City Initiative swung by the house Monday to see if the cats were OK. Inside, they found Dino and his father, Liberatore Cortina, changing the kitty litter.
At first, Dino said he only had six cats. But when city staff got inside, they found four in the basement, and 25 huddled into a single room upstairs around an electric heater. Police believe the cats are relatives of the ones on Quinnipiac Avenue. Unlike their abandoned kin, these cats had enough food, water, litter trays and beds. They appeared to be in good shape. But “being confined to one room is not enough care,” Johnson said.
On Bassett Street Monday, the smell of cats emanated from the open front door and from two garbage toters packed to the hilt with kitty litter.
“You want a room in a sober house?” Dino called from the second-floor balcony. Dino said the place had been vacant for over a year, but that he was “trying to get a sober house going.”
Asked about the cat smell, Dino (pictured) still claimed he had kept only six cats inside. “No one was living here, but someone was taking care of them.”
Who? “I don’t want to answer any more questions,” he said. He went inside and closed the windows and blinds.
Too Much Love
Later at the animal shelter, Johnson told how she had coaxed the kittens away from the man who loved them.
In the morning visit, Johnson approached Dino and his dad about the cats. Liberatore owns a lot of properties around New Haven, including the one on Quinnipiac Avenue where Dino lived until September. Dino had a tough time keeping a job.
“Basically his life is caring for those cats,” Johnson said. Liberatore took pity on his son, putting him up in houses and paying for the food and kitty litter. For years, however, “his father feared it would get out of control — and it did.”
“He obviously has some mental health issues,” Johnson said. “That’s what we see with a lot of hoarders — not being able to let go.”
Johnson couldn’t confiscate the cats, as there was no cruelty in the Newhallville case. But given Dino’s alleged track record on Quinnipiac Avenue, she didn’t want to risk their lives. She coaxed his owner to give up the cats voluntarily, with the understanding that he could visit them at the shelter.
Monday afternoon, the purring arrivals filled the shelter to capacity. This short-haired feline sat in a transfer box, awaiting placement inside.
“They’re in perfect condition, there’s just too dog-gone many of them,” Johnson said. The cats will be tested, spayed and neutered, then given up for adoption.