OnlyOnAOL: Beth Stern is a real-life cat power

BY DONNA FREYDKIN

Holy hairball! Beth Stern, married to radio jock Howard, bares her claws for a very major cause.

She runs an entire cat rescue operation out of her New York City apartment, with one bedroom transformed into a foster room -- basically, paradise for felines. And the animal lover has penned the kids' book Yoda Gets a Buddy, with all proceeds going to the North Shore Animal League.

She calls saving needy critters her life's work, and spends most of her time with them. "I have to go because I have fosters at home!" she announces.

So dear reader, this writer recently adopted a one-eyed feral kitten. And hence, olfactory questions had to be asked of Stern. Specifically, how does one have that many cats, and no residual stench?

"Our house does not smell at all," says Stern. "I like a shallow, big, uncovered litter box. You know what happens? If you aren't able to clean it all the time -- which I do, because all I do at home is take care of kittens -- their bathroom becomes a porta-potty. Cats are so clean and they do not want to reenter a dirty litter box."

It's also untrue that cats don't bond much with their owners, preferring to roll solo and only dole out affection when they want food.

"My Walter is in love with my husband and also in love with me. My Bella is in love with me and in love with Howard. I know who Howard's favorite is: Walter. He loves that Walter. Our blind cat crawls in his hair. It's the funniest thing. She's nestling in his hair and he's reading the newspaper," says Stern.

And you know when your kitty thinks you're the cat's meow.

"They rub into your leg. They like to leave their scent. I can go to the bathroom and while I'm peeing, my cat jumps on my lap and sits there. She loves me," says Stern, who has six resident felines, along with her fosters.