Over 150 stray cats sheltered by an elderly lady here were killed in a blaze at her home near the Chinese capital.
"Granny Ding," took to stray cats and dogs and over an period of 30 years taking them in to look after them in a courtyard in central Beijing, Beijing Morning Post reported.
The cats died of suffocation or burns Friday morning as they had no way of escaping the burning courtyard residence of 84-year-old Ding Shiying in downtown Beijing, with the fire razing down three rooms of her house which sheltered 150 cats, the paper said.
But a further 30 cats and 50 dogs, who shared Ding's bedroom survived the holocaust along with the granny. Ding told the newspaper that she enjoyed the company of strays as she had missed out on marriage.
A neighbour said she heard Ding scream for help and called the fire department. Firemen put out the blaze before it spread to Ding's bedroom. The granny said she now hoped other animal lovers would adopt her now homeless strays.
Published 18 February 2012, 10:22 IST