'Auntie Wu' dishes up food and affection

Wu Xinhua dug out a spoonful of mashed potato and chopped chicken breast and stirred it in a bowl. Then, she opened the mouth of a skinny little gray cat and gently pushed the food in.

This is the 13th year that the 65-year-old has taken care of stray animals. She believes that loving and providing for homeless cats and dogs helps her maintain interests she feared would end when she retired.

She wakes at 5 am every day and prepares food for the three cats and two dogs she has at home.

After feeding her pets, Wu rides her bike along the Beijing streets carrying several boxes of food that she offers to any stray cats and dogs she sees.

She usually arrives at the "Cat Shed", an underground animal shelter located between the Northwest Second and Third Ring Roads in Haidian district, before 7 am to start a new day with the dozens of cats in residence.

Sometimes, accidents happen. Last winter, Wu slipped while feeding a stray in the street and fractured her left wrist, which is still in plaster.

Volunteers in the basement shelter, especially the young members, call her "Auntie Wu".

Dong Hua, who has been a volunteer at the facility for five years, said Wu's dedication to the cats is exceptional.

"Most of us volunteers come to the basement as and when we like. For example, when my family moved farther away, I made fewer visits. But Auntie Wu comes every day, irrespective of the weather," the 43-year-old said.

Yin Yi feels the same way. Though he plays occasional games of soccer at weekends, he devotes most of his spare time to the cats in the shelter. However, he doesn't just admire Wu's commitment to the animals.

"I really like that Auntie Wu cooks traditional Chongqing cuisine. It is delicious and reminds me of my mother's cooking," he said.

Wu is uncertain about the future of the Cat Shed, but she remains optimistic.

"I hope every cat in the basement will have its own home eventually," she said.