Mandy, another calico, busily groomed herself.

The middle room is where the kitties' litter boxes are kept, while a third room serves as their playroom filled with cat toys, climbing posts and kitty condos.

"We left the carpeting down so they have a lot of traction to run around and play and jump," Kelley said, adding group volunteers plan to build more things so the cats can get plenty of exercise.

In yet another room, Kelley visited with a new mother cat named Carrie and her litter of seven kittens born April 3.

"Their eyes have only been open for a day," she said, holding up a buff-colored newborn.

Cat Tails relies on donations and volunteers, who are "in here seven days a week," Kelley said. "To feed, water, scoop, clean, sweep and Swiffer, but most of all play with the cats. If you don't play with them, no one is going to want to adopt them. If you don't play with them, they will go feral on you."

Cat Tails will still be operating its mobile cat adoption unit, which visits PetsMart in Wilmington on weekends and will be at open house festivities from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the new Ocean Isle headquarters.

Cat Tails kitties come "from unwanted homes," said Kathy Kimbrough, executive director and organizer of the group launched about a year ago. "They're strays. They come from animal control and owner turn-in."

Cat Tails, which can comfortably accommodate 15 to 20 felines at its new facility, moved there because the space became available and "we could afford it," Kelley said. "And there is no other service like this in the southern part of Brunswick County."

The new headquarters will be open for public visits and adoptions from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesdays and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays-"other days by appointment," Kimbrough said.

"We try to make sure that the prospective adopters' expectations match our expectations," she said, adding that new owners must agree to keep their adopted cats indoors at all times.

"They have to understand the financial commitment to the animal," she said. "We try to weed out people that adopt an animal and then a year later give it away. We try to do that by having them sign a contract, and part of that contract is that they will return the cat to us if at any time they can't keep the cat or they don't want the cat."

Cat Tails also offers a 10-day trial period for any cat.

"During that 10 days, if the cat is returned for any reason, we will even refund the [adoption fee]," Kimbrough said. "After that, we can't refund the money, but we will take the cat back, no questions asked, no judgments made."

Cat Tails is overseen by a group of people united by their "mutual love of cats," Kimbrough said. "A group of dedicated, cat-loving people who come together to benefit the feline population."

Cat Tails volunteers also have plenty of cats of their own.

Kimbrough currently counts 12 cats and two dogs at her home. Cat Tails foster parent Marilyn Mills has 12 to 14 neutered, feral cats she feeds outside her house, plus four more with medical problems that she keeps inside. Kelley houses two cats.

Want to go?

What: Cat Tails grand opening

When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday

Where: 6622 Beach Drive (Cornerstone center), Ocean Isle Beach