Packs of canned cat food, 22-pound bags of Purina Cat Chow, and gallons of water - that's what Jewett City's "cat man" carries in the trunk of his BMW every day to feed the homeless felines throughout the borough.

Every morning for the last 20 years, Glenn Wityak, 64, has traveled along a “feeding route” where he makes eight stops to feed about 40 cats in the borough, he said.

“I do it because I love cats. I enjoy their company and they need help,” Wityak said. “I go through 20 cans (of food) a day and buy 150-200 cans at a time. A 22-pound bag of Purina Cat Chow will last about a week.”

The price for feeding 40 cats every day? About $700 a month, Wityak said.

“I do spend a lot on cat food and I only buy the best for them. Purina is the only brand you can trust because it isn't filled with chemicals. They also need wet food, which is also more expensive, but they need the moisture and vitamins that comes with wet food,” he said.

Wityak said he started feeding the cats when he realized many in the area were being abandoned by owners.

“When I found these cats, they were stick thin, abandoned and neglected,” he said as five healthy sized cats came out of the neighboring yard to eat. “Now they are healthy.”

His everyday feedings, however, soon turned into frequent trips to a veterinarian’s office to get the cats spayed or neutered and vaccinated, all of which he paid out of pocket.

“I would spend $80 to $250 on one cat alone and I would have dozens at a time fixed,” Wityak said.

Those costs, Wityak said, accumulated to tens of thousands of dollars over the years. An expense the retired 64-year-old has covered playing poker.

“I can’t leave them and I do well making money through poker, but I might need help to keep continuing with this at some point,” Wityak said.

Now, Wityak is working with Pet Pals Northeast, a volunteer animal welfare organization based in Canterbury. He has received permission to bring in up to 15 cats at a time to be fixed, the costs of which are covered by Pet Pals.

“Their help has been wonderful,” Wityak said. “I might not have to pay for their vet bills anymore but I do worry that I won’t be able to keep up paying for their food forever.”

Wityak's efforts haven't gone unappreciated, Pet Pals' President Julie Crouch said.

"He’s very passionate and he sees the suffering the animals endure," Crouch said. "He doesn’t get any help for the animals, not from the town or animal control, so we try to support his efforts the best we can."

But while some applaud his efforts, not everyone is okay with it.

“People can’t understand why I do this,” Wityak said. “I have had several people come out and attack me. One time, a man with a hammer came swinging at me. I had another woman kick and claw at my face.”

Sean Overby, who lives near one of Wityak's feeding spots on Soule Street, said even though Wityak’s intentions are noble, he's been known to have caused “quite the stir” with neighbors.

“He has gotten into many confrontations with people around town,” Overby said. “His intentions are good but it feels like he only cares about those cats. He is pushy with people and for a lot of neighbors, it's just too much."

Overby said Wityak also pitches in to help other animals such as birds and woodchucks. Wityak has been seen throwing popcorn around fields and has come to Overby's door to ask that he keep his bird feeders filled during the winter.

As for resident Maryann Holsworth, she is pleased with Wityak’s "selfless" work. He once helped pay for veterinarian costs to help Holsworth’s sick cat.

“He is wonderful and helps all of the stray animals,” Holsworth said. “He is a wonderful person and he deserves recognition.”

For anyone who would like to help with Wityak’s cause, he recommends donations be made to Pet Pals, which can be contacted through its Facebook page. For those interested in chipping in with food donations, Wityak can be contacted at ddp5cats@gmail.com.