CHESTERLAND, Ohio -- Jeanne Bones has found homes for more than a thousand cats over the last 30 years, but now she is the one without a place of her own.

Her house was badly damaged Tuesday afternoon by a fire. The 70-year-old widow lost everything except the clothes on her back. Despite that, all Bones wants to talk about is her cats.

The cats, about 150 of them, are better off then she is. They live in several buildings on the property of the Happy Tails Sanctuary on Pine Acres Lane in Geauga County. Her house, a 2 1/2 story wooden home, sat in the center of the property. The cats live in the other buildings, including a barn and two large sheds.

She said her insurance company told her the house will either be rebuilt or replaced. But when they offered to put her up in a motel in the meantime, she scolded them.

"I have to be here for the cats," she said.

Investigators are still trying to figure out what caused the fire, Chief John Wargelin said. He estimated damage at $150,000. He did not know if the structure could be repaired.

Bones is living with a neighbor until the insurance company can bring her a mobile home to set up on her property. But she is at the property every day. Her main concern is taking care of her cats.

"We need people to adopt or foster some cats," she said. "Beyond that, we need volunteers to help us get back on her feet. Contributions would be a big help."

Bones was out feeding her charges about 2 p.m. when the fire broke out in the house she has lived in for 32 years. She was walking toward the house when she saw smoke and flames coming through the doors. There was an explosion, which she later learned was her fire extinguisher.

"I went to the door, there was so much smoke and flames," she said. "I crawled inside, calling for the cats. I grabbed one and pulled it out, but there was so much fire I could not go back inside."

At least one cat died in the fire. She's still trying to figure out if there are other victims. The house was boarded up, so she can't get inside.

Two days after the fire, Bones was on her property preparing to feed her mewling masses. Someone had dropped off cans of canned food that morning. She picked up a can, a signal to the cats that it was time for breakfast, and her face fell.

"It's not a pop top," she said sadly. "I have no way to open it. I don't have a can opener, I don't have anything. Everything I own is in there."

She sat down on a picnic table, looking dejected as several dozen cats vied for her attention. Then she noticed another box full of cans of Friskies cat food with pop-top lids, and she was back in business. She opened can after can, putting out food in dishes for her feline family.

Bones said she never intended to start an animal rescue group when she moved into the house with her late husband, Clarence.

"One day there were several cats on the property," she said. "We took them in. Then people just started dumping cats on the property. It's really terrible, but someone has got to care for them. So, I guess it's me."

She received non-profit tax status 10 years ago and said she has found homes for more than 1,200 cats over the years, noting that she lost count long ago.

Losing the house doesn't seem to concern Bones. She said she just needs a place to live so she can get back into the business of finding homes for her furry friends.

"I'll be fine, but these guys are the ones that need the help," she said.

Anyone interested in volunteering, fostering cats or making donations can call Happy Tails at 440-476-9762 or 440-759-0076. The address is Happy Tails, P.O. Box 581, Chesterland, Ohio, 44026.