A Maine town and a group of cat caretakers have sued estate trustees in a long-running dispute over a woman's wishes that her life savings go to care for abandoned cats. 

Barbara Thorpe died in 2002 and left most of her $200,000 estate to give food, shelter and veterinary care to the stray cats of Dixfield. But only a few thousand dollars have been given for the cats' care. Lawyers have taken more than $16,000, and the estate's trustees received more than $22,000.

Dixfield and five women who care for the town's strays sued the trustees last week. The suit says the trustees excessively billed fees to the trust and have failed to carry out Thorpe's wishes.

The trustees' attorneys say they "vehemently deny any wrongdoing."

The Lewiston Sun-Journal has more details on the case here.

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