64 Cats
I've seen stories on TV where people have some problem in 'collecting' animals until the amount of pets they have is uncontrollable. Has anyone ever known someone like that?
64 cats.....bet it smelled REAL NICE!
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ly 12, 2005
HOUSTON -- Dozens of cats were removed Tuesday from a woman who lived in her car while her cats lived in her house, officials told Local 2.
Sgt. Mark Timmers, with the Houston Humane Society and the Precinct 6 Constable's Office, said he received a call about a home in the 900 block of 21st Street in northwest Houston.
Investigators found a 64-year-old woman living there with 68 felines. The cats were living in the house in deplorable conditions, according to officials.
Feces and garbage covered the floor, Timmers said.
"There is no electricity in the house. There's no useful bathroom in the house. She's basically camping out in the back yard. She sleeps in her car at night," he said.
The cats were removed on a warrant for seizure of animals. It took hours to collect all the animals.
"It's a disease. I mean, it's almost a mental illness -- the collecting of animals," Timmers said.
The home is expected to be condemned and demolished in the next few weeks.
The woman, who was not identified, said she has a place to stay. She told Local 2 that she was sorry, and that years ago, her original two cats had kittens and they had kittens and so on.
"None of the cats here have been spayed or neutered. They're just reproducing as we speak," Timmers said.
Shortly after one of the cats was removed from the home, it gave birth to seven kittens.
"There is some visible signs that these cats are suffering at this point. But I don't think any of it is not treatable," Timmers said.
Most of the cats are expected to be available for adoption.
The owner does not face criminal charges since the animals were well fed and she tried to care for them, authorities said.
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