JODI SPIEGEL ARTHUR
Bucks County SPCA Humane Police Officers removed 135 live cats, a number of them sick, and 59 dead cats, from a townhouse in Doylestown Tuesday, said Cindy Kelly, the society’s director of communications and development.
“I think it’s a record-breaker for us – in at least the last seven or more years,” she said.
Kelly said no one was living in the house on Aspen Way, other than the cats, although someone was coming to take care of them. “The home was entirely populated by the cats,” she added.
Some of the dead cats were found on the counters and in the refrigerator, Kelly said.
She said charges are pending against a woman who was renting the townhouse. “We will be filing charges in court,” Kelly said, adding that would likely happen within a couple of days.
“The animals have been living in terrible conditions and many are in need of immediate medical treatment,” said a posting on the SPCA’s website.
Those needs, according to Kelly, include care for infections, which especially in kittens, affect their eyes. She said some lose an infected eye, while others recover. There may also be neurological issues, she said, adding all of the cats and kittens are being evaluated.
“We’re going to work to save every one that we can,” Kelly said.
She said it seemed the tenant’s intention was to provide a place where she could care for the cats, and in fact some were neutered, but Kelly said there is no way to provide humane care for that number of cats.
The cats were removed from the house with the help of local firefighters and police officers, Kelly said, in an effort that took from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and transported to the SPCA’s shelter in Lahaska, where veterinarians examined them. SPCA personnel were checking the property again Wednesday to make sure there weren’t any animals missed.
Kelly said the SPCA was alerted by neighbors who reported seeing a number of cats in and around the property, and a warrant was served Tuesday.
She asked those who want to help the surviving kittens and cats with their medical care to make a donation to the community-supported nonprofit via the Bucks County SPCA’s Animal Relief Fund at
bcspca.org/donate-online/.
A donation button can be found on both the SPCA website and Facebook page.
Even the healthy cats are not yet available for adoption because the woman has not surrendered custody of any of the cats to the SPCA, Kelly said. Because the woman has elected not to do so, the SPCA has to win custody of them in court, a process that could take months, Kelly said.
Taking in the cats has “definitely put us over capacity,” Kelly said, referring to space in the shelter. She added that those who want to adopt some of these cats and kittens should consider adopting one of the shelter’s currently available cats to make room for the rescued cats, or to train for the SPCA’s foster program to care for kittens. To learn about foster training, contact
volunteering@bcspca.org.
