Hoarding up to 100 cats Neptune Beach, FL (US) Incident Date: Friday, Jun 30, 2006 County: Duval Local Map: available Disposition: Not Charged Person of Interest: woman

Case ID: 9209 Classification: Hoarding Animal: cat View more cases in FL (US) Login to Watch this Case

Stacks of canned cat food, empty litter boxes and other items stored outside a home in the 300 block of Oceanwood Drive show the homeowner must be a cat lover -- but city officials said the feline affection went too far.

The elderly woman who owns the home has been told by Neptune Beach police, animal control and code enforcers that she has until July 11 to relocate "dozens and dozens" of cats that have lived in the home for an uncertain length of time, said Police Chief David Sembach. Neighbors started complaining when the strong odor of cat waste wafted from the home on the tree-lined street, he said.

"From talking to animal control people and city code inspectors, they describe it as pretty filthy, with cats running through the house," Sembach said. "The woman is a cat volunteer; she takes in cats that nobody else wants. She has a good heart; she's just going about it the wrong way."

While the woman no longer lives at the residence because she is seeking health treatment elsewhere, cats continue to be placed into the home, Sembach said. Up to 100 cats might have been in the house at one time, the chief said. He acknowledged he's not sure how many of the animals were in the house at any given time, but he said the conditions inside the dwelling were troubling.

Ellen Naylor, a caregiver for a couple who live next door to the house of cats, said she was the first to complain to the city about the conditions.

"When you went out in the backyard, the odor was terrible," Naylor said. "It's a health concern. It does smell bad. We thought there was something wrong with our kitchen. It was that bad."

Another next-door neighbor, Gay Lou Rutledge, said, "I can't believe it's gotten that bad."

Naylor and Rutledge said they've seen the homeowner come and go to care for the cats. But it was also clear the cats were getting out of control.

Naylor said when she looked at the windows of the house, it was obvious the dwelling was overrun with cats.

"I've seen them [cats] in the windows. I've never seen the same cat twice. It's always been a different cat," she said. "It's not good."

Rutledge is a self-proclaimed cat lover, too; she has five at her home. But she admitted watching all the cats going into the neighbor's house was getting weird.

"She keeps them all inside. I don't know how many she keeps inside," Rutledge said. "I don't know what she does with all those cats. She would get cats that needed care and she would make sure that they got it. ... I didn't know it was getting out of control like that."

Sembach said while the health conditions to humans was cause for concern, there was no cruelty to the animals.

"The cats are well-cared-for and well-fed," he said, adding the city's had several discussions with an attorney representing the homeowner.

"They agreed there is a problem that needs to be rectified. They've been given a deadline until July 10 to get things straightened out," Sembach said.

Many of the cats have already been relocated, Sembach said Thursday. Associates of the homeowner also have volunteered to clean up the house and find other homes for the remaining cats, he said.

Sembach said he's confident the situation will be addressed by Monday's deadline. Although he said if the homeowner refused to respond to the city's directions, the city could condemn the property, possibly demolish the building and place a lien on the land. But he doubts that will be necessary.

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References

Jacksonville.Com - July 5, 2006

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