Tangled cats with urine-stained paws rescued from filthy house covered in diarrhea and trash
Eight abandoned cats were rescued from a filthy home covered in diarrhea, moldy feces and urine stains.
RSPCA rescuers came across shocking scenes at a bungalow in Hirwaun, Wales, after finding abandoned cats with heavily matted hair and urine-stained fur and paws.
One of the doors to the property was blocked by moldy feces piled behind it.
Police seized the animals and placed them in the care of the RSPCA, reports Wales online.
RSPCA Deputy Chief Inspector Emma Smith has worked at the charity for 14 years. She told Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates’ Court:
“The smell inside the bungalow was incredibly strong from the minute you entered. The place was extremely poorly maintained, with household items scattered everywhere, bags of rubbish piled up and dirt and mess on the floor.”
Two cats and an empty food bowl were found in the room, but there was water. Two litter trays contained several pieces of feces and there was diarrhea on the floor.
DCI Smith said the smell remained in the room.
“The unbearable smell of urine and ammonia continued throughout the bungalow along with the dirt and trash,” she said.
She found a third cat in the room that “seemed nervous” and ran away. This cat had access to a bathroom that contained a bowl of water and a bowl of dry cat food. There were also two litter trays that contained several pieces of feces.
DCI Smith said he then came to a closed door which said ‘Please do not open loose cats here’. She only managed to open the door a third of the way.
She said: “I managed to squeeze through the crack and look behind the door and I could see that the resistance was coming from piles and piles of moldy faeces that had built up behind the door, stopping it from opening.
“The sight and smell in this room were the worst I have seen in 14 years as an RSPCA inspector and I had to take breaks in the room to stop my eyes watering and my nose running.
“The room was covered in new and old feces. Urine stains were all over the floor along with trash and old, spoiled food. There were piles of cat hair caked with feces and tied together and there was no clear part of the floor that was not stained or caked with feces.”
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She found bowls of water, but the contents were yellow where the cats had obviously urinated. There were several cat carriers in the room, but again they were all completely covered in feces. There was no clean space or adequate bedding.
All eight cats from inside the bungalow were seized by police and transferred to the RSPCA Merthyr Tydfil Veterinary Clinic.
Five of the cats were provided by the owner – four of which were rehomed. Now following the court process – the rest will be made available for relocation.
Jolene Collette Harris, 39, of Station Road, Cefn Coed, Merthyr Tydfil, was sentenced at Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, May 8.
She pleaded guilty to four offenses under the Animal Welfare Act at a previous hearing in April. She failed to ensure that the needs of eight cats were met in terms of a suitable environment, failed to meet their need to be protected from pain, suffering, injury or illness and failed to provide adequate or reasonable daily care and supervision in respect of concerns your protection against damage.
She also failed to check for signs of health problems leading to untreated dental and ear disease in one cat and also failed to ensure that the coats of two other cats were maintained in proper condition.
The court was also given information about previous dealings with the RSPCA, which included advice and guidance on suitable living environments.
At sentencing, she received a five-year disqualification ban on all animals. She was also ordered to pay a £200 fine, £400 costs and an £80 victim surcharge.
An order was also made for three cats to be transferred to the RSPCA, and there was also an order relinquishing ownership of an elderly cat who remained in their care.
In mitigation it was heard that she had no previous convictions, had personal difficulties and felt genuine remorse.
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