Humane officials in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, removed 53 cats from a storage unit on Friday, where they were found in filthy and cold conditions.
The cats were discovered by another customer at the storage facility, who heard and smelled them and immediately alerted authorities.
“Someone heard and smelled cats in the storage facility and reported it right away,” said Cindy Kelly from the Bucks County SPCA.
Inside one of the units, the cats were found living in neglectful conditions. They lacked access to water, had insufficient food, and were exposed to the cold, as the facility was unheated.
“When I heard it was 53 cats, I was shocked. I couldn’t believe how this could have happened,” said customer Sandy Edens.
The cats were quickly removed from the storage unit, taken to the SPCA office to warm up, and then split between two SPCA locations. Action News visited the shelter in Lahaska, where some of the cats were recuperating.
While some of the cats were sick and needed medical treatment, all of them survived the weekend.
As for the reason behind the situation, Kelly explained, “Maybe the owner lost her housing and temporarily moved the cats to this facility.”
A storage facility employee shared that the cats’ owner had experienced a fire that caused her to lose her home and could not bring the cats to her new temporary living situation. However, despite this, officials stated that the cats were not properly cared for, and they hope to find new homes for them once they recover.
“We’ll be eager to find these cats new homes as soon as they are healthy, especially with other kittens and cats expected to arrive as the weather warms up,” Kelly added.
SPCA officials confirmed that charges will be filed in the coming days after all medical examinations are completed. They have also received inquiries from pet owners wondering if any of the cats may belong to them. Owners are encouraged to file a missing pet report online, and the SPCA will follow up if there is a match.
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