ELDERLY COUPLE SHARED APARTMENT WITH 150 CATS
Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2003 4:41 am
Elderly Couple Shared Apartment with 150 Cats
LONDON (Reuters) - A British animal welfare charity has rescued 150 cats from the flat of an elderly couple who were unable to control the animals' breeding.
The cats occupied all three bedrooms of the apartment, leaving the couple to sleep on the living room floor between tins of cat food and litter trays.
"They were absolutely swamped," said Caroline Yates of London's Mayhew Animal Home. The couple took in four unneutered strays in 1989 and things snowballed from there.
The elderly pair, who have not been named, were facing eviction from their London home after neighbors complained of the stench. They contacted the charity last month because of its pledge never to put down a healthy animal. The smell of cat urine was overpowering, particularly because the couple kept their windows closed, said Lisa Guiney, a supervisor at the Mayhew, who was the first to visit the flat. She found kittens of a few weeks old alongside 18-year old cats.
The cats were very nervous as they had never been outside, or seen any other people, Guiney told Reuters. Many had bad teeth and some were very emaciated, as the stronger ones always reached the food first, she added.
The charity, which took in all the animals and promised the couple to find them new homes is now facing a massive bill.
LONDON (Reuters) - A British animal welfare charity has rescued 150 cats from the flat of an elderly couple who were unable to control the animals' breeding.
The cats occupied all three bedrooms of the apartment, leaving the couple to sleep on the living room floor between tins of cat food and litter trays.
"They were absolutely swamped," said Caroline Yates of London's Mayhew Animal Home. The couple took in four unneutered strays in 1989 and things snowballed from there.
The elderly pair, who have not been named, were facing eviction from their London home after neighbors complained of the stench. They contacted the charity last month because of its pledge never to put down a healthy animal. The smell of cat urine was overpowering, particularly because the couple kept their windows closed, said Lisa Guiney, a supervisor at the Mayhew, who was the first to visit the flat. She found kittens of a few weeks old alongside 18-year old cats.
The cats were very nervous as they had never been outside, or seen any other people, Guiney told Reuters. Many had bad teeth and some were very emaciated, as the stronger ones always reached the food first, she added.
The charity, which took in all the animals and promised the couple to find them new homes is now facing a massive bill.
