Neglected Cats Euthanized By Animal Control Only One Of 28 Cats Survived Filthy Conditions

Sat., July 24, 1999

Adam Lynn Staff Writer

All but one of the 28 cats found living in squalor in a South Hill house have been put down, Spokane animal control officials said Friday.

Given their mental and physical condition, the cats could not be adopted out, said Mike Wilkerson, director of field services for SpokAnimal CARE.

Animal control officers found the felines living in the home of an elderly man in the 1000 block of West 21st Avenue on Thursday.

The interior of the house was covered in cat urine and feces, and many of the animals were suffering from upper respiratory infections and other problems, Wilkerson said. There was only one litter box in the house, and it had no litter in it, he said.

In addition, ventilation was poor, he said. Some of the cats were living in a crawl space in the basement. Others were climbing walls and hiding in rafters, he said.

“It reminded me of a concentration camp for cats,” he said.

The resident, in his 80s, apparently took most of them in as strays and allowed them to breed, Wilkerson said. His name was not released.

SpokAnimal officials allowed him to keep two healthy cats and two dogs. The man is moving to Wenatchee soon to live with a relative. He won’t be cited, Wilkerson said.

Deputies went to the house Thursday to evict the man, who had sold the residence but refused to move out.

Neighbors had complained about the house and its foul odors for several months. Wilkerson said he issued written warnings to the man about nine months ago for keeping too many cats and not having them licensed.

People living in the city of Spokane are allowed to keep only three cats and three dogs on their property.

The surviving feline, a day-old kitten, appears healthy and may be adoptable, officials said.

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