Toni Wilson, 37, admitted three counts of causing animal suffering after leaving two tabby kittens, a black kitten and one adult tabby cat to fend for themselves in her Tapestry Walk home in Braintree.
A neighbour raised concerns over the wellbeing of the animals, as well as their owner, in December last year as Wilson had not been seen at the property for five weeks.
Flies were seen at the windows and an "unpleasant smell" was coming from inside.
The RSPCA asked police to attend in order to gain entry to the house and find out what was inside.
Officers at the scene described it as "disgusting", with piles of paper, clothes, rotting food bags and animal faeces so thick they were unable to see the carpet.
Experts then tested the dead cats and found they had all starved to death three weeks previously, probably at the end of November.
At Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, Stuart Cooper, prosecuting, said: "This must be considered long-term neglect as all four animals died.
"Previously she had asked her mother to take care of the animals, but on this occasion the defendant misled her mother, saying she had already made arrangements to re-house them, even though no such arrangements were made. She cannot explain why she did this."
Andrew Andrews, mitigating, said: "The defendant did come forward voluntarily to cooperate and accepted she had abandoned the property. She is extremely upset that she is responsible for the death of these animals and it is something she will have to live with for the rest of her life."
The mother-of-two suffers from diabetes and required hospital treatment during the period leading up to the deaths, the court heard.
Ms Wilson had then stayed at her mother's house during her recovery and not returned to Tapestry Walk until the cats were already dead.
"Depression can come with diabetes and the defendant has suffered from diabetes for some time," said Mr Andrews.
"As a result of being away from home trying to recover she was living in a bubble. She had the cats at the back of her mind.
"When she realised what happened it was deeply shocking to her. When she went to the property and noticed the dead animals she went into a state of shock and just closed the door and left it."
Ms Wilson, an admin assistant, was ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work and told to pay £750 costs to the RSPCA.
An RSPCA spokesman said: "There is no excuse at all for allowing cats to suffer like this and to allow conditions like this to continue."
(thisistotalessex.co.uk - July 25, 2013)
