Conditions inside the Fort Myers Shore home were so bad that animal control officers wore hazardous-waste suits during the seven-hour rescue operation.
The homeowner, Sandra Berkshire, is living with friends, and her 72 cats are being cared for at a shelter after her house was declared unlivable.
The stash of cats was discovered after an anonymous tip off, and animal control officers say conditions inside the home were horrifying.
'The house is absolutely jam-packed with cats stacked on cats, in cages, and a house full of feces, urine,' Lieutenant Tony Backhurst, of Lee County Domestic Animal Services, said.
He told NBC 2 that it was hard to breathe inside the home, and said those removing the cats were unable to stay inside for long.
Neighbors of Ms Berkshire say she had taken the cats in as an attempt to help them, but that the situation had got out of control.
'She's loving, caring. And she talks about how she's saved a few and gives them away, finds loving homes,' Adam Rudd said.
Another neighbor, Geof Greene, also defended Ms Berkshire, saying: 'She was taking care of the cats, she was feeding them every week... no matter how many were in there. She was on top of it.'
[I really hate people like Geof Greene who defend these abusers when they don't know what they're talking about. When's the last time you were in this house, Geof? Would you be willing to sleep overnight in this hell hole? Care to explain the carpet of feces, Geof?]
Berkshire doesn't agree with being called a hoarder. She says her goal was always to find new homes for the cats, but that within the last five years, things got out of hand.
"So, it's not like I don't want to give them good homes, so I'm not just sitting there hoarding them. I'm trying to find good homes. Like any other kind of an agency," Berkshire said.
Greene doesn't agree with Animal Service taking away Berkshire's pets.
"They don't bother investigating. It's just boom, bust the door down and get in," Greene said.
Many of the cats removed from the house were found to have respiratory infections and fleas, as well as signs of neglect.
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| In denial of the cruelty she inflicted on the cats she professes to want to help |
The animal shelter they have been taken to has been overwhelmed by the number of cats it is now caring for and urged potential adopters or foster families to get in touch.
No charges have yet been filed against Ms Berkshire, and she has been given a couple of weeks to clean up her home. If she fails to clear it, she could face fines of up to $250 a day.
UPDATE: I read on another site that 32 of the 72 cats had to be euthanized.
(Bay News 9 - March 21, 2014)
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