Bremerton cat hoarders surrender more than 70 animals
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BREMERTON, Wash. -- A Bremerton couple is surrendering more than six dozen cats and kittens that have been living in squalid conditions inside a camping trailer.
A 911 tip led animal rescuers to the trailer, where they found more than 70 felines. Officer Chase Connolly rounded up the cats and said they covered up nearly every inch of the couple's floor.
"The smell was overwhelming, to where we had to wear masks just to enter the property and alternate them out with new masks just to enter the property and alternate them out with new ones to keep removing animals," Connolly said.
So many cats were rescued that the Kitsap Humane Society shelter is now full. All the cats are now being treated for parasites and eye infections.
Dr. Jen Stonequist said some the animals were underweight, but they did not appear to be neglected.
"They were really loved where they were, I think the people just didn't have the resources to spay and neuter the cats that they had, and unfortunately it just resulted in an explosion of kittens," Stonequist said.
The runt of the bunch weighs just 10 ounces. The shelter workers have named the kitten Zeus because they want him to know he's a fighter.
If the couple continues to cooperate and surrender the rest of their cats, police say they won't face any criminal charges. Rescuers say it's a case of good intentions that got out of control.
On Friday, the shelter waved its adult cat adoption fees for anyone who wanted to take one of the cats home.
The couple will be allowed to keep four cats, which is the city limit.
A 911 tip led animal rescuers to the trailer, where they found more than 70 felines. Officer Chase Connolly rounded up the cats and said they covered up nearly every inch of the couple's floor.
"The smell was overwhelming, to where we had to wear masks just to enter the property and alternate them out with new masks just to enter the property and alternate them out with new ones to keep removing animals," Connolly said.
So many cats were rescued that the Kitsap Humane Society shelter is now full. All the cats are now being treated for parasites and eye infections.
Dr. Jen Stonequist said some the animals were underweight, but they did not appear to be neglected.
"They were really loved where they were, I think the people just didn't have the resources to spay and neuter the cats that they had, and unfortunately it just resulted in an explosion of kittens," Stonequist said.
The runt of the bunch weighs just 10 ounces. The shelter workers have named the kitten Zeus because they want him to know he's a fighter.
If the couple continues to cooperate and surrender the rest of their cats, police say they won't face any criminal charges. Rescuers say it's a case of good intentions that got out of control.
On Friday, the shelter waved its adult cat adoption fees for anyone who wanted to take one of the cats home.
The couple will be allowed to keep four cats, which is the city limit.
Okay, we all went through sex ed starting in 5th grade, right? A boy kitty and a girl kitty makes???? Anyone? That's right! MORE KITTIES!!! Unless you do the right thing for the animals and provide them some kind of alteration. Not a hard concept, truly isn't. Someone needs to go back to their house and provide them with a basic sex ed book so this couple isn't breeding indiscriminately themselves if they have no concept as to how their cat population exploded so rapidly! I don't agree with the shelter allowing them to keep 4 of the cats but if that is being allowed please, PLEASE require that these 4 kitties be submitted to the shelter for a full exam and spay/neuter before they are returned to these "owners".
Oh my god, you have cat to be kitten me right meow! This is crazy
Would have been nice if the article actually had a link to the animal folks, I am in the area (but from out of town). Reached voice mail for Silverdale county facility so have no clue where to go see cats.
I want one so bad- but with 3 cats already I know it wouldn't get the love and attention it needs. Must resist-
I love kitties but I could NEVER imagine having more than 2 or 3... maybe 4 if they all learned to go potty outside.
@Tattooed_Angel2Â I have 3 cats and can't imagine having any more pets to care for, and the only reason we have 3 is from irresponsible neighbors who abandon their cats when moving or refuse to spay their female cats. All of our cats are fixed and have all their shots.
Bremerton has a 4 cat capacity magazine limit? Sounds like a violation of my 2nd Amendment rights. We need to organize a rally outside of a Jack in the Box and everyone needs to open carry their cats in a display of solidarity.Â
Dang, the tiddy kitty must of come in skiploader scoops...
"they were really loved "
nope, sorry. they WERE, however, really sick, really dirty, and really really living in a squalid prison.
Cats can get out of hand quick if you don't get them fixed or get a handle on it. Many times we see colonies of cats like this in areas. The sad thing is not everyone can afford to get their animal fixed. (Most times a person gains a cat or dog because they have good intentions where someone else let the animal become a stray.) That doesn't make them a bad owner. It really bothers me that people think just because someone can't afford to get their animal fixed that that means they shouldn't have one. The point is to be responsible for them. You can have an animal that isn't fixed and be responsible. Where I live it is in-between 200-300 dollars to get a cat fixed. (Which I find ridiculous!)And now Animal control and pet shelters charge to take animals from you. So it's a rock and a hard spot, especially for those that take in strays because they feel sorry for them. Maybe it is better to leave strays alone? I dunno. I can't say I can be as judgmental toward someone when it comes to that. Maybe their needs to be some legislation on Strays. If it's a stray, a person should be able to get it taken in and fixed free of charge. We need to do something to get a handle on strays and the cat/dog over population.
@Sande Snow $200-300 to get a cat fixed? Where the he!! do you live? There are so many places that will fix a cat for free or for a low cost if a person is willing to look- I got my cat fixed for $50 and that included the little cone thing and a 3 day pain shot. If a person is on disability, is retired military, or is on almost any type of state aid (medical, food, tanf etc) they can get their cat fixed for free at a mobile spay clinic and at some vets with a "coupon" from the cinderella project (I beleive thats the name)- all they have to do is call the local humane society. As far as stray cats go there are places that fix them for free also- they then dock the cats ear so people can tell it has already been fixed- BUT thats only for a stray/ferrel cat not one you are adopting.
@Sande Snow   "And now Animal control and pet shelters charge to take animals from you."
I've heard this before, and if it's true, it's sad. What do they do if you just walk into their building, put the pet on the floor (with a note saying it's a stray that you found today), and then quietly walk out? Can they have you arrested or something?
@Central Not all places charge you to turn over a pet, especially if you tell them you can't afford to care for them or they are a stray.Â
If they can't afford to get them fixed, then they need to let them go and let the shelter re-home them to pawrents that can afford the neutering and the shots and the boosters and getting them chipped!!!
If the police needed masks I don't know how the residents lived there. Â It doesn't sound healthy at all.
I'll take Zues! And I don't think they should have anymore cats.
Oh I hate to hear things like this. How can someone let this get so far out of control. Where do I go to get one or two. I promise to spay and neuter them and give them a long loving forever home.
@Jordan I'm betting they will be fixed before the shelter lets them leave.
@Jordan Kitsap Animal Shelter
Oh cut the crap! They need to be charged plain and simple! How the hell do you not know what you're doing when you decide to have that many cats?
I hope its four fixed cats that they get to keep.
Even though it was a bad situation for the kitties it's nice to know that it wasn't a mill of some kind or just wanton neglect. They actually loved them and tried to take care of them. I hope they are adopted out soon.
The poor little darlings!! Â Must fight urge to adopt 20 or so. :|
There are always very low cost (free in some cases) spay & neuter programs in nearly all areas here. One just needs to contact their vet/humane society and check into affordable options. Food and a couple snip-jobs for two or four cats is a lot cheaper than food for oh, 70.Â
At least they weren't being mistreated/purposely neglected like we see too often on the news, but the medical problems would have gotten a lot worse in time, and the kittens were in such unsanitary conditions.
The 4 they kept had better be spayed and or neutered! They sound like good people for the most part, some judgment issues and finances. Lots of kitties need a home, hopefully they will find them all a nice place to live.
The smell must have been horrendous !!
poor little kitty with only one eye. Â so sad!
@Sissy Looks as it's just infected and swollen shut. Hopefully not badly enough for surgery.
@Hadrian @Sissy The doctor said she had surgery to remove her eye.
@IronWafflez That's so sad - it didn't have to happen!