Fremont: Police find dozens of cats, some dead, at home of suspected animal hoarder

FREMONT — Police and animal services officers have recovered dozens of cats from the home of a retired humane services officer who was allegedly keeping the animals in disgusting conditions at the residence, authorities said.

The officers identified at least 73 cats at the Fremont residence, and noted that some animals were dead and decomposing inside cages. Some were found with ringworm, flea infestations, respiratory illness, and other medical maladies, and others were kept in cages with hamster water bottles or no access to water at all, authorities said.

Police and animal control became aware of the situation, ironically, after the homeowner reached out to authorities for help taking care of the animals while she was hospitalized for a long-term stay. Subsequent inspections of her home revealed that cats were being kept in cages, sometimes stacked three or four high, others with multiple cats inside a single kennel, authorities said.

Officers brought in veterinary technicians on site to treat some of the cats and arranged for others to be treated at a local shelter, authorities said. They were able to take possession of the animals because investigators determined the conditions amounted to animal cruelty, a penal code violation.