It turns out that the N.J. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals found 93 cats (previously, it was thought there were almost 80) living in disgusting conditions in a home in the posh suburb of Chester Township, NJ. The Daily Record reports, "Police found the cats covered in feces in rooms throughout the spacious home at 22 Farm Road. Pictures provided by the SPCA depict floors, couches and tables littered with waste, while microwave and conventional ovens were crammed with garbage." Some of the NJSPCA photographs are above; the NJSPCA site has more, including a disturbing one of a bathtub filled with cat poop.
SPCA spokesman Matt Stanton told the Star-Ledger, "Our people"—who entered with a search warrant— "had to fill their nostrils with Vick's VapoRub and wear masks. They could only go in for five minutes at a time and had to come out to get fresh air again." The Star-Ledger adds, "The 12-room house was filled with feline urine and fecal matter, and at least half of the cats were feral and breeding." However, Stanton said the cats seemed well-fed. The NJSPCA took 22 cats for observation and hope to be able to pick up the rest; SPCA Lt. Rick Yokum explained, "The state's shelters are already overloaded, and if we took the rest of those cats now, they would likely end up being euthanized and that's not what we are about."
The home's owner Wanda Oughton could face up to 186 charges: 93 civil charges and 93 criminal charges (1 of each for each cat). Each criminal charge could mean up to a $1,000 fine and six months in jail. Oughton, who lives in the home with her 20-year-old daughter, refused to leave the house or to answer the many reporters' questions. And apparently the smell from the house was apparent to reporters outside. Oughton is due in court next month, and the SPCA will ask that she undergo a mental evaluation.
It's unclear whether the township can condemn the house. See this video from WCBS 2, which shows some of the rescued cats (and apparently news helicopters were there).
