Fifty-four cats are safe after they were removed from a hoarding house in Fall River on Tuesday and transported to the MSPCA-Angell’s animal care and adoption centers in Centerville, Mass., the organization announced on Wednesday.
A mom and her kitten settle into the Jamaica Plain adoption center.
The cats were voluntarily surrendered by their previous owner, who reached out to MSPCA Law Enforcement officer Chelsea Weiand last week after the number of cats in his home ballooned to nearly 80 and he could no longer care for them. A total of 78 cats were removed, with the Fall River Animal Control facility taking in 24.
“This was a case in which someone was overwhelmed and did the right thing by asking for help,” said Weiand. No charges have been filed against the previous owner, whose identity has not been released. Five neutered male cats have been allowed to stay in the home.
The majority of the cats now in the MSPCA’s care are suffering from treatable health issues such as eye and ear infections, which are common when too many cats live together in a confined space. The MSPCA has set up a donation page (www.mspca.org/fallrivercats) for readers who wish to donate to help care for these cats, and other animals like them.
Adopters Wanted on Cape Cod and in Boston
Mary Sarah Fairweather, whose team settled 27 cats—including two pregnant females—into its small and aged Centerville adoption center, is asking community members to open their homes to a new four-legged friend. “This is the perfect time to adopt as we now have so many cats to choose from,” said Fairweather. “The cats are sweet natured and very friendly and will make excellent companions.”
Alyssa Krieger, who oversees operations at the MSPCA’s Boston adoption in Jamaica Plain, is equally optimistic about the cats’ futures. “We’re going to do everything we can to make their stay with us as comfortable as we can while we work to transition them into new homes,” she said. “Cats that come from homes like these tend to do better when there are other cats already at home—so we’ll be placing them in pairs and/or in homes that already have a resident cat in place.”
Readers can email adoption@mspca.org for more information about the cats currently living at the Boston adoption center. For questions about cats at the Cape Cod adoption center, readers can email capeadoptions@mspca.org.