A total of 68 cats were rescued from a hoarding situation at a Tullahoma home.
Volunteers with the Animal Rescue Corps (ARC) assisted the Tullahoma Department of Animal Control Tuesday in the rescue.
The cats were found living in dangerously high levels of ammonia gas and filthy conditions.
"When we got there it was bad, if not worse, than what was described to us," said Scotlund Haisley, President of ARC. "The entire carpet was soaked in urine. It was bad."
Newborn litters and pregnant females were included in the group. They were running loose inside the home.
The homeowner said it started when she took in a few homeless cats four years ago, but since then the unaltered cats have multiplied into over sixty.
All of them showed signs of upper respiratory infections from the unclean conditions and excessively high ammonia. Some of them also suffered from other medical conditions like eye infections, bladder infections, external and internal parasites.
All of the cats were surrendered to Animal Rescue Corps by the property owner.
“We take cases of animal suffering very seriously in this city.” said City of Tullahoma Director of Public Works, Wayne Limbaugh “These animals desperately needed help so we didn’t hesitate to accept the assistance of Animal Rescue Corps and these cats are now in good hands.”
ARC safely removed the cats from the property and transported them to ARC’s Rescue Operation Center in Lebanon. Each animal will receive a thorough veterinary exam, appropriate vaccinations, and any necessary medical treatment.
ARC will provide daily care until the animals are placed with shelter and rescue organizations that will ultimately adopt them into permanent, loving homes. For people wishing to foster or adopt, ARC will publish its list of shelter and rescue placement partners on its Facebook page once the cats are transferred to these groups.
