125 Living Cats, 80 Dead Cats Found Inside Lapeer County Home

This sounds like something straight out of an episode of Hoarders.

Back in May, first responders were called to a home in Dryden Township for a welfare check. According to Fox 2 Detroit, the smell coming from the property was so bad that crews could smell it from roughly 150 feet away.

Things got so bad that some firefighters became nauseated and dizzy before they even made it inside the house. They eventually had to put on respirators before going in.

Once inside, they couldn't believe how bad it was.

They found around 125 cats still alive and roughly 80 dead cats. Some of the dead cats were stacked in different areas of the home, including the kitchen. Yes, the kitchen.

Lapeer County Cat Hoarding Case Leads to Felony Charges

This is the part that really threw me.

The woman living in the home is apparently pretty well known in Michigan's cat rescue community. She's also a nurse practitioner who cares for newborn babies. She's now facing two felony charges.

See Also: Massive New Brewery and Restaurant Opening in Lapeer County

What's surprising is that prosecutors say she understood what was going on inside the house. Because of that, they say there wasn't a legal basis to force her into immediate mental health treatment.

Nearly All of the Rescued Cats Have Health Issues

Sadly, the surviving cats are still dealing with the aftermath.

Many are being treated for respiratory issues and other health problems. Some have been sent to rescue groups across Michigan, while others remain in the care of Lapeer County Animal Control.

The cats that are still being treated are not available for adoption.

Get our free mobile app

It's just sad to think about how her home got to this point. I mean, she was living with dozens of dead cats in the house.

Obviously, something happened in her life that led her down this path. Hopefully, she gets the help she needs, and hopefully the surviving cats get the care they need, too.