150 cats rescued from hoarding home in Missouri after authorities conduct welfare check

Missouri officials have removed 150 cats from a hoarding home after receiving a call about a welfare check and now, the animal shelter that took them in is pleading for help clearing space for them.

Someone called in the welfare check on Aug. 28 about a house in Wildwood, about 30 miles west of the City of St. Louis, according to the St. Louis County Police Department.

When officers arrived, a witness told them about a large number of cats inside the home. Officers secured a search warrant and when they went inside, found more than 60 cats in the home, as well as two adults.

St. Louis County Animal Care & Control officers were called to the scene to remove the cats, as well as the St. Louis County Problem Properties Unit.

Reporters from television station KSDK spoke to Carolyn Haydon, who said her mother, father and another family member lived in the home. According to Haydon, the other individual living in the home kept other family members away for years.

Haydon told the outlet she suspected ongoing elder and animal abuse and had tried to get police involved for over a year. When Haydon’s mother died, and the home’s residents were at the funeral home, her brother went to the home and took photos to show police the condition of the house.

Haydon told KSDK there were multiple dead cats found in a deep freezer as well. She also said she is concerned about her father and her family has hired a lawyer. They believe their mother may have been neglected, which led to her death.

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Animal shelter pleads for help after rescue

The Animal Protective Association of Missouri, or the APA, also shared news Wednesday about the large cat rescue online and in a news release. 

Calling the rescue the “largest hoarding case in our history,” the APA said online that it was caring for 137 cats rescued from one single hoarding case. The agency then posted an update Friday afternoon and said the number had risen to 150 cats.

“We urgently need your help,” the agency wrote. “This significant influx, combined with the seasonal spike in kitten intake, has pushed the total number of cats in our care to nearly 500!”

The APA said it took in 1,154 animals in August and both of its locations were full of cats, many of which are on legal holds. That means they can’t be released just yet.

So far, they’ve rescued kittens as young as two weeks old, KSDK reported. 

One of the APA's facilities where many of the rescued cats are housed is at maximum capacity with 199 cats in 194 kennels, the shelter said in a news release. The shelter has resorted to converting rooms typically used for dogs so they can properly house the influx of cats rescued recently, the APA said in its news release.

The APA said Friday that the cats who were recently rescued are not available for adoption but the shelter does have other cats available. The shelter is waiving adoption fees at both locations on Saturday and Sunday, the agency said in its most recent Facebook post.

Sarah Javier, President and CEO of APA, said in the news release that the large rescue is just another example of what shelters are facing nationwide.

"We're not just dealing with numbers," Javier said in the statement. "Each of these cats represents a life that needs care, medical attention, and eventually, a loving home. Our situation in St. Louis is a microcosm of what shelters across the country experience, often with less resources and support."

According to the APA, community members can help the newly rescued cats and others like them by fostering, adopting and volunteering to care for the animals. Other ways to help include donating items such as XXL and XL crates, plastic food and water bowl combos and cardboard flats. 

“Your support will make a huge difference in these cats' lives,” the shelter wrote online. “Together, we can ensure they receive the care and love they deserve.”

Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Follow her on Twitter at@SaleenMartin or email her atsdmartin@usatoday.com.