'Grime and filth': Man charged with animal cruelty after nearly 100 cats found in home, dozens dead
A New York man has been charged with animal cruelty after nearly 100 cats — dozens of which were dead — were found in his home last weekend.
The 75-year-old man was arrested on May 6 after detectives from the Suffolk County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) arrived at his residence in Bohemia, a Long Island community. He faces 18 misdemeanour counts of cruelty to animals and animal neglect, according to Chief of the Suffolk SPCA Roy Gross.
Authorities received a complaint “of dozens of cats living in poor, squalid conditions as well as many deceased cats in a freezer,” according to a Facebook post by the SPCA.
When detectives arrived at the property on May 3, they found the man with the animals that he allegedly neglected while they were in his care. The man and the cats were living amongst “wet urine, smeared feces, grime, and filth covering the floors, walls, and stairs.”
“The overpowering foul odours of feces, rot, grime, and ammonia were so severe” that the SPCA requested a hazmat team and backup from the fire department. After conducting an evaluation of the air and structure, fire mashals found high readings of ammonia gas inside the home. The residence was deemed unfit for human occupancy.
In the freezer, detectives from the SPCA “found multiple wrapped items” that contained more than twenty deceased kittens.
The New York Post reported that the man lived in the home with his late wife for 30 years, but she died a few weeks ago. A neighbour told the publication that cats were attracted to the residence because the pair would put out food. Gross told the N.Y. Post that if convicted, the man would be added to a registry preventing him from owning a pet for five years.
On Saturday and Sunday, teams worked to trap 61 cats, some of which were pregnant. They were taken to the Islip Town Animal Shelter and received veterinary care.
“Many cats presented with medical conditions including upper respiratory infections, urine scalding, eye disease, dental disease, missing teeth, and ear discharge; three cats were in such severe physical condition they required humane euthanasia,” per the SPCA.
In a post on Facebook on Wednesday, vice president of the Long Island Cat/Kitten Solution John Debacker shared a photo of one of the cats rescued from the home in Bohemia. He said that twelve of the cats would be transferred to rescues on Thursday.
Inside the mobile SPCA trailer where some of the Bohemia cats are being housed, 12 of them are being transferred to rescues tomorrow! Woot woot! :)
Posted by John Debacker on Thursday, May 8, 2025
All of the cats will eventually be put up for adoption through the shelter once they are medically stable.
The accused is due to be arraigned in Suffolk County First District Court on May 23 at 9 a.m. ET.
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