House of 100 cats

A Chico man was hoarding well over 100 cats in his home until he recently reached out to local animal-services organizations for help.

Though the final number of cats rescued from the house has yet to be determined, 115 surprisingly healthy, well-fed cats had been seized as of Tuesday, April 30, according to the Chico Enterprise-Record. The unidentified man recently contacted Judy Alberico of the Chico Cat Coalition, Alberico said in an email. The man, distraught, related starting with four spayed and neutered cats seven years ago, then adopting several more that hadn’t been fixed. The man has been evicted from his rented duplex, which has been destroyed by cat urine and feces.

The Butte Humane Society, the Chico Animal Shelter and the Companion Animal Welfare Alliance have assumed responsibility for treating and placing the cats.

“This is a very sad situation for the cats and this young man, who had to be taken to the hospital because of the stress,” Alberico said, adding that the man was doing “what he thought was good” and the situation “totally exploded on him.”