Police in Catskill arrested two people this week after finding dozens of cats living in filth inside a 900-square-foot apartment on North Street, with investigator Joe Murray saying feces covered parts of the floor two to three inches deep. Kayla Hackett, 38, and Barry Mower, 42, both Catskill residents, now face dozens of counts tied to the animals' care.
A Tip Leads to a Squalid Scene
According to The Daily Gazette, police obtained a search warrant and searched the home at 68 North St. after receiving a report Thursday, leading to the arrest of Hackett and Mower on charges tied to the nearly 100 cats found inside. Separately, CBS6 Albany reported that police received information on Oct. 22 about an apartment on North Street reportedly occupied by multiple residents and an unknown number of cats living in deplorable conditions.
The exact final count of animals recovered remains unsettled. WNYT reported that 96 cats and one dog were living in the apartment, while CBS6 Albany reported that upwards of 100 cats were recovered. The Daily Gazette's reporting placed the number at 96 cats as of Friday afternoon, with more still being trapped, and noted police expected the total would likely exceed 100.
Feces, Ammonia, and Respirators
The scene inside the apartment was severe enough that responders needed protective gear. Investigator Joe Murray said feces covered some floor areas to a depth of about two to three inches; the Gazette also reported urine had made some floors soft. The ammonia smell could reportedly be detected from the street, and responders said they could hardly breathe inside, their eyes watered, and they wore respirators while working.
Despite the conditions, not every animal was in critical shape. Some cats had thin bodies or matted fur, but none were critically ill or malnourished, according to the Gazette's reporting. The animals were transferred to veterinary care after being removed from the home, and CBS6 Albany reported the recovered animals were transported for veterinary examination and treatment before placement with shelters and rescue organizations. Catskill authorities later condemned the residence because of its condition, WNYT reported.
A Son in the Home, But No Charges
Police reported that a 21-year-old son also lived in the home, but the Gazette's reporting states police said the son was not charged. Hackett and Mower were each charged with 50 counts of overdriving, torturing, injuring animals, or failing to provide sustenance, per police cited by the Gazette, while CBS6 Albany's reporting described the charges more broadly as multiple counts under New York Agriculture and Markets Law covering overdriving, torturing, injuring animals, or failing to provide sustenance. Both were given appearance tickets in town court and released pending future proceedings, according to WNYT.
A Multi-Agency Rescue Effort
Pulling that many animals out of one apartment required help well beyond the Catskill Police Department. Police received assistance from the Columbia-Greene Humane Society, Mohawk Hudson Humane Society, Albany County Animal Cruelty Task Force, Schenectady County SPCA, Animal Kind, and Hyer Rescue, and the assisting organizations helped collect the cats, the Gazette reported.
The Columbia-Greene Humane Society was already stretched thin before this case. As reported by The Daily Gazette, the shelter brought in 61 cats from two Catskill homes within a single week — 42 rescued on Oct. 14 and 19 more taken in the following Monday. Many of those cats were thin, sick, and in need of extensive care, the outlet noted. The Gazette reported that these two rescue cases were unrelated to each other; the shelter typically houses about 50 cats at a time, a number the two rescues more than doubled.
Not an Isolated Pattern
Large-scale cat removals have surfaced elsewhere in recent weeks. In Port St. Lucie, Florida, more than 100 cats and kittens were taken to the Humane Society of St. Lucie County following an alleged hoarding situation, according to TCPalm. The ASPCA has separately reported removing more than 100 cats from unsanitary, overcrowded conditions in New York City in a single day, according to the organization's own account.
