Huntington Cat Shelter Rescues Over 20 Cats From Abandoned House

EAST NORTHPORT, NY--Over 20 cats have been rescued after two weeks of abandonment in a dilapidated Centerport home, the Huntington Cat Shelter announced. After the home's residents had abruptly been evicted, neighbors eventually realized the cats had been left to try and survive on their own.

Empty food and water bowls, as well as litter boxes with old, soiled newspapers were found. The cats were apparently forced to escape through a broken window in the basement to search for food and water and then return to the house for shelter.

The cat shelter was called once the new owner of the property began accessing the home to start cleaning and renovating the house, which had fallen into disrepair.

"These cats were all scared and living in the only home they knew, but there was feces and urine as far as the eye could see and nose could smell," David Ceely, executive director of Little Shelter, the managing organization for the Huntington Cat Shelter, said via release. "The neighbors were very kind to help us feed and water these poor cats until we were able to trap and help them all."

Ceely added that he saw that a stove top burner had been left running when he entered the house.

"I couldn't believe my eyes, that gas burner had to have been running for weeks," he said. "This nightmare situation could have had an even worse outcome than it did."

The cats are being medically evaluated, vaccinated, spayed, neutered and micro-chipped.

The cat shelter, located at 104 Deposit Road in East Northport, will start putting the cats up for adoption at an adoption event this Memorial Day weekend, May 25 and 26, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. both days. Donations are necessary to help offset the cost of the medical care and can be made in person at the shelter or by visiting huntingtoncatshelter.org.