TYLER, Texas (KLTV) – An East Texas cops department is actioning in to help after the death of a house owner led to lots of cats being left without a caretaker.
Concerned next-door neighbors made the discovery at a home in Tatum, simply inside the Panola county line.
Tatum cops are attempting to get a humane organization or shelter to come to the cats’ rescue.
The owner of the residence died just recently, however what was left worried animal fans and next-door neighbors.
Cats!
A conservative quote of 50.
“Real distressing to me because not only were there grown cats, there were kittens running all over the place,” said next-door neighbor Debbie Ross.
“There’s never been a issue with the cats until the passing of the resident who lived here. She pretty much had them as pets,” said Tatum cops chief James Smith.
The owner had actually kept the big group for many years.
Though not technically an authorities matter, Tatum cops have actually connected to numerous shelters and humane organization’s to schedule the cats to be rescued, however without any success yet.
“We’ve contacted several. Not really sure if they’re going to act on it or not but eventually it’s going to be a problem. As you can see there are several kittens, so it is going to be an issue,” the chief said.
“We tried to call everywhere we knew to call,” Ross says.
A relative had been coming by the home to give the cats food and water, but with over 50, their resources will run thin.
“There is a time factor, there were several we could see had an injury of some kind,” says Ross.
“Other relatives have stepped up, forced to feed the cats take care of the cats, and it’s just not in their means to do it,” Smith says.
One shelter has offered, but at a cost.
“No one can physically pay 25-30 dollars per cat,” the chief says.
The objective is to relocate them if possible.
“Surely there’s one out there that will reach out to us,” Smith says.
The Tatum cops department has actually even provided to purchase food for the cats till they are rescued.
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