Authorities work to rescue nearly 100 cats abandoned in recently sold home

LAS VEGAS (KVVU/Gray News) — Animal services are working to collect dozens of cats left behind in a home recently sold in North Las Vegas.

KVVU was first notified about the situation by a resident who reported that there were about 50 to 100 cats abandoned.

Cats were seen by the KVVU crew peaking out the window and going in and out of a small opening in the garage.

“They are in everyone’s yard, back-and-forth. If I leave my garage open, they will come in there,” one neighbor, Charles Smith, said.

Smith has lived in the neighborhood for six years and said the cats have always been an issue, except now the person who lived there moved out and left the cats.

Records show the home was sold in June and acquired by a property management company.

KVVU reached out to the city of North Las Vegas and they said they were notified of the situation on July 19. According to a city spokesperson, the cats on the property are feral and have access in and out of the garage.

They also said Animal Protection Services has visited the house 20 times in the past six years, and collaborated with the Community Cats Program to trap and neuter the cats.

However, despite the cats being feral, the city’s public information officer said the residents who lived there allowed the cats inside the house.

“They are animals, it’s really sad to see the situation inside the house,” Estrelle Salgado said.

Salgado said she and a few other neighbors are leaving food and water out for the cats.

“They are super skinny, mistreated animals and none of us knew they lived under that condition until she moved out,” Salgado said.

According to Salgado, one neighbor also forced the window open to give the cats some air and then realized how bad the situation was.

“It was dark, you can see the eyes were all over, even little babies, little kitties,” she said. “He was the one who told us there were so many in there.”

On Wednesday, North Las Vegas Animal Protection was able to access the house. According to the city, the team was able to collect 17 feral cats from inside the house, including four nursing kittens. One kitten was found dead.

According to the city, animal services have left food and water for the dozen cats that are still at the property. They are also working with the Community Cats Program to trap the remaining cats.

KVVU spoke to the owner of the property management company, who said the damage inside is estimated to be about $70,000.