Claws come out over ‘flea-ridden’ cat home
An elderly woman, who neighbours feared was being over-run by scores of caged cats, has hit back.
She does have 17 animals in her unkempt Hamilton home but says they are well cared for, fed the finest food and that she’s doing fine.
Neighbours, who did not want to be named, said they had to spend money on flea and fly treatments because of the animals next door, that tradesmen had refused to enter the woman’s home on health and safety grounds, and that bags of cat litter were dumped outside, attracting vermin.
‘‘I know what I’m doing, for God’s sake, I’ve been doing it for 50 years,’’ said the woman, whom Stuff has decided not to name.
Eight of the cats are her own and nine reside in her backyard cattery.
‘‘They come and go, they’re not shut in the house all of the time,’’ she said. ‘‘My whole backyard is fenced off so they don’t wander into the neighbours or on the road. At night, they are kept in.’’
The truth is, she adores the felines and enjoys their company.
‘‘My husband got very sick and he came first before the garden. We had 47 wonderful years together, then I was left on my own.’’
She has no children or grandchildren to care for. ‘‘[The cats] are my outlet. These poor, innocent little creatures need help and who’s going to help them? I look after them and when they’re big enough I find them a good home.’’
The whole situation seemed to deteriorate after the woman’s husband died, a neighbour said.
There was a fear that she was no longer coping.
The woman admits the front yard is a ‘‘bit untidy’’. She forgot about it as she nursed her husband.
A neighbouring couple, who have a young baby, said they spend $400 a month on flea and fly products for their two dogs and two cats because, they say, fleas and flies are attracted next door.
‘‘There are also black rubbish bags of cat litter that aren’t put out for collection. They are left to sit there so the smell is terrible and it attracts rats.’’
The woman said she made sure all her cats received flea treatment every four weeks.
‘‘I haven’t got fleas, they haven’t come from my cats.’’
Over the past couple of months, she had had visits from Hamilton City Council staff but said there were ‘‘no issues whatsoever’’, other than arranging for people to come over and help weed the garden and tidy up the place.
She said there had been nothing to fix in her home so had not required a tradesman.
‘‘I have a lightbulb that needs changing every now and then but I have a friend who comes over. I haven’t needed anything done.’’
The SPCA confirmed its inspectors had visited this property but the woman said they signed everything off and were happy with what they saw.
‘‘The whole things just upsets me something terrible. All the good work I’ve done over the years and the enjoyment I’ve had with these cats ... It’s victimisation.’’
The woman said she wouldn’t speak to her neighbours and she believed that silence was golden.