Community Corner

51 Cats and Kittens Rescued by MCSPCA Looking for Love

The Eatontown animal shelter recently took in feline victims of an animal hoarder.

When most people think of hoarding, they conjure images of stacks of newspapers or dishes piled up in a kitchen.

But the Monmouth County SPCA is contending with the fallout of a different type of hoarding:  the recent addition of 51 cats taken from a West Keansburg residence on March 13 on the grounds of animal cruelty.

“Almost all of the cats have hernias, ear mites and all of them need to be spayed or neutered and receive flea and worming treatments,” said MCSPCA Community Cat Coordinator Francesca Alexander in a release. Aside from the cats’ immediate medical needs, some of the more serious issues include neurological issues, heart murmurs, blindness and the necessary euthanizing of at least seven of the cats for extreme medical problems.

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The cats were seized from the Hudson Street home of Henry R. Deinninger, 61, and his son, Robert Deinninger, 34, who were charged with 51 counts each of animal cruelty, according to a report of the incident in the Asbury Park Press.

The MCSPCA Homeward Bound Adoption Center in Eatontown will stay open until 9 p.m. on Friday, April 1 for cat only adoptions in an effort to find homes for the additional felines.

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The influx in the adoption center’s cat population disrupts the living arrangements of the current feline residents who suddenly find themselves being housed tighter together to make room for the new additions, according to the release.

“We like to have one cat per cubby and now we’re forced to have two cats per cubby. When numbers are down they have room to move, but now they are going to be upset having to share their space, which leads to stress and illness,” said Alexander.

There are at least 11 kittens—all under eight-weeks or under—who are too young for adoption and require special attention such as bottles, heating pads and foster caregivers. The rest of the cats are all under three-years-old. According to the release, while many of the cats are friendly, some remain too scared to relax around MCSPCA staff.

Many medical professionals feel that some form of mental illness may be involved with collecting or hoarding animals, according to the release. Typically in hoarding cases, the animals have never had medical care and have been denied the most basic care, such as proper nutrition and sanitation.

The West Keansburg home reeked of feces and urine, according to the APP report, with three litter pans for the 55 cats found. Multiple cats were being stored in single cages and cabinets under the sink.


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