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The cats were found on Monday, Jan. 30 around 9:50 p.m. when police performed a welfare check on a residence in Yorktown Heights located on the 100 block of Cordial Road and found the bodies of a man and woman who had died.
Police were initially not able to investigate the scene because of the large number of cats in the home. The felines were then removed from the residence by SPCA Westchester's Humane Law Enforcement Unit.
SPCA Westchester officials said the cats had been living in "filth and squalor" in the home, which they described as "small and "dilapidated."
The 150 cats in the home were mostly Abyssinian mixes, and many were found suffering from conditions including upper respiratory, eye and skin infections, malnutrition, and dehydration. Some of the animals had more severe injuries that required immediate medical attention, and some had even died.
All of the cats were described as "starving" when they were rescued and some had not eaten for days, officials said.
"This is the largest hoarding case SPCA Westchester has ever undertaken, and we desperately need the support of the community to help care for these neglected and sick cats who need urgent medical attention," said SPCA Westchester Executive Director Shannon Laukhuf.
Laukhuf added that items such as cat food, litter, blankets, and towels would be appreciated, as well as financial donations.
The organization was aided in the rescue process by numerous groups, including the Best Friends Animal Society, Mohawk Hudson Humane Society, Westchester Humane Society, Rescue Right, and Columbia Green Humane Society
After the cats were removed from the home, police were able to continue their investigation into the deaths of the two residents. Police believe the deaths were not a result of foul play, but that "any death not of natural causes is inherently suspicious," Yorktown Police Chief Robert Noble said.
The names of the residents are not being released due to privacy reasons, Noble said. The investigation into the deaths is ongoing and police are waiting for a cause of death from the medical examiner's office.
Anyone with information should call the Yorktown detective division at 914-962-3856.
This continues to be a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.
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