The Owner Falls Sick, 170 Cats TURNed Off At Home During The Summer Without Drinking

JAKARTA - About 170 cats were found dirty in a house in Takasaki, eastern Japan, this summer after being abandoned without treatment because their owners were hospitalized, according to local animal welfare organizations.

The majority of the cats became thin, they said, adding that the windows of the house were closed and the smell of ammonia from the droppings was very pungent, when members entered the house in early September, according to Kyodo News Oct. 17.

The organization, Gunma Wan Nyan Network, was told by the owner's relatives on September 7 about the fate of the cats, who had to survive without water despite the summer weather.

According to the group, the owner, a man in his 60s, has been in poor health since early August. He remained in hospital after being treated more than a month ago.

When group members visited his home, they also found several newborns with injuries.

The members take more than half of the cats for protection, and will guide or castrate them in groups. They are also looking for people or organizations that can accept some animals.

The owner has recovered, but the animal welfare group will take care of the cats voluntarily until they are discharged from the hospital, to then take care of the cats again.

"It is difficult (for the group) to cover all costs of the operation, which costs more than 10,000 yen (67 US dollars) per cat," said Yukiko Iida, president of the Gunma group.