Total cat–astrophe! 47 cats rescued from homeless owner’s car amid 90-degree heat in Minnesota
A man living in his car with his 47 cats was forced to surrender his pets to the Animal Humane Society as temperatures in Minnesota reached over 90 degrees. Authorities said on June 14, that a man who had recently become homeless was discovered parked at a rest stop in southeast Minnesota with his roughly four dozen cats inside.
A concerned officer tapped on the van’s window to inquire about his wellbeing after noticing that the sweltering heat outside, in combination with the humidity, was likely driving the temperatures inside the vehicle to near unliveable highs. Animal Humane Society investigator Ashley Pudas told the Associated Press, “Unfortunately, with the heat yesterday he recognized that it was above and beyond what he was capable of at this time. And he let us help them out,” adding that the guy had made a point of never leaving the animals alone.
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According to AHS, the man had been living in his car for some time and had already given up 14 of his cats before being discovered with the four dozen animals in the rest area. The animal organization was able to promptly and safely transport all 47 animals, which ranged in age from under a year to nearly 12 years old, to its offices, where veterinarians inspected them all. Despite the animals' unclean and challenging living conditions, the animal charity stated that they all appeared to be in good health, with only a few requiring dehydration treatments.
The AHS posted on their Facebook page on Wednesday, June 15, “Yesterday, 47 animals’ lives were irrevocably changed. Today, 47 cats are finally experiencing what it’s like to have their own space in which to sleep, play, and eat.” The AHS stated that all of the cats are undergoing inspections and will be given up-to-date vaccines, spay or neuter surgery, and specialized behavioral rehabilitation since the cats are understandably ‘untrusting of our helping hand.’ They wrote, “It will take days, if not weeks, to provide the ongoing care each animal needs.” The owners of the pets were also checked by paramedics on the scene and given medical resources, according to the AHS. The Society is seeking donations to help cover the costs of the cats' care.