An elderly woman is found dead in Blanco County, surrounded by an estimated 80 feral cats. Animal rescue groups told us she kept them as pets in filthy conditions. On Wednesday evening, those organizations stepped in and rescued many of the animals.

More than 40 cats and kittens from that property are staying at the Austin Humane Society for now. The rescue groups say several of them are injured or malnourished and need to be spayed or neutered. Everyone there is hoping for a happy ending, but they said it can't happen without the public's help.

"It was really disgusting," said Noelle Adams with the Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Group of Kendalia, after she first stepped foot on the property. It’s hard to believe the elderly woman called this place home.

“You can hardly tell what a room is supposed to be, it's just full of mess,” said neighbor Fred Payton. “All I can say is filthy.”

The floors were covered with cat urine and feces, cat food cans litter the property and the smell was almost unbearable.
 
“There was no litter boxes, no way to control the urine or feces,” said Adams. “It's completely ruined. It will have to be torn down. There’s no way to salvage the house."

Neighbors told KEYE’s Katherine Stolp the woman who lived here was obsessed with cats.

“That was her life; cats,” Payton said. “They were consuming her and she let it happen. I just don't understand, sorry.”

She died from medical problems three weeks ago.

“Unfortunately the woman did pass away in the house,” said Adams. “Unfortunately it was some time before they found her, just horrible conditions.”

And with no one left to care for the animals, The Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Group of Kendalia captured more than 40 cats and kittens and brought them to the Austin Humane Society. But most of the cats can't stay long.

“It's not going to be a permanent housing situation,” said Frances Jonon, Executive Director for the Humane Society.

After they receive medical attention and get spayed or neutered, the wildlife rescue group said many of the cats must return to the property in Blanco County until they can find the animals permanent homes.

“We can't keep them here forever,” said Adams.

The rescue groups told us they'll go out to the property at least twice a day to leave food and water for the cats. The organizations were not able to capture more than 20 of the cats, including several pregnant ones, but will try again later this week.

Before Wednesday’s rescue mission, about 20 cats had already been rescued and we're told they were extremely unhealthy or hurt.

To adopt the cats and/or kittens or to donate for their medical care go to austinhumanesociety.org or www.wildlife-rescue.org.