Woman sees no problem with housing 98 cats

FORT MYERS, Fla.- Lee County Animal Services cited a woman for animal cruelty after finding 98 cats in her Fort Myers home.

Yolanda Palencia’s house is a lot more bare than it was just a few days ago.

All her furniture is gone along with her 98 cats. Animal Services euthanized 14 of them that were extremely unhealthy; the others are recovering at the animal adoption center.

“She say ‘what the problem?'” said Palencia’s friend, Gabby Castillo. “She cares for the cats.”

Castillo said the cats got the best life they could have had.

“Because a lot of people not liking cats put them in the street,” Castillo said. “My friend, she put them in the house.”

Castillo says Palencia paid $200 a week to feed her pets even though her husband only earns $400 a week.

When Animal Service officers took the cats away, Castillo said, “She cried so much yesterday. So much.”

Castillo told WINK News she doesn’t see a problem with having 98 cats either. In fact, she says she owned a lot of dogs in the past.

“Right now I have two, but before I had 37 dogs,” said Castillo.

Palencia faces animal cruelty charges. Her cats are awaiting adoption; many of them had upper respiratory infections.

Anyone looking to adopt a cat can call or go to Lee County Animal Services.