117 Cats Overrun House; It Was So Bad 67 Were Euthanized

OAK CREEK, WI — A homeowner in Oak Creek has been charged after authorities say his house was overrun with cats. Police say animal care workers found 117 cats in the home, and that 67 of them had to be euthanized due to proper care.

When police questioned homeowner Ryan Ross over how he could let something like this happen, Ross told police he began taking in cats in 2017, and soon began to realize the cats were reproducing at a rapid rate, and was unable to keep up with the maintenance of the cats, police said.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Milwaukee County, Ross has been charged with four counts of animal mistreatment. If convicted, Ross faces up to six years behind bars in addition to any fines or probation he may face.

Ross is currently scheduled to make his initial appearance in court on Dec. 19.

Oak Creek Patch originally reported on this story on Sept. 23, two days after police were initially called to Ross' house.

At the time, we reported that a concerned citizen called police, saying they were worried that several cats were inside the house and that the house appeared to be empty for quite some time.

When police investigated, the officer noted at least 20 cats inside the house simply by looking in the rear patio door of the home. The problem was much worse, police quickly found out.

When officers reached out to Ross, he initially told police that he was not currently living at the house, but that he cared for the cats regularly. According to police call logs, the homeowner admitted to letting things get out of control, and that he can no longer care for the cats.

Criminal Complaint Details Cat House

A criminal complaint filed in the case revealed more details about the officer's initial visit to the Ross house.

According to the criminal complaint, when the officer arrived and exited her squad car, she immediately noticed the smell of feces and ammonia emitting from the house. She saw several cats in the windows.

While investigating the property, the shone her flashlight into a large sliding glass door and saw at least 30 cats in that immediate room. She saw feces, garbage and soiled furniture inside, the report said.

The officer called Ross. According to the criminal complaint, Ross told the officer that he had a problem, admitted there were numerous cats living at the residence and that things got out of control, and he did not know what to do.

The Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission came out to his property several days later to help remove and treat the cats.

A total of 117 cats were brought to MADACC, of which 67 of them had to be euthanized due to the health problems related to the lack of proper care.

When police questioned Ross, he told police he owned the residence on the 7800 block of S. Burdick Ave. He told investigators he and his girlfriend had been living there, according to the criminal complaint.

In explaining how his house became the home of more than 100 cats, Ross reportedly told investigators that he saw cats outside during the winter months of 2017, and would take them into the house to care for them. He was unaware whether they were feral or domesticated cats.

According to the criminal complaint, he never took the cats to a veterinarian and never had them spayed or neutered.