Remains of several cats found in Wilmington home

Multiple dead cats were taken out in trash bags from a Wilmington home on Thursday, after the homeowner was hospitalized three months prior, neighbors said. 

The state cannot determine the number of cats found, due to the condition of the animals, the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services said.

Animal services headed inside the house off North Monroe Street on Wednesday in response to a welfare check on the animals. No one was home, so they left a notice and tried contacting relatives, DHSS said. 

One family member arrived on Thursday to open the door for animal control officers geared with gloves and masks. The team searched each room and removed the multiple dead cats, the agency said. 

The Wilmington Fire Department had to air out the building before animal control could enter. 

The odor from the deceased felines had plagued neighbors for months. 

One neighbor's daughter, Sherel Broomer, said the smell was toxic, and at one point, she had to pour ammonia out on the street to stifle the odor. 

The homeowner had lived alone with stray cats she had taken in, neighbors said. When she fell ill in January, the cats were left alone in the house, Broomer said. 

A city inspector was at the house on Thursday and said the home had not been condemned. 

Vash Turner, the district's councilman, said he and Wilmington's Licensing and Inspection director had been aware of the smell from neglected cats since a neighborhood February meeting.

"Hopefully, they've been following up with all of that," Turner said. 

The city's Department of Licenses and Inspections has not immediately responded for comment.

DHSS is still determining if charges will be filed. 

POLICE:

Delaware City man hit neighbor with shovel and bit him, police say

Wilmington police seek information about shooting of 14-year-old in March

Contact Josephine Peterson at (302) 324-2856 or jhpeterson@delawareonline.com. Follow her @jopeterson93.