'Crazy cat lady' is kicked out of her home after she went from two cats to FIFTY within a year: 'It was putrid'
Residents of Gossimer Close, Killarney Vale, on the NSW Central Coast, say their nightmare began about a year ago when a woman and her two children moved into the street with just two cats.
But by May this year, the situation had exploded with locals claiming there were as many as 50 felines crammed into the modest property.
Shocked neighbours say they could hardly believe their eyes as more and more cats appeared on the street, spilling out of the home and roaming across front yards.
'There seemed to be more and more every week,' one exasperated resident told Daily Mail. 'The stench was terrible you could smell it everywhere.'
Others described the odour as 'putrid' and said the animals' constant movement through the neighbourhood was wreaking havoc on local dogs, sparking relentless barking and tension between residents.
'It wasn't just the smell,' another neighbour said. 'The cats caused no end of problems because they were everywhere, on fences, under cars and digging up gardens.
'The dogs would be going nuts all day and that would set off more dogs, it was a constant loop.'
Locals say they made desperate calls to the RSPCA multiple times but allege their pleas for help went unanswered.
'Lots of us called to complain. It wasn't fair on the cats to be living like that and we couldn't get anywhere,' a resident said.
'The RSPCA said it was under investigation but nothing was done and no one would help us or the cats.'
They said the problem spiralled out of control in part because of the sheer speed cats can reproduce.
A single female can have up to three litters a year, producing an average of four kittens each time.
That means two cats can quickly turn into dozens in under 12 months if left unchecked as a kitten can start breeding as early as four-months-old.
After months of complaints, the tenant was eventually given notice to temporarily move out of the housing commission home with strict instructions to clean the mess before being allowed to return.
Her departure then sparked a frantic rescue mission, with locals posting desperate appeals in a Facebook community group to find homes for the animals.
'If anyone can please assist, over 20 cats and kittens have been left by this owner and are roaming, hungry and looking for food,' one post read.
'They continue to breed. The RSPCA knows about it and this is under investigation but these kittens could be hit by cars in the meantime.'
Neighbours say that in the end, every cat was rescued, fostered or re-homed by volunteers and local shelters.
But they fear the ordeal is far from over.
'It looks like it's been sorted for now,' one resident said, 'but she told us she will be moving back in again soon and we are just so worried it may start again.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Horror moment plane CRASHES on golf course injuring two as golfers rush to help pilot instructor & student on board
THIS is the shocking moment a plane crashed in a golf course in front of stunned onlookers. Terrifying footage showed golfers enjoying a round before the light aircraft tumbled out of the sky. 5 5 5 The clip shows a Piper Cherokee plane making an emergency landing at the course in the Sydney suburb of Mona Vale. Two men in their 50s miraculously survived the horror crash despite the aircraft ploughing straight into the ground. And the plane also did not hit anyone on the golf course. Flight records show they took off from Camden at around 1pm local time and were set to fly to Wollongong. Onlookers could be heard screaming in horror as the plane hurtled towards the golf course. The terrifying clip shows the aircraft narrowly missing golfers on the ground in the moments before impact. Bystanders immediately rushed over to help at the crash site - with one person heard yelling "f***" as the golfers dashed to the rescue. The body of the aircraft mostly remained in one piece, although scraps of debris were strewn across the course. The plane's occupants were a pilot instructor and a student, according to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. They reportedly suffered minor injuries and were treated at the scene by paramedics. After this, they were taken to the Royal North Shore Hospital in a stable condition. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is gathering information about the incident, according to reports. Last month, another small plane crashed into a busy highway in northern Italy. Two people died in the fireball when the light aircraft slammed into the road. A video shows the plane nosediving towards the tarmac before exploding upon impact. Flames engulfed the crash site in the immediate aftermath, leading to the suspension of traffic in both directions. The tragedy took place in Brescia province. It resulted in the complete destruction of the plane, with no one on board surviving. 5 5
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Is THIS the most 'vile' house in Britain? Furious neighbours say 'hoarder' next door has made their homes unsellable
Furious residents living in one of the Britain's most desirable suburbs have said their 'hoarder' neighbour has turned their street into a 'health hazard' because he has let oozing mountains of rubbish pile up in the front drive and garden of his crumbling home. Locals in St Albans, Hertfordshire, said the 'vile' property has massively affected the value of their home and even prevented them from being able to sell. Meanwhile, their 80-year-old neighbour Roger, who wades through the noxious waste to leave his home just once a day, has refused help. Instead, he constantly brings rubbish back to his home, letting the rancid smell accumulate, attracting giant rats and fruit flies. 'It's vile, it's literally like a landfill. In this weather it's like hot cooking s***. It's a health hazard,' one resident told the Daily Mail. 'In his mind he think he's helping to recycle but no one should be living like that.' Roger, a retired engineer inherited the house from his parents, who bought the home in 1936. He lives there alone without any heating or water, eating cold microwavable meals. The windows are smashed, the front of the house is held up with an acrow prop and even though the rubbish reaches the top of the front door he insists he plans to recycle. Sitting on the cracked window ledge of his home, looking out at the sea of filth, he told the Daily Mail: 'I t's not so much rubbish it's only stuff that needs recycling. I have friends and I could rope them in but I don't want to disturb them. It does need doing there's no doubt about it. It's a question of getting organised.' But residents said a few years ago the council came to clear up the mess - and it quickly returned along with the 'unbearable' stench. Average house prices in the area, which is in a city considered to be one of the best places to live in the UK, are around £700,000. However, Roger's neighbours say his 'vile' property has massively affected the value of theirs and even prevented them from being able to sell. Claire Lewis, who has lived on the road for 14 years said: 'It is an eyesore you can see people walk down the street and double take. 'Quite a few years ago next door had rats in the garden we had blow flies coming into our property and that was gross. 'I don't know how he clambers up and down. I feel sorry for him, he's autistic, but it brings the property value down for everyone. 'We've just got used to it over the years. It doesn't look nice he seems to go and collect rubbish and bring it back it's beyond hoarding but it is a mental illness. But that's his way.' Omar Provencal, (pictured) a local tradesman in the area, for Prestige Renovations (St Albans Limited) told the Daily Mail he thinks most people are waiting for Roger to die so that the house can be renovated Another resident added: 'It's disgusting it smells. I literally opened my door and it stinks. I am all for people living however they want to live but in the house. 'I worry about what we're smelling when it heats up and we're in the sun. There's loads of rats there's always rats. I feel like the council have given up on this little street. 'I feel disappointed in the council and it's just annoying because it knocks the house prices down we think if we waited we could get a lot more for our money it's just awful. Omar Provencal, a local tradesman in the area, for Prestige Renovations (St Albans Limited) told the Daily Mail he thinks most people are waiting for Roger to die so that the house can be renovated, giving the road a more upmarket status. 'It's derelict he cannot live in it it has to be knocked down and the house needs to be rebuilt,' Mr Provencal said. 'People are waiting for him to die so it can go up on the market. 'I see him coming in and out every day. He's really well known in this community and respected, really educated. People have offered to help him but he's refused every time.' Another local described it as 'possibly the most vile house in Britain'. They added: 'Despite numerous complaints to the council and environmental health, they seldom help. Residents said a few years ago the council came to clear up the mess - and it quickly returned along with the 'unbearable' stench 'It's a huge nuisance to live close by, the smell in summer is horrendous, and the streets are full of rats I'm sure it's also probably a fire hazard in the heat. 'The resident is a nice man, I support his way of living, but would prefer it was restricted to his own house, and not out on the street or my front garden where his 'belongings' are regularly blown by the wind. 'His house and back garden are literally full to the brim. He sleeps in his front garden somewhere as he can no longer access his house - his hallway is full to the ceiling.' Other residents who have complained to the council numerous times say they feel let down. 'I feel like the council have given up on this little street,' one neighbour said. 'It's disgusting it's worse than anything I've seen. I don't like opening the front windows because it's hot and I smell it all summer. 'I worry for my health and my children, I'm super health conscious and this hazard is completely out of my control.' Chris Traill, strategic director of community and place delivery for St Albans City and District Council, said: 'We understand residents' concerns about conditions at a house in the Clarence ward of St Albans. 'For a private property, under the law there is only a limited number of actions that we can take. 'Our conversations with the property owner are confidential and we cannot disclose these in detail. 'The main issue for us as the District Council is the accumulation of rubbish which has happened on a number of occasions over several years. 'Our environmental enforcement team has intervened and organised the removal of material from outside the property on the grounds that it is a health hazard. 'This has occurred several times with the householder being charged for this work. 'We are currently investigating concerns that rubbish has been allowed to mount up again and we are considering further action. 'A member of our team has been in contact with the property owner for some years, making them aware of their responsibilities as well as the various help that is available to them. 'At least one other public agency has also been involved. '
BBC News
7 hours ago
- BBC News
How common are wild wallabies in Suffolk and Norfolk?
Suffolk and Norfolk residents have been captivated this week after a small wallaby was spotted on the border near Bungay, as well as in Halesworth. While the species is not native to the UK, and it is not clear where it has come from, there are some wild colonies across the country. So just how many could there be in Suffolk and Norfolk? Where do wallabies come from? Wallabies are primarily found in Australia and nearby islands, and are members of the Macropod family along with are typically small to medium-sized and have powerful hind legs that they use to bound along at high speeds and jump diet typically consists of grass, herbs, roots, tree leaves, and other foliage. Why are there wallabies in the UK? A research paper in 2020 by Holly M. English of University College Dublin and Anthony Caravaggi of the University of South Wales looked into wallabies in the believed wallabies were likely first brought to the UK for zoos as well as for private collections in the late 19th then, it is believed that during the World Wars, some were released into the countryside as people were unable to look after of those wallabies that were released went on to form a population in the Peak District; however, they slowly died out over the years. Are there any large populations left in the UK? There is a large population of wallabies living on the Isle of Man. It is thought there are likely up to 1,000 of them living in an area of the isle called the Ballaugh is believed they were brought to a wildlife zoo in 1965 before some managed to escape and went on to breed. Surveys in 2023 and 2024 revealed the huge numbers living in the area with the use of thermal-imaging cameras. The study found there was a strong correlation with wallaby presence being linked to "cover of some sort", primarily woodland. Can wallabies survive in the wild? Helen Pearson, head of animal studies at Suffolk Rural, which has its own wallabies, said they could survive "quite well" in the UK."They all come from Australia," she explained."They live in shrubland out there, so as much as you think Australia is quite hot, they cope quite well in our climate. They're really hardy animals."I know that on the Isle of Man, there is a wild population of wallabies because of how well they can survive."Unfortunately, it does make them an invasive species because they are not native to here."While the animals are non-indigenous to the UK, it is unknown the impact they could be having on native animal and plant life, according to the 2020 research paper. Where could this wallaby have come from? It is currently unknown just where the wallaby on the Suffolk and Norfolk border has come from."This one in particular in Suffolk, at one point it would have been in captivity, but I obviously don't know how long ago or if it's just escaped, or if it's been there for a long time," Ms Pearson said."My guess, if you've only just seen it, then it's just escaped, but I don't know where from."Mr Pearson believed the wallaby was of the same kind as the ones at the college, a red-necked wallaby also known as a Bennett's wallaby. Have there been any other sightings in the area? Ms Pearson said she had not heard of any wild wallaby sightings in Suffolk the 2020 research paper mapped sightings of wallabies across the UK, and it found 95 confirmed sightings between 2008 and 2018, most of which were in the south of England. There were also 64 media reports of sightings during that time. A map of their findings suggested there had been some sightings in both Norfolk and Suffolk over the years, as well as in nearby Essex, but exact locations were not mentioned. While this is the first reported wallaby sighting in some time, there were other wallaby sightings near Halstead in Essex in 2018, as well as in Glemsford in the time, it was believed they had escaped the year prior from a travelling carnival. There was also a captive wallaby named Sheila that escaped her home in Norwich in 2023, but she was later found. Is it illegal to release wallabies into the wild? It is considered illegal to release a wallaby into the wild under the Wildlife and Countryside Act is because they are not native to the UK, and the Act protects wild animals and plants in the caught doing this could face imprisonment or a fine. What should you do if you spot the wallaby? Ms Pearson offered advice to anyone who sees the wallaby again."Try and, if possible, keep eyes on it from a distance if you can because as soon as you lose sight of it, it could be another week until someone sees it," she said."Out there in the woodlands, fields and things, it could very easily disappear quite quickly."I used to be a zookeeper, and when things like this happen, you want to know that someone can see it at all times."Keep eyes and ring maybe the RSPCA or local vet, and hopefully they can assemble a team."I wouldn't approach it; they've got a really big kick on them, which could cause you some injuries, so it's best to leave it alone." Suffolk Police also encouraged anyone who saw it to contact them. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
