Neighbor reacts to nearly two dozen cats being rescued from Muscatine home

MUSCATINE, Iowa (KWQC) - Muscatine Police, Muscatine Animal Control and the Muscatine Humane Society rescued 23 cats from a home Thursday, after the owners allegedly abandoned them earlier in the week. It happened on Abrams Drive.

There were 13 cats rescued from inside and outside the home, with 10 more rescued by neighbor, Charlie Edwards, who called TV6 as animal control pulled up to check out the residence.

“This is probably some of the worst deplorable conditions I’ve seen for animals to left in. It’s really disheartening,” said Edwards.

Charlie Edwards lives just down the street from the home where 24 cats were abandoned earlier in the week.

“My daughter was walking our dog and she noticed the front door was open and several kittens were going in and out of the residence. So she went over and to pick up the kitten to see how it was doing, being the residence was abandoned and, multiple emaciated cats. It’s just deplorable conditions for animals, or anyone. I mean, we’re supposed to love our children and animals unconditionally and it’s really inexcusable,” said Edwards.

Edwards says the family who lived there left the home Monday and never came back, abandoning the cats.

Muscatine animal control, police department and humane society helped serve a search warrant for the home.

Police said 13 live cats were rescued inside and outside of the home, and one was found dead.

Edwards and his family helped care for 10 of the cats, providing them with food or water.

“Most of the pet and animal shelters are full. So I mean I would advise anyone who can donate food, towels, anything to the animals, they really need it,” said Edwards.

Muscatine police say Christine and Corey Loeffler were the last occupants of the home on Abrams Drive, but the were not home at the time of the search warrant.

So far, no charges have been filed and the investigation is ongoing.

This is the third incident of alleged animal abuse in Muscatine County this year. 42 dogs were rescued from a mobile home in Fruitland in February. That same month, another 28 dogs and a cat were found inside a camper in Muscatine.

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