Monroe Police said the conditions were deplorable at a Monroe residence where 37 cats were found. (Monroe Police Department)

Monroe Police said the conditions were deplorable at a Monroe residence where 37 cats were found. (Monroe Police Department)

37 cats, including 13 dead kittens, found in Monroe home

Neighbors alerted authorities to the house after noticing “a large amount of flying bugs.”

MONROE — After serving a search warrant on a home in Monroe, police found 37 cats, including 13 dead kittens and a dead cat in a freezer.

Neighbors alerted authorities to the house in the 17300 block of 152nd Street SE, after noticing “a large amount of flying bugs” coming from the property, along with a pungent smell.

The owner, an 83-year-old woman, reportedly deflected several attempts to contact her, and ignored notices to clean her property, according to a statement from Monroe Police.

Officers served the search warrant around 10 a.m. Tuesday, and were joined by a veterinarian and animal rescue teams from Pasado’s Safe Haven and the Community Cat Coalition.

Several cats roamed the yard in the early afternoon. Inside, the crews found animal feces throughout the house, and had to wear protective clothing and masks to withstand the stench as they worked for hours to find and capture the pets.

“The living conditions were deplorable,” said a statement from Monroe Police.

Nearly two dozen cats were taken to the Everett Animal Shelter, where they will undergo health and welfare exams. (Zachariah Bryan / The Herald)

Nearly two dozen cats were taken to the Everett Animal Shelter, where they will undergo health and welfare exams. (Zachariah Bryan / The Herald)

The owner of the house was transported to Providence Regional Medical Center Everett for an evaluation. Police are investigating her for keeping too many animals and permitting a nuisance.

The living cats were taken to the Everett Animal Shelter, where they will undergo health and welfare exams.

Their condition was not made public Tuesday. Wendy Ogunsemore, spokesperson for Pasado’s Safe Haven, said cats rescued from similar situations often suffer from “severe upper respiratory infections, painful eye infections and are often extremely dehydrated and malnourished.”

“Sadly, cat hoarding cases happen way more frequently in Washington state than people might be aware of,” she said.

Zachariah Bryan: 425-339-3431; zbryan@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @zachariahtb.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Snohomish County Health Department Director Dennis Worsham on Tuesday, June 11, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Snohomish County Health Department director tapped as WA health secretary

Dennis Worsham became the first director of the county health department in January 2023. His last day will be July 3.

Mx. Kenbie reads ‘My Shadow is Purple’ during the Everett Pride Block Party on Saturday, June 21, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
‘I feel safe here’: Community celebrates third-annual Everett Pride

Amid a drizzle of rain, people lined Wetmore Avenue on… Continue reading

Police Cmdr. Scott King answers questions about the Flock Safety license plate camera system on Thursday, June 5, 2025 in Mountlake Terrace, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mountlake Terrace approves Flock camera system after public pushback

The council approved the $54,000 license plate camera system agreement by a vote of 5-2.

Cascadia College Earth and Environmental Sciences Professor Midori Sakura looks in the surrounding trees for wildlife at the North Creek Wetlands on Wednesday, June 4, 2025 in Bothell, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Cascadia College ecology students teach about the importance of wetlands

To wrap up the term, students took family and friends on a guided tour of the North Creek wetlands.

Community members gather for the dedication of the Oso Landslide Memorial following the ten-year remembrance of the slide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
The Daily Herald garners 6 awards from regional journalism competition

The awards recognize the best in journalism from media outlets across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

Edmonds Mayor Mike Rosen goes through an informational slideshow about the current budget situation in Edmonds during a roundtable event at the Edmonds Waterfront Center on Monday, April 7, 2025 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Edmonds mayor recommends $19M levy lid lift for November

The city’s biennial budget assumed a $6 million levy lid lift. The final levy amount is up to the City Council.

A firefighting helicopter carries a bucket of water from a nearby river to the Bolt Creek Fire on Saturday, Sep. 10, 2022, on U.S. 2 near Index, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
How Snohomish County property owners can prepare for wildfire season

Clean your roofs, gutters and flammable material while completing a 5-foot-buffer around your house.

(City of Everett)
Everett’s possible new stadium has a possible price tag

City staff said a stadium could be built for $82 million, lower than previous estimates. Bonds and private investment would pay for most of it.

Jennifer Humelo, right, hugs Art Cass outside of Full Life Care Snohomish County on Wednesday, May 28, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
‘I’ll lose everything’: Snohomish County’s only adult day health center to close

Full Life Care in Everett, which supports adults with disabilities, will shut its doors July 19 due to state funding challenges.

PUD Manager of Generation Operation and Engineering Scott Spahr talks about the different gages and monitoring on the control panel at the Henry M. Jackson Hydroelectric Project on Wednesday, June 18, 2025 in Sultan, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Snohomish County PUD to change its contract with Bonneville this fall

The contract change will enable PUD to supply more reliable and affordable energy, Senior Power Supply Manager Garrison Marr said.

Signs hang on the outside of the Early Learning Center on the Everett Community College campus on Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021 in Everett, Wa. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Court docs: Everett Community College decided on ELC closure in March

The college didn’t notify parents or teachers until May that it would close the early education center.

The City of Edmonds police, court and council chambers complex on Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Edmonds Municipal Court focuses on Blake cases ahead of state funding cuts

Starting July 1, the state will have 80% less funding for refunds and administrative costs involved in vacating felony drug possession cases.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.