More than 100 dead cats have reportedly been discovered in a freezer or buried in a garden at a 'house of horrors' in southern France.
It is believed that 67 cat bodies were found in a refrigerator in a chalet adjacent to the house for the same reason.
An animal protection group, called AEPA, said it also discovered 38 individuals the cats – including 12 kittens and a pregnant adult – alive but in need of care, some showing signs of typhus, which is highly contagious and can be fatal.
“They have lived in the dirt in this house for several years, deprived of care,” the group said.
The organization described the house as a “house of horrors” after it was discovered on Tuesday in La Roquette-sur-Cigny, about five miles north of Cannes.
French broadcaster BFM reported that another 50 cats were discovered buried in the garden, while police arrested a 66-year-old man at the address before releasing him on Wednesday.
France 3 Côte d'Azur added that the man was also taken for a psychological evaluation.
Kittens were discovered on the property. Photo: Iba
Peak: Iba
The US Environmental Protection Agency had reportedly been investigating the site since December 2023, gathering information until it felt it had enough to inform police and inspect the land.
The group claimed they were already aware of the home from previous incidents in 2019, when 58 cats were recovered, and 2021.
“We investigated and noticed strong smells, and a lot of meowing, so we called the police, who came to monitor the same smells,” the BFM said.
“After two months, we got inspected yesterday by the police.”
The man reportedly kept a record of his cats, which he called his “loved ones,” France 3 reported.
A volunteer told the outlet that they initially found 15 cats, “all in bad condition” and “eaten by disease.”
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They added: “But when I opened the refrigerator in one of the chalets, we understood that the matter was much more dangerous.”
“When we took the cats out of the freezer, he didn't understand the problem and said he had given them eternal life.”
The AEPA says all surviving cats will need to be spayed and fostered until they can be put up for adoption.
