Rescuers removed 47 cats from a vacant Bowmanstown property this weekend. Twenty of those cats have died and the rest are being treated by veterinarians and spayed and neutered

The Palmerton Cat Project posted the information on its Facebook page that “in the last 48 hours, an additional 10 cats and 4 newborn kittens have been rescued from the vacant Bowmanstown property. This brings the total rescued to 27. Sadly, the amount of deceased cats retrieved has risen to 20.”

Barb Greenzweig, president of the Palmerton Cat Project, said that six Palmerton Cat Project volunteers were in the home over the weekend.

Greenzweig said they identified an adult Siamese, but also heard at least several more, and that there might be conservatively two to five left.

“We searched every room, had to go through piles of debris,” Greenzweig said. “It’s a large home, so there was a lot to go through.”

Stacy Frable, secretary of the Palmerton Cat Project, said Bowmanstown Borough reached out to her Thursday afternoon about a situation “where there was a lot of cats, and family members weren’t sure what to do; they were overwhelmed.”

Frable said she was on her way home from Allentown and stopped in at the home about 45 minutes later “and I never quite saw anything like what I saw when I walked in the front door.”

“It was deplorable living conditions, the smell was very bad, there were cats everywhere,” Frable said. “The family was willing to do whatever it could to cooperate with us, work with us, to get these cats in better condition.”

Frable said she started reaching out to all of their rescue partners, and started calling local vets.

Greenzweig explained what other steps have been taken.

“So we actually have several traps that are currently tied up so they can’t close, but there’s food inside of them to hopefully make those remaining comfortable with coming in and out so that when we have the space we’ll be able to take them to a local rescue,” Greenzweig said.

Frable added, “We will actively trap until we get all of the cats out safely, and even utilize trail cameras (if needed) to see what we have going on inside.”

Both Greenzweig and Frable praised those who assisted the Palmerton Cat Project.

“We’d like to recognize the wonderful support not only from the folks in the community and beyond, but also the rescues that have partnered with us to bring these cats to safety,” Greenzweig said. “The cats appear to be in good health, and less than 3 years of age, however none of them are spayed and neutered or had any vet care.”

Greenzweig said that they are starting the spay and neuter process this morning, and completing medical examinations and testing in preparation for adoption.

Frable said that Mountain Valley Spay/Neuter & Vaccine Clinic in Lehighton is doing many spay neuter surgeries, vaccines, and microchips, and that “by the end of this week alone, we will have 16 cats spayed and neutered.”

She said the family has been extremely cooperative and appreciative of the work, and that rescue partners have been amazing - Carbon County Friends of Animals, Foxy’s Cradle, and Fireline Furr-Ever Friends.

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the amount of support from our followers,” Frable said. “They have been reaching out to see what supplies we need, and we are so thankful for that; the donations have been amazing.”

Frable said, “These cats and kittens are friendly. They’ll all be candidates for loving indoor homes once medically cleared.”

Greenzweig said any donations for the medical care of the cats would be appreciated, and can be mailed to Palmerton Cat Project, P.O. Box 24, Palmerton, PA, 18071, and simply notate Bowmanstown Cats.

Frable said anyone interested in giving any of these cats a home, an adoption link can be found on the Palmerton Cat Project Facebook page.