150 cats in "deplorable condition" found in home of known cat hoarder

SCHAGHTICOKE, N.Y. -- Authorities have found 150 cats in a New York home owned by a woman who along with her sister was stopped four years ago by police who discovered 77 cats in their cars.

State Police Sgt. S.P. Dauphinais tells the Albany Times-Union that the Rensselaer County home is in "deplorable condition." He says officials removed 80 cats Tuesday and will return for the remaining 70 on Wednesday.

The house owned by Bertha Ryan is in Schaghticoke.

The executive director of the Mohawk-Hudson Humane Society tells the newspaper Ryan and her family have been involved in four cat hoarding reports. In all, 450 cats have been involved.

Ryan and her sister Regina Millard were stopped in 2010 by police in Bennington, Vermont, with 77 cats in two cars. At the time, police said one of the cats was found dead in the trunk of one of the cars. Plates of food were inside and some of the cats had fecal matter matted to their fur.