Family who hoarded 110 cats in filthy home now facing felony child endangerment charges

(CBS/AP) SANTA ANA - A family who hoarded 110 cats in their reportedly filthy home is now facing felony charges of child endangerment and animal cruelty.

CBS Los Angeles reports that Sondra Berg of Santa Ana Animal Services said, "This is, by far, the worst hoarding situation I've ever dealt with - just the magnitude of the filth."

Berg was called in inspect the situation last February and found the family living surrounded by feces and filth.

The district attorney's office said Wednesday that felony charges have been filed against Sharon Howe, 65, John Howe, 68, their daughter, son-in-law and adult granddaughter.

Prosecutors say the adults and two children, 6 and 12, lived in a Santa Ana home filled with urine, feces, cat hair, flies, and roaches.

Animal service workers were called and notified by neighbors that a foul smell was coming from the house, and when they arrived were greeted by the Sharon and John Howe.

"She [Sharon] had cat feces from the knees down, covering her legs and feet," Berg said.

According to authorities, officers needed to wear hazmat gear to enter the home.

"We were just overpowered within just a few minutes because the ammonia levels were so high in there that we couldn't breathe," Berg said.

The two young girls were rescued from the "deplorable living conditions," along with all the cats.

"One of the girls slept on a couch in the living room. It was covered in feces and urine."

Twenty of the cats were in such poor health that they had to be euthanized, but the rest have been nursed back to health and adopted.

If the family is found guilty, they could be sentenced to probation or up to eight years in prison. The family no longer lives at the house.