Police Say Woman Had 179 Cats Living in Filth

Police have arrested a 55-year-old woman after discovering that she kept at least 179 cats in a filthy, feces-ridden Petaluma home she had bought specifically for the animals.

Marilyn Barletta, identified by authorities as a cat “hoarder,” was arrested early Tuesday on suspicion of animal cruelty and permitting animals to go without care. She was released on bail.

Officials have spent the last two days herding cats from the house, garage and upstairs granny unit where many had been kept for more than five years.

“It was disgusting,” said Petaluma animal services manager Nancee Tavares. “The walls and surfaces were so saturated with urine that the floors had started to buckle. Urine was even seeping through the exterior walls.”

More than a dozen workers from four area animal control agencies wore masks and hazardous material suits to round up the cats, which they found living in drawers, cupboards, boxes and cages in the two-story home.

Some of the cats were sick and injured. Others were pregnant. And several were dead, including one in a refrigerator that was not plugged in, Tavares said.

“There were food and water containers, but not much in either,” Tavares said. “Some of the cats were fat, but most were skinny. The dominant animals were keeping the food for themselves. The others were just surviving.”

Authorities said the Petaluma home on an upscale suburban street was just a year old when Barletta bought it five years ago. Starting out with about 30 cats, Barletta drove from her San Francisco home daily to care for the animals, which steadily reproduced.

“She’s articulate,” Tavares said. “In cases like these, most people have images of bag ladies. But she was apparently a wealthy woman who drove a Mercedes and could afford to buy an entire house for her cats. In Sonoma County, real estate isn’t cheap.”

Officials investigated Barletta last year after neighbors reported seeing cats in the windows of the vacant house. But authorities said they legally could not enter the home or even look inside.

Recently they received complaints of strong odors coming from the house and had scheduled an appointment to meet with Barletta on Tuesday. But the night before, vandals broke some windows in the house.

When police arrived, they called animal control officers.