SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. – One dead cat and an abundance of animal feces were found inside an abandoned home after neighbors called police about a newfound rotten smell emitting from the home.
“The house was locked up the whole summer, so the smell and the flies have been unbelievable,” Kathy Baker said.
At the corner of Whipple and 32nd Avenue in Spokane Valley, is a home that not only has become an eyesore for neighbors, but something potentially much more concerning.
Kathy Baker has lived on 32nd for 54 years with her husband, Kerry. Their neighbor has lived in the house next door for 15 of those years, and within that time, Baker said their neighbor has hoarded items to no end. Baker said the home has been abandoned for around five months; in a phone call with KHQ on Wednesday, the neighbor said he no longer lives in the home.
Yet, the home still holds a lot inside.
“We understand, from what the police officers reported, that the house is just filled,” Baker said.
Filled with something you would not expect. On September 9, Baker said a man trying to burglarize the home told her husband something shocking.
“He said it smelled like a dead body was inside,” Baker said.
Baker said she and her husband had smelled something off for a while but did not have a solid reason to call the police. She said this statement was enough to finally make the call; Spokane Valley Police officers arrived at the home in question and headed inside to investigate.
When the three officers came out of the home, Baker said they all vomited, disgusted with what they found.
“The cats that are dead downstairs, and the feces, is a lot,” Baker said.
According to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, only one dead cat was confirmed in the deputy’s written report. The abundance of feces and foul smell, along with the clutter in the home, was confirmed.
However, Baker said the officers on scene made it sound like there were multiple dead cats. She also said the fire department right next door responded and said they believe they saw multiple dead cats.
“They couldn’t count the cats that are dead because they were decomposed so badly, and feces,” Baker said. “To my knowledge they didn’t give an estimate.”
Baker also said that on September 9, the officers told her it looked like there was straw and a fence in the basement, appearing to be remnants of something for a small farm animal.
Aside from the concern of the dead cats, there are at least ten living cats roaming the property, going in and out of the home. They appear to be in good health, eating food possibly left by neighbors nearby.
Baker said SCRAPS has been notified about the living cats, hoping they can help.
“These poor animals could find a home,” Baker said. “They were all out meowing on the sidewalk there, and they just looked so sad. It’s heartbreaking.”The owner of the home said he is aware of the cats but said they’re not his. He said he is also aware of the foul smell emitting from his home, and said he plans to take care of it by ripping up the carpets and selling the home.
The City of Spokane Code Enforcement has been notified and is looking into the situation.
