37 cats, 14 of them dead, found during search at Monroe home

MONROE, Wash. -- Authorities say they found 37 cats, 14 of whom are dead, during a search at a Monroe home Tuesday morning.

The Monroe Police Department said that officials served a search warrant at the residence on 152nd Street SE at about 10 a.m. after neighbors complained about a bad smell and a large number of bugs coming from the area.

After entering the home, officials found an 83-year-old woman living at the home who was taken to an area hospital for evaluation.

Also inside the home, officials found 23 cats that were alive and 13 dead kittens. A dead cat was also found in a freezer in the home.  The cats that were alive were taken to the Everett Animal Shelter for evaluation, police said in a release.

Officials said previous attempts to contact the homeowner about cleaning the home were unsuccessful.