BRIDGEVILLE, Pa. — Kitty Co. Cat Rescue and Lounge in Bridgeville has taken in 38 severely malnourished cats from an Altoona rescue organization. The founder, Savannah Johnston, reported that the cats arrived in dire condition, underweight, sick, and in need of urgent care. Tragically, seven of these cats later died after arrival.
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Johnston remarked on the prolonged suffering the cats endured, stating, "Cats don’t lose weight overnight. They lose weight over time. These cats had been suffering not for a day, not for a week. They suffered for months."
Despite the grim situation, many of the cats are now recovering thanks to the food, medical treatment, and proper care provided by Kitty Co. Cat Rescue. Johnston highlighted the positive changes, noting, "Now they have full bellies and clean litter boxes."
The rescue has reportedly spent over $40,000 caring for the malnourished cats. Altoona Police, responding to an anonymous tip regarding the welfare of the animals, found that by the time they investigated, the animals had already been removed from the premises. As no charges have been filed, the name of the Altoona rescue remains undisclosed.
Volunteer Joy King expressed her dismay at the circumstances, stating, "There is really no excuse to starve a cat." The Central Pennsylvania Humane Society revealed that they were asked to euthanize more than a dozen cats from the rescue due to severe medical conditions.
Volunteers from Kitty Co. Cat Rescue are now seeing improvements among the surviving cats, with volunteer Lexi Puttick noting, "It’s a lot of sadness throughout the whole rescue. But we’re starting to have happy feelings now that a lot of them are getting healthy."
The organization continues to seek volunteers and donations to support its efforts, urging the community to contribute financially through platforms like Venmo and PayPal, or by calling for direct donations. For those interested, donations can also be delivered in person at their facility on Baldwin Street.