130 Cats, Including 62 Kittens Less Than 5 Weeks Old, Rescued from a Single Property

The cats were rescued from a "cat colony" in Dickson, Tenn., the Humane Society of Dickson County (HSDC) said

NEED TO KNOW

• Over 100 cats were found in unsafe living conditions on the same property in Charlotte, Tenn., on April 25
• Sixty-two of the cats were small kittens all “under five weeks old,” the Humane Society of Dickson County (HSDC) confirmed in a press release
• Animal Control, Last Chance Pet Rescue, Saving Kittens Sanctuary, and Purrfect Paws Rescue all assisted with the large-scale rescue

Over 100 cats were found in unsafe living conditions on the same property in Charlotte, Tenn.

Of the 130 cats, 62 were small kittens, all "under five weeks old," the Humane Society of Dickson County (HSDC) confirmed in a press release shared on April 25. The shelter, along with Animal Control, Last Chance Pet Rescue, and Saving Kittens Sanctuary, rescued 70 of the cats thus far, and confirmed they would be going back to rescue the remaining cats.

Photos from the rescue show the cats living in squalor in semi-exposed structures amid soiled blankets.

"This kind of situation takes a village, and we are so thankful not to be facing it alone," the HSDC wrote in the press release.

"Today, alongside animal control, we responded to a property to assist with a large cat colony," the HSDC wrote. "What we walked into is something we won't soon forget."

The animal rescue organization recalled encountering "tiny, fragile lives" upon discovering the kittens. "Nearly all of them are sick, struggling with severe respiratory infections," the HSDC wrote.

"Five exhausted mama cats were doing everything they could, co-parenting and trying to nurse dozens of babies while barely hanging on themselves," the press release continued. "Every single one of them was depending on one person to survive, and it has simply become too much."

Saving Kittens Sanctuary took in 26 kittens and one adult female cat who is nursing, the organization confirmed to PEOPLE.

A spokesperson for Saving Kittens Sanctuary also confirmed that Purrfect Paws Rescue took seven kittens.

"We also went back Saturday evening to find many mom cats, pregnant teens, some two week old kittens, and toms still there," a spokesperson for Saving Kittens Sanctuary tells PEOPLE. "We removed a mom and her babies from a couch outside and brought those into rescue."

"There is a lot more work to do there and it will take time but no one is stopping until the situation in under control," the spokesperson for Saving Kittens added. "Every rescue in the area is deeply in need of foster homes and donations to help out."

The spokesperson for Saving Kittens Sanctuary tells PEOPLE that the organizations were alerted to the high volume of cats in the allegedly abandoned home by Trisha Davids, who posted a video of the cats on social media as a call to action.

Last Chance Pet Rescue confirmed it took in an additional 26 cats in a Facebook post.

"It takes a village," Last Chance Pet Rescue wrote in the statement. "We were full but we still helped. We always rise to the occasion because these little gaffers deserve a chance!"

Purrfect Paws also shared a post on Facebook asking for emergency foster parents to adopt several of the rescued felines.

The HSDC is seeking donations to support the high volume of cats coming into the facility at this time.

PEOPLE has reached out to the HSDC, Last Chance Pet Rescue, and Purrfect Paws Rescue for comment.

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