Earlier this month, the Great Falls Police Department seized 20 cats from a downtown apartment this week.

A community member reported anonymously at the end of February about the possibility of 40 cats living in poor conditions in the basement of a residence at the corner of Central Avenue and 12th Street North, according to GFPD.

City animal control officers attempted to conduct a welfare check but didn’t receive permission to enter the residence, according to GFPD.

City seizes 20 cats in animal cruelty investigation

Animal control, with GFPD detectives and Montana Probation and Parole officers, continued investigating and the Cascade County Attorney’s office obtained a search warrant for aggravated animal cruelty at the residence.

On March 11, GFPD officers and animal control seized 18 cats from the residence.

On March 12, animal control retrieved two more cats from the home.

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Under state statute, aggravated animal cruelty is a felony in which a person purposely or knowingly kills or inflicts cruelty to an animal with the purpose of terrifying, torturing, or mutilating the animal, or inflicts cruelty to animals on a collection, kennel, or herd of 10 or more animals.

In this case, investigators determined that the cats lacked sufficient water and the home’s sanitation wasn’t suitable for habitation, according to GFPD.

The two females involved were located and they immediately surrendered the animals, according to Cascade County Attorney Josh Racki.

Racki said his office is unlikely to file charges in this case.

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Laramie Smovir, city animal shelter manager, said that because the animals were surrendered, shelter staff could begin providing care immediately.

Each animal received general vaccinations, including rabies, a cost of about $30 per animal, a microchip at $5 per animal and treatment for any medical issues they were experiencing at the time of intake.

The cost of medical treatment varies depending on each animal’s condition, she said.

While in the city’s care, the animals were housed at the temporary shelter facility for about $20 per day per animal.

Smovir said that normally, animals in a case like this would be housed at the city shelter and remain there until receiving spay/neuter surgery and be placed up for adoption. Those costs are $115 for spays and $85 for neuters, she said.

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But since the shelter is under renovation and they have limited space during construction, Smovir said that they coordinated with their partner animal welfare agencies in the region and once the animals were legally surrendered, they were transferred to those agencies for spay/neuter surgeries and to be placed for adoption.

Racki said the main issue was inadequate water but the animals were otherwise healthy when seized by law enforcement.

The seized cats include a mother and her four three-week-old kittens.

All 20 cats were remanded the Great Falls Animal Shelter’s temporary housing facility.

A dog was also impounded during the investigation from a vehicle not included in the search warrant, according to GFPD.

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Residences in Great Falls are limited to two cats and two dogs without a multiple animal or hobby breeder permit, under city code, which also requires dogs and cats four months and older be registered.