73 cats rescued from North Huntingdon home were living in misery, New Kensington rescue president says

The 73 cats rescued from a North Huntingdon home in 2020 were living in a state of misery, according to Becky Morrow, medical director and president of Frankie’s Friends.

Rescuers found the remains of nine cats on the Leger Road property and they were able to save 65 of the 73 felines, she said. Most of the animals were in a state of starvation.

“These cats were at a point where they had to consume one another,” she said.

Matthew B. Jacobs, 47, pleaded guilty Tuesday to 25 felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals. He entered the general plea instead of a nonjury trial, which was scheduled to begin Tuesday.

Police were trying to find Jacobs in August 2020 on an unrelated warrant and when they arrived at his home, they noticed flies around the front door and a strong ammonia odor, according to court papers. When police found Jacobs elsewhere, he told them he had stopped staying at his home because it was overrun with cats.

The felines were rescued by the New Kensington-based organization in September 2020. Jacobs was arrested the following month.

The cats were infested with fleas and rescuers also were bitten by the insects, Morrow said. There wasn’t any food for the felines and some died because of illnesses.

“Even with the best care … we still couldn’t save them all,” she said.

Morrow adopted one of the cats. The organization plans to seek restitution and Morrow said she will itemize the costs the rescue incurred caring for the cats. Jacobs will be sentenced at a later date.

More than 400 counts were dismissed by prosecutors as part of the plea, said Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Ranger. In future animal cruelty-related cases, investigators are being asked to limit the number of offenses with which they charge an offender so the case is more manageable and not cumbersome or taxing on the court system, according to District Attorney’s Office spokesperson Melanie Jones.