Feral cats owner faces eviction from council house
A council tenant caught keeping 16 feral cats in her home is set to find out if she will be formally evicted.
Elspeth McVie, 58, is accused of letting the cats and kittens run wild in her council flat in Perth.
A housing officer inspecting the home told Perth Sheriff Court was it "the worst thing she had ever seen."
Sheriff William Wood heard submissions from Perth and Kinross Council on Thursday and said he would issue his judgment in the coming weeks.
Ms McVie told the civil hearing that she had "about" 16 cats in the house and was aware that she was not allowed to keep the pets in the property.
She said: "I re-homed some and was going to re-home the rest, which I should have done. I wasn't well. I was depressed.
"I got confused and didn't want anything to happen to the cats. We were like a little family.
"I have a tendency with animals to let my heart rule my head."
Lynne Selbie, who inspected the house for the council, said she had to rush out and shower straight afterwards.
She said: "I have worked in housing for about 20 years, and I've gone into properties over the last 20 years, and I honestly have to say that in my opinion that is the worst I have ever seen.
"They were quite feral. It was quite alarming for me because I had never seen so many cats."
Ms Selbie told the court that a number of the cats had weeping eyes and did not appear to be in a healthy condition so it was decided they should be taken away and re-homed.
Perth and Kinross Council is seeking a decree for recovery of the property from Ms McVie.