Paris charity rescues 75 cats and finds dead kittens in freezer during social housing eviction

Eviction and discovery in the 15th arrondissement

During a court-ordered eviction of a social housing unit in the 15th arrondissement of Paris, local police and a judicial bailiff requested urgent intervention from animal welfare charity YouCare. On Thursday, volunteers entered the 50-square-meter apartment and discovered 75 neglected cats living in severe confinement. The property was in a state of advanced degradation and smelled intensely of urine, which had prompted long-standing complaints from neighboring residents. Responders also discovered deceased kittens stored inside the kitchen freezer compartment. Several surviving cats suffered from acute health issues, requiring immediate transfer to an emergency veterinary clinic.

Breeding conditions and shelter capacity limits

None of the cats in the apartment were castrated or sterilized, resulting in constant reproduction across numerous litters in the confined space. YouCare estimated that dozens of kittens died in the apartment every month from untreated illnesses and neglect, with only four kittens born on the premises surviving. The scale of the discovery overwhelmed regional shelter infrastructure, leaving the animal protection charity unable to evacuate every animal simultaneously. Rescuers evacuated 45 cats starting on 10 September, while approximately 30 cats remained temporarily in the social housing unit. Daily volunteer teams visit the property to provide food, water, and essential care until additional shelter placements become available.

Animal hoarding diagnosis and legal proceedings

YouCare president Thomas Moreau classified the situation as an instance of animal hoarding, commonly termed Noah syndrome in France after the biblical figure. The psychiatric condition drives individuals to amass large quantities of domestic pets in confined residential spaces without providing necessary nourishment, hygiene, or medical care. While the biblical Noah took a single pair of each species onto his vessel, individuals with the disorder gather dozens of animals in unmanageable numbers. The phenomenon is also the subject of a German study led by the animal welfare federation Tierschutzbund, which uses interviews with affected owners to examine the root causes of animal hoarding. YouCare documented the apartment conditions, published footage of the operation on social media, and submitted a formal criminal complaint alleging animal abuse. The evicted tenant denied all charges of mistreatment and requested the return of the cats.

Dead kittens were also found in the freezer.

Rehabilitation funding and prior Paris hoarding cases

To support medical treatment, vaccination, and boarding expenses, YouCare launched an emergency public appeal, estimating average costs at 500 euros per cat. The donation drive fulfilled its 21,000-euro target following widespread coverage across French and international news outlets. The operation follows a previous hoarding case handled by YouCare in the 20th arrondissement of Paris, where authorities anticipated 30 animals but recovered 103 living cats and one dead cat from a waste-filled apartment. Diogenes syndrome, identified in the February case, is a condition marked by extreme self-neglect, hoarding of domestic waste, and severe social withdrawal. In February 2026, a Paris court convicted that resident, imposing 4,530 euros in fines and compensation along with a three-year prohibition on keeping animals. Following that verdict, Moreau described the judicial outcome as a victory with a bitter aftertaste and advocated for lifetime bans on animal ownership in severe neglect cases.