ATWATER, Calif. (KMJ/KFSN) — We’re getting a closer look at some of the cats rescued from a U-Haul truck in Merced County in late June.
More than 100 distressed cats were found inside the truck in Santa Nella without water or air conditioning during extreme heat. Dozens of dead cats were also discovered.
The Merced County Animal Shelter rescued the surviving animals. Their owner, 69-year-old Jeannie Maxon, was arrested on animal cruelty charges.
On Thursday, two small cats, Barbie and Marge, were seen playing inside an office at the shelter. They climbed into cabinets, kicked around toys and snuggled in for pets.
The pair has come a long way since arriving at the shelter.
“It was too shocking to be heartbreaking, until we finally got the total picture,” said Officer Kalen Rafferty with Merced County Sheriff Animal Services. “What really broke my heart was opening the back of the U-Haul and seeing the condition of the cats, along with all the deceased animals.”
More than a dozen cats died or had to be euthanized shortly after the rescue.
Rafferty, who witnessed the animals at their worst, has also seen the slow recovery of more than 60 cats still at the shelter.
“I didn’t have high hopes for most of them due to severe upper respiratory infections,” Rafferty said. “I wasn’t expecting many to survive. It’s solely because of the shelter staff that these animals are now able to thrive.”
Barbie and Marge, like many others, still bear the physical and emotional scars of what they went through. If you move suddenly, they’ll run for cover and their fur is uneven from where mats had to be removed.
Nearly 20 cats needing intensive care were transferred to rescues in Washington State, with help from New Beginnings for Merced County Animals.
“They have much more leeway in keeping them for as long as needed,” said Sharon Lohman with New Beginnings. “They have vets on staff, a hospital there, so they’re set up differently and get so many donations that will help with these cats.”
Lohman said when the cats are ready for adoption, potential owners should understand the level of care required.
“They have to be combed daily, these will need eye drops daily, they cannot go outside,” she said.
If you’d like to meet other adoptable pets, there is a “Clear the Shelter” adoption event is scheduled at the Merced County Animal Shelter on August 23.
We reached out to the Merced County District Attorney’s Office regarding charges against Maxon but have not yet received a response.
