Livonia Woman Arrested For Harboring As Many As 100 Cats At Home

LIVONIA (WWJ) - A Livonia woman was arrested Friday, accused of harboring far too many cats in her home.

Diane Salva's house on Stanmoore Street, near 6 Mile Road and Inkster Rd., has been boarded up and deemed uninhabitable. There's an obvious stench around the home and city inspectors say it had no electricity or gas.

WWJ's Sandra McNeill reported from the scene where authorities removed 20 cats from the house Friday afternoon, and set live traps to catch the rest.

Mary Zidrowski neighbor said she and others have complained about the home for about two years.

"When they first came in they have one cat. That cat had five little ones and, oh, she said how proud she was," Zidrowski said. "And then the next thing I knew them cats, little cats, grew up and each one of them had five kittens."

She said the cats would be let out and would come and go into her backyard, leaving droppings behind.

Salva was arrested on outstanding warrants and charged with for code violations, no valid cat license and unlawfully maintaining more than three cats.

While Zidrowski estimated there were 30 cats in the house, neighbor Tracy McChristian was told by investigators there were dozens more.

She's just relieved that the situation is being handled.

"From meeting her and talking with her I could kind of tell, you know, that something wasn't right," McChristian said. "But, do I have sympathy? You know, I guess in a way I do, because I do have a big heart and I do, you know, care. But I'm more concerned about these animals. They say there was more than a hundred cats in there."

Salva is out on bond.