KAJANG: Residents of a row of terrace houses in Bandar Mahkota Cheras had for days been troubled over a rotting stench emanating from one of the houses nearby.
Fearing that it could be from a dead body, the residents on Monday alerted the authorities, which then paid a visit to the house.
However, instead of one dead body, the authorities found eight - all rotting carcasses of cats which had been trapped in the locked house.
Bandar Tun Hussein Onn Fire and Rescue Department chief, Mohamad Akmal Mohamad Khairi, said they were informed by police of the complaint.
“The locals said the stench, like a rotting corpse, emanated from one of the houses in the neighbourhood. It was understood that the house had been vacant for more than a month.
“Four firemen and a fire engine were sent to the location to find an entry into the locked house. We had to saw the padlock on the gate and the front door to enter the home and conduct checks,” he said.
Mohamad Akmal said checks in the house turned up eight cat carcasses. The cats had decomposed to the extent that only the furs were left.
“We also found three cats which were still alive. However, they were in a badly weakened state due to lack of food or water.
“The firemen fed the cats and provided them with water. We have handed the matter over to the police for further action.”
It is understood that the cats’ owners had previously rented the house. The authorities believe that the cats’ owners could have either forgotten about the pets, or intentionally abandoned them.