The neighborhood in the 2000 block of Manada Street in Harrisburg looks like any other, but it’s not. “There are more cats than squirrels in this neighborhood” said resident Gloria Skorija. She and her husband raised their two kids at their home, but the smell from their neighbor Donna Layton’s home is unbearable. “We have probably sixty cats over there, they’re inbred. They’re all sick” said Skorija.
Now the city of Harrisburg is taking action. They’ve issued an arrest warrant for Layton charging her with animal endangerment. Her house was condemned last year and neighbors say she’s living in a trailer in the yard still feeding the cats everyday. Cats that Skorija said can be aggressive. “I’ve had to take my dogs to the vet for vet care because they’ve had claws lodged in their heads and ears and legs that have gotten infected” said Skorija.
Her husband Bill grew up in the house, which shares a wall with Layton’s home. Bill said he’s tired of having to deal with the smell and the constant cats. “Lot of memories in this house and I feel that we can’t continue to live here under these conditions” Bill said. He went on to say that even if they want to move they can’t until something is done. “We’re not in the position to sell this home because no one would want to live next door to this” said Bill.
Mayor Eric Papenfuse toured the house Tuesday evening, saying he and city leaders met with the homeowners to talk about the home’s conditions. Papenfuse says the city will call in outside help to remove the cats and clean up the home.