A Tale of Too Many Cats

People are afraid of things they don't fully understand. I didn't understand why someone would choose to live that way and I didn't fully understand what the neighbors went through, I had no idea how many cats actually lived in the house and I was very relieved with Ms. Smith did not answer her door when I approached. If you've owned a cat or more than one cat you understand the smell of a litter box. Imagine if that's what the entire house smelled like times 10. That's what the neighbors of Ms. Smith had to deal with when they continuously complained about the smell and cat problem next door. Sad thing was, it was a really nice neighborhood. And every time I saw a cat wandering outside after a miraculous escape from the house I was even afraid to approach it. It's not like it was a tiger or something, but it came from a house not known for its cleanliness. To me it came from the unknown.

It was an odd story. Another one that brought up chuckles from the newsroom and disappointment from certain officials. And yet nothing could be done because the township had no cat ordinance. Come on. This is not the first time it's happened in that home or the first time in the township. Sometimes holes are found in local government. Maybe this is one of them. Either way I will keep my distance from this home, especially on a hot, windy summer's day.


A wild beast was sighted in the jungle, aka Ms. Smith's back yard.

Neighbors are fed up with smell of cat urine emanating from Summit Township home
By Sarah Schuch

Craig Brown worries about the heat, the direction of the wind and how the stench from his neighbor's house will carry over to his yard.

Brown and other neighbors are lobbying various officials to do something about the smell of cat urine that comes from 1276 Levant St. in Summit Township.

"It smells like what I would describe as putting your nose in a litter box," Brown said.

Neighbors on Levant Street have been frustrated for years by the situation at Anita Smith's home. The house has been condemned twice — once in 2003 and 2009 — by the Jackson County Health Department because it was deemed unsanitary. With some cleanup, Smith, who could not be reached for comment, was able to get it off the condemned list.

Want to keep reading? Of course you do! And you can do so right here.



Even the house was overgrown.