BLAINE, Minnesota — In the beginning of March, 81 cats were rescued from a foreclosed home in Coon Rapids.
One kitten, now named Diane, was one of the first to get adopted — weighing just half a pound at the time and suffering from respiratory issues.
Davis Becker of Blaine recalled his dad walking into the home, saying, "She was kind of just sitting there looking all around. And my dad said to his girlfriend, 'That's your new kitten.'"
Becker said it's unclear how old Diane is but he's guessing she was only a few weeks old when she was rescued.
"It was bad. I think she was the only that made it out of her brothers and sisters," Becker said.
Diane has gained about two pounds since then from her new home in Blaine.
She sleeps in the same spot, inside a pink house on the bed, each night.
"She's definitely a cuddler and she loves being around people," Becker said.
Diane is one of 10 cats that have been adopted so far through SNAP'T. The small animal rescue took in 53 of the cats; they suffered from a number of health issues due to the conditions they were living in.
"It's been a little bit overwhelming but it's been just the greatest blessing that I have ever gotten," said Sonja Larson, founder of SNAP'T.
Since taking in the cats, the organization has grown.
About half of the cats are in foster homes and 23 are being cared for out of Kris Scherer's heated garage in Blaine.
Larson said only one cat remains on medication and should be off of it by next week.
They also are caring for three cats who gave birth to kittens, bringing the total to 11 new kittens in their care.
"I woke up on the morning of my 60th birthday... I woke up to the little meow of a kitten," said Scherer, who helped welcome four kittens. "That was a great birthday present."
All the cats, except for the three moms, have been spayed or neutered.
"They're ready to be adopted. They're ready to go," Larson said.
When Kelly Ries' mom told her about the hoarding case, Ries and Skylar Byrd went to see the cats and came home with a three-year-old gray tabby they named Greyson.
Greyson still needs to get one tooth pulled but is otherwise healthy.
"He was hiding under the bed for the first few days. But literally by day three and four, he was out roaming around, jumping up on our beds, cuddling right up next to you," Ries said.
Greyson has made friends with Byrd's other cat, Charlotte, and is gaining weight.
"They're just such sweet animals and just to think about the horrible conditions that they spent the first few years of their life in, it's just really sad."
SNAP'T is still in need of more people who can foster and/or adopt the cats still in their care. You can contact them through their website.
SNAP'T also has adoption events this weekend. Saturday, April 27 they will be at Purrniture in St. Paul from 1-5 p.m. Then Sunday, April 28, Pet Evolution in Blaine will host them from 1-5 p.m. Panera at 1530 109th Avenue NE in Blaine will hold a fundraiser for SNAP'T on Sunday, April 28 from 4-8 p.m. SNAP'T will receive 25% of the proceeds when you mention the fundraiser.
Watch more local news:
Watch the latest local news from the Twin Cities and across Minnesota in our YouTube playlist: