Residents of a nine-story building in Novosibirsk are grappling with unsanitary conditions caused by a pensioner who hoards garbage and breeds cats in her apartment. The situation has led to an unbearable smell permeating the building’s entrance, hindering some residents from selling their properties.

The 76-year-old woman resides in an apartment located on Bauman Street. According to neighbors, the pensioner’s apartment houses approximately 15 to 20 cats, both purebred and mixed breeds.

Neighbors report a strong odor emanating from the apartment due to the large number of animals, which intensifies when the owner ventilates the space. One resident claimed that potential buyers have been deterred by the smell, making it impossible to sell their apartment.

The head of the house council stated that complaints regarding the unsanitary conditions were filed with the district administration and Rospotrebnadzor last year. However, the response was to pursue legal action, which would only result in a fine for the pensioner, doing little to resolve the underlying issue. Eviction is not an option as she owns the property.

The pensioner’s son acknowledged his mother’s age-related issues and the difficulty in communicating with her. He stated that he visits her infrequently due to living far away and that she claims to have a limited time to live. He also mentioned that the number of cats has been reduced to six or seven, with plans to further decrease it to two or three. He claimed that the smell in the entrance is now normal.

According to the head of the Novosibirsk Regional Center for Veterinary and Sanitary Support, resolving the issue requires a coordinated effort involving the prosecutor’s office. An apartment inspection requires agreement with the prosecutor’s office.

Veterinary services will assess the situation in the entrance and contact the prosecutor’s office to organize an inspection with the owner. If the number of pets exceeds the allowed limit, protocols will be drawn up. Seized animals are typically placed with public organizations.

A similar incident was reported on January 28, involving residents of a building on Kurchatov Street facing a comparable problem with cat breeding in a municipal apartment.