TERRE HAUTE — Western Indiana authorities say 87 caged cats have been rescued from a fire that hit a home which doubles as a cat sanctuary.
WTHI-TV reports that Terre Haute firefighters, police officers and animal control officers helped rescue the cats from the house Thursday morning.
Property owner Jim Kitchen says he bought and converted the Terre Haute home into a makeshift animal shelter but that it was not zoned or permitted to operate as a sanctuary. He says he's kept as many as 120 cats in the home.
Thursday's the fire left the sanctuary in need of cages, kitty litter, cat food, medicine and money.
