AN ABERTILLERY man has been disqualified from keeping any animal for three years after he failed to provide 24 cats with a suitable environment in what an RSPCA inspector has described as “absolute chaos”.

Timothy Worel, 47, of Andrew Terrace, Llanhilleth, Abertillery, pleaded guilty at Newport Magistrates’ Court today on the second day of a trial.

He faced the offence that at an address at Wellington Terrace, Brithdir, he did not ensure the needs of his 24 cats were met by failing to provide them with a suitable environment.

RSPCA inspector, Izzi Hignell, said: “This is a person who had received advice on this for many months from the RSPCA, Cats Protection and other charities, but failed to make any changes.

“The environment these cats were living in was unbelievable. The amount of rubbish and faeces there were was just awful. It was absolute chaos.

"The smell was horrific and it was disappointing that help and advice was not followed so these cats were just living in dirt.”

The 24 cats were removed from the property by Cats Protection Gwent branch and were taken into their care.

Inspector Hignell said: “We’d very much like to thank Cats Protection Gwent branch for all their work on this case, for removing all the cats from the property and caring for them.

"It is just so sad to think these cats were living in such an awful environment.”

Cat Protection Gwent Branch have rehomed the cats.

Worel was banned from keeping any animals for three years and was ordered to pay costs of £1,200. It was also ordered that any cats at Worel’s new address would be signed over to the RSPCA.