Woman, 83, vows no more cats

Ruth Knueven once had close to 500 cats. Yesterday, she promised a judge she would not own another one.

Mrs. Knueven, 83, was arrested in July after hundreds of cats were found in her home. She pleaded guilty yesterday to a count of animal cruelty in Fairfax County General District Court.

As part of a plea agreement, prosecutors dismissed several other counts and Mrs. Knueven must continue to get help for her hoarding problem.

Judge Donald P. McDonough fined her $2,500, suspending all but $500. He also gave her a 360-day suspended jail sentence.

Mrs. Knueven will be on probation for one year, must seek further treatment and can’t own any animals.

Before sentencing, lawyer Jonathan Frieden told the court that Mrs. Knueven had developed a stray-cat problem some time ago. He said his client started taking in the felines to help them, thinking they were safer in her home than out on the streets.

“She loved these animals and thought they needed her,” he said.

“She now recognizes that the situation got completely out of control,” Mr. Frieden added. “She realizes she made a mistake and broke the law.”

Fairfax County Animal Control Officer E.W. Powell told the court how he initially discovered the cats in Mrs. Knueven’s Mount Vernon house, after neighbors complained of a strong odor.

He said Mrs. Knueven initially cooperated in turning over six cats, but kept Mr. Powell from entering by saying she wanted a chance to clean up.

When he later learned of her history of hoarding, he returned to find about 40 cats “of all sizes, types and colors” in the foyer. He described the house as being in disarray and smelling of feces.

Mr. Powell initially took out 103 cats and later found dozens more.

Health officials had to declare the home unfit for human habitation.

Mr. Powell’s investigation led him to a town house in Burke owned by Mrs. Knueven’s daughter.

“She was also hiding cats from us,” Mr. Powell said.

He testified that a total of 493 cats were found in the two homes — 272 alive, the rest dead.

Mr. Frieden told reporters outside court that Mrs. Knueven now lives with her family at an undisclosed location in Prince William County and is being treated for obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Mrs. Knueven wouldn’t comment on her case, but Mr. Frieden said it remains very emotional for her.