North Las Vegas Officials Rescue 17 Cats from Empty Home, Dozens More Still Inside

Residents on Turtleback Drive in North Las Vegas are expressing frustration and heartbreak after discovering that between 50 and 100 cats were left behind in a home following the previous occupant's departure. The house was sold in June 2025, and neighbors say the situation has since escalated.

“They are in everyone's yard, back-and-forth. If I leave my garage open, they will come in there,” said neighbor Charles Smith. North Las Vegas Animal Protection accessed the property on July 23. This property has been visited by North Las Vegas Animal Protection services at least 20 times over the past 6 years.

Each time, Animal Protection Services (APS) has been unsuccessful in removing the cats, mainly due to the structure of the law. The City of North Las Vegas clarified that APS cannot enter the property without the owner's permission unless the animals are in imminent danger.

Currently, about a dozen cats are being fed and watered inside the home. APS has partnered with the Community Cats Program to trap and remove both indoor and outdoor cats, but progress has been slow. So far, 17 feral cats have been rescued, including four nursing kittens. Sadly, one kitten was found deceased.

Neighbors, including Estrelle Salgado, say the animals are malnourished and visibly distressed. “They are animals, it's really sad to see the situation inside the house,” said Salgado.

“They are super skinny, mistreated animals, and none of us knew they lived under that condition until she moved out,” Salgado said. “It was dark, you can see the eyes were all over, even little babies, little kitties. He was the one who told us there were so many in there,” Salgado said.

Residents have spotted the cats entering and exiting the property through a small garage opening. Salgado and others described the home's interior as being in severe disrepair. The property management company has estimated damages at around $70,000.

Neighbors say they were unaware of the full extent of the problem until after the house was sold. The situation remains under close monitoring as authorities and volunteers work to remove the remaining cats and address the damage.