RSPCA officers who attended a house in Accrington found 25 cats in ‘squalid’ conditions.

Blackburn magistrates heard three of the animals were subsequently put down.

And the woman who provided the strays with a home has been banned from keeping cats for two years.

Shelagh Laycock, 57, of Higher Antley Street, was convicted in her absence of six charges of causing suffering by failing to act.

She was made subject to community supervision for 12 months.

Chris Wyatt, prosecuting, said when officers entered the house in Richmond Hill Street there was a strong smell of ammonia.

The RSPCA officers were accompanied by an environmental health officer who arranged for Laycock to be re-housed.

Some of the cats were under weight and several had problems with their eyes.

Mr Wyatt said Laycock seemed to be a serial cat collector: “She has taken in waifs and strays and then can’t cope with the numbers,” he said.

“The inspector believes she has got more cats since and there is a concern this could happen again.”

Andrew Church-Taylor, defending, said there was no suggestion the neglect arose from any intent on his client’s behalf.

“She took in strays and wanted to look after them,” said Mr Church-Taylor.

“As far as she was concerned if she hadn’t looked after them they would have been used to train fighting dogs which she says is a problem in the area.”