Ad on CL this morning:

I have 5 cats, 4 adults and 1 kitten, that need a new home. They are strays that I have been feeding and have socialized. I can no longer feed them, and rather than let them starve, I am killing them. I have killed 4 of the original 12 cats, (the four skinniest kittens). Three of the kittens ran away after that and now I am down to one days food for the remaining 5 cats.
Why don’t I feed the cats? I’m mentally and physically disabled and live by charging people to stay in my house. Everyone has left me; One left after I broke up with her, one started doing meth, stole a laptop and left, and one decided to stop paying me, “I’m not here that much so what do I really owe you?”, he is leaving by the first. I had to give away my car because I couldn’t afford insurance, and I’m turning everything off.
Peace in Christ
Jeff

I have been on the phone with the police and I have responded to the ad. If this guy is on the level and he responds to me, I will take reinforcements with me when I go over there to save whatever cats might be left. As I told the officer this morning, if this man is so unbalanced that he is putting this crap online, what is going to happen if he is ignored and all of a sudden starts shooting people instead of cats? I will let them know what happens if he even answers me. I just hope it is someone’s idea of a sick joke.

Updated: 10:30 a.m Sadly, this does not seem to be a joke. I talked to the man a bit ago on the phone and he sounds like he is barely hanging on by his last thread. He was saying he killed the five kittens because they were starving and had an URI. He said the neighbors turned him and the sherriff came out to talk to him, but regardless, starting tomorrow he will again start shooting cats because he is out of food.

I told him I would bring him food or take his cats from him (though God knows where I am going to put them!) What was his pleasure? He asked me to just take all of his cats. He says they are friendly although none have been vetted or spayed or neutered. 🙁  I have been in contact with a sherriff’s deputy and am waiting to hear back from him as to how to proceed. ALL my being wants to go over there and take those cats out of danger, but he sounds like reality is slowly slipping away. I don’t want us to make national news by the headlines of this guy going bonkers and opening up and shooting not just cats but other people (me included). So I am holding back, though it is hard. If I can get his cats, I will have to take Karen’s two ferals out of the large enclosure and put them outside and let the five new cats have the stall enclosure. Karen’s cats have been here long enough to understand this is home and there are plenty of places they can hide. It’s just hard to stay still and DO NOTHING knowing that there are 5 cats in danger of dying.  The guy sounds pretty young too- what a shame. His last words to me chilled me. He said they were coming on Monday to turn off his electricity so all he has left to do now is sit in the dark and think. 🙁 God help him and I hope the Deputy calls me back soon.