Authorities seized hundreds of cats and discovered numerous animal remains during an investigation into Furget Me Not Purebred Cat Rescue in Southern California. The nonprofit presented itself online as a welcoming refuge for unwanted cats, but officials said many animals were sick or malnourished, raising serious concerns about conditions behind its apparently orderly public image.

Searches of properties in Pomona, Claremont and Upland reportedly resulted in 405 live cats, four additional cats and nine dogs being taken into care, along with 119 cremated remains and at least 28 dead cats found in a freezer. The rescue’s revenue rose from about $25,000 in 2018-19 to more than $159,000 by 2022, before falling by 77 per cent the following year; authorities have not said what caused the decline or announced any conclusions about responsibility.