BEAUMONT (AP) - Officials say they’ve found about 20 dead cats in a house in Southeast Texas.

The house is in a quiet, middle-class neighborhood in Beaumont’s West End.

Matthew Fortenberry is supervisor of Beaumont Animal Services. He says police, fire-rescue and animal control officers had to force their way into the house Wednesday afternoon after a potential homebuyer became alarmed after peering inside. They found two cats alive, but also the dozens of decomposing carcasses, piles of trash and excrement throughout the house.

Beaumont Fire Capt. Brad Penisson says neighbors haven’t seen the owners lately.

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