The Animal Rescue League of Iowa (ARL) rescued 46 cats and kittens from an overcrowded home in northern Iowa on Wednesday.

Reportedly, the ARL received a call saying that a family was struggling to take care of a multitude of sick cats.

Upon entering the home, ARL’s Mobile Rescue Team was "hit with ammonia so strong, it burned their eyes and throats," according to a release. KCAU also noted that feces covered the floor of the home.

The ARL told the news station that "many kittens were thin, had eyes matted shut from infection, and sneezing constantly due to upper respiratory infections," and that "all the felines had fleas and ear mites, noting that the amount of pests could be dangerous to small kittens."

The cats were not able to be examined until the ARL had made it back to their Des Moines location.

The exact location of the family that asked for help will not be released. Natalie Zehr, a spokesperson for the ARL, clarified the reasoning in a statement:

Due to the delicate nature of this situation, we will not be providing any further location details in an effort to protect the confidentiality of this situation and to not dissuade others from asking for help.

Human services are involved to help the people in the home, according to the ARL.

The ARL is already in a situation where they are dealing with a larger population than normal in their care. If you'd like to donate to help the ARL, you can do so here.

*The attached photo is not of the cats that were rescued.*

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