Tatiana Woloszczuk kept several cats in ‘unacceptable conditions’ at her St Agnes home, court hears

A northeast doctor described as “a lover of animals” who kept 55 cats at her home has faced court on animal cruelty charges.

Tatiana Woloszczuk pleaded guilty to the mistreatment of animals on December 17 last year. Picture: Ben Cameron

A hoarding doctor with an alcohol problem kept more than 50 cats at her property for “solace”, a court has heard.

Tatiana Woloszczuk, 61, of St Agnes, appeared in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court on Thursday in relation to several counts of the mistreatment of an animal including a cat called Kira, who suffered “skin scalding” due to a urine leakage.

Woloszczuk, who works in an emergency department, is also accused of failing to provide adequate living conditions for cats called Mischief and Dion who were kept in similar conditions, between May 8 and August 8, 2019.

Woloszczuk pleaded guilty to the charges on December 17 last year.

On Thursday, the court heard Kira allegedly suffered discomfort for at least three months before an RSPCA investigation.

For the RSPCA, Jillian Smith said Woloszczuk’s St Agnes property provided “an extreme case of hoarding”.

“(It was) clearly unacceptable conditions for any animal to be living in,” Ms Smith said.

The Elizabeth Magistrates Court heard 55 cats were kept at the Tatiana Woloszczuk's St Agnes property at one stage. Picture: File

It heard an RSPCA investigator found Kira “sopping wet, water logged with urine” and “morbidly obese” in “unsanitary” conditions in 2019.

“The litter trays which were provided for the animals were overflowing with faeces,” she said.

Ms Smith said the investigator’s eyes were made to “burn and water” after entering the house, which “smelt strongly of ammonia” with cat biscuits “scattered throughout rubbish on the floor”.

Ms Smith also said a number of alcohol bottles found suggested the accused had suffered from an alcohol addiction and Woloszczuk had received a formal caution in 2018 for storing too many cats at the property.

The majority were handed over to authorities, the court heard.

For Woloszczuk, John Edwards admitted the living conditions were “not adequate” but it was the result of his client’s “acute health crisis” at the time.

He said his client’s “mental health deteriorated after her mother’s death in 2011 and once kept 55 cats at the property prior to the alleged offending.

“Her personal life … descended into squalor and she became a hoarder,” he said.

He said her “work stresses” and “compassion fatigue” led to major depression, “hoarding issues and alcoholism”, with a “large number of bottles” found at the premises.

However, Mr Edwards said his client’s mental health had improved and she had undertaken a “thorough clean of the property”, hiring skips and replacing carpet.

She had also been recently diagnosed with autism and she now “had a better understanding of her psychological makeup”, he said.

“She has endured years of unnecessary suffering … she turned to cats for solace and companionship,” he said.

He said his client was “extremely remorseful” and had no other criminal history.

“She clearly derives great pleasure from patting cats,” he said.

“She is a lover of animals rather than a risk to them.”

Magistrate Terence Forrest adjourned the matter for sentence on March 15 so he could further inspect medical evidence.