OTTUMWA — The Ottumwa woman accused of animal cruelty after authorities discovered more than 80 cats living in squalor in a house that she owns has pleaded guilty.

Donnalee McCoy, 64, 1013 E. Fourth St., pleaded guilty this week to three counts of cruelty to animals. She was fined $250 plus court costs.

Along with the three animal cruelty charges, McCoy had been charged with one count of confining animals, four counts of failure to license dog, four counts of failure to have evidence of rabies vaccination and one count of sanitation of premises. The latter charges were dropped by the prosecution.

In late February, officers responded to McCoy’s house at 417 South Ash St., following an anonymous tip that a large number of cats were living inside the house.

After initially checking the premises, officers obtained a search warrant and found more than 80 cats and kittens inside the house along with four dogs.

Most of the cats appeared to be diseased or in very poor health, according to officials, and in order to keep other animals from being possibly infected with a potential disease, 69 of the cats were euthanized at the house. Additionally, four kittens and three adult cats were found dead in the house, police said.

Four dogs and four kittens were taken to a local veterinarian and the Ottumwa Health Department placarded the house as unfit for human habitation.

The McCoy case was one of three animal neglect cases in the Ottumwa area that made headlines during a two-week period in February.

On Feb. 18, authorities discovered nearly 30 animals living in squalid conditions at the Court Hill Pet Place on Iowa Avenue. The former owner of the facility, Donna Marie Rhodes, 76, pleaded guilty to four charges and was ordered to pay $700 plus court costs.

A few days later, 126 animals, mostly dogs, were discovered at a residence just east of Ottumwa. In a plea deal, the homeowner, Suzette Stocker, 60, agreed to plead guilty to five counts of animal neglect and was fined $65 plus court costs. She originally had been charged with 126 counts of animal neglect.

Jeff Hutton can be reached at (641) 683-5380 or via e-mail at jeff@ottumwacourier.com.