PARADISE TOWNSHIP -- The SPCA took more than 120 cats from a home in Monroe County.
On Friday, the woman who was caring for those cats explained why she did it.
Hollie Ingram says she was keeping more than 100 cats in her home in Henryville. She said she's been doing this for the past nine years with the hopes of opening an animal sanctuary.
"Ever since I was 12 years old, I wanted to help cats because homeless cats have nowhere to go. They either get put down or they die of starvation," explained Ingram.
The SPCA got a tip about just how many cats were living here from local authorities and removed a total of 122 cats Thursday.
They say cats and some kittens were living in filthy, flea infested conditions.
Ingram says giving up the animals wasn't easy.
"It was probably the hardest thing that I've ever done in my life, but I thought of them. I had to put aside my feelings of selfishness," said Ingram.
This cat lover said she had considered at times, giving up, "But then I looked at the cats, and they meow at me and they're just so happy that they're inside, that they're not outside and they're not starving."
Ingram says although more than 100 of her animals were taken from her home, she still plans to open an animal sanctuary.
"I am going to have my sanctuary, not here, but in a facility that is proper. It is going to be the sanctuary where you can come and drop off homeless cats."
SPCA officials are treating the cats for injuries.
They were taken to shelters in the Philadelphia and Danville areas and will be up for adoption.
