Animal control officers established a final count of dead cats recovered from Caroleen “Candy” Potter’s home in Tahoe Donner March 13.

In all, officers counted 30 dead cats, a dead ferret, 35 live cats, and a live chow dog.

Deputy District Attorney Fred Holmes filed felony charges on Wednesday morning that included two felony counts and two misdemeanors.

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Potter could face a sentence of four and a half years in a state prison, although Holmes noted that a sentence that long would be highly unusual.

Officers first visited Potter’s home two weeks ago.

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“When officers told her she would have to get rid of some of the cats, she asked them for another week to have the chance to say goodbye to (the cats),” said Animal Control Supervisor Dan Olsen.

When officers returned a week later they found Potter attempting to poison the cats with carbon monoxide.

The carbon monoxide left it impossible for officers to remain in the home, so they returned the next day with a search warrant and respirator masks.

“In the process of trying to rescue some more cats that were still alive, officers came across the remains of several other cats,” said Olsen.

Most of the cats that have been rescued have severe health problems. Ten have had to be euthanized. Animal Control officials are quarantining the rest in an effort to save their lives.

Potter, 53, is not in custody, but her house has been declared uninhabitable by the Nevada County Dept. of Environmental Health.