Judith Lawson faces up to 20 counts of animal cruelty as nearly two dozen Persian cats were removed from her home near Lacey Thursday night.

The cats -- kept in small, feces-covered cages in the garage and a bedroom at the home in the Hawks Prairie area -- suffered from skin and respiratory conditions. The cats were taken to animal hospitals. Some may need to be euthanized, authorities said.

SLIDESHOW: Lacey Cats Neglected, Malnourished, Covered In Feces

"It's disgusting and it's sad. It's sad that somebody could not take care of these animals," said Lisa Ankerstjerne, a veterinarian. "I've never seen treatment like this. I've never heard of treatment like this."

Police said the homeowner called a company to fix water damage she said was caused by a cat. A repair person arrived, saw the neglected cats and called 911.

Animal control officers said they were overwhelmed by the stench in the home.

"Even the insects were trying to find an air way out because it was so putrid in there," Ankerstjerne said.

Animal control officers said they believed the homeowner, a 64-year-old woman, kept the Persian cats as show cats. They said it appeared she kept the animals locked in an unventilated garage and a second-floor bedroom for seven years.

Neighbors said the homeowner is very private woman who rarely came out of the house.

"She told us the reason she built the house like she did is because she had allergies. You never saw her. She never opened the garage door," said a neighbor who was not identified.