southwestern Japan, reportedly

owned by a local animal welfare organization.

AFP reported this information on Wednesday, citing a local official.

Animal Assist Senju, an organization, apologized for the incident on social media. The photo they posted showed a pile of garbage at the house.

The organization mentioned in the post that the house was filled with garbage. A female worker of the organization lived there.

They claim that the woman did

not perform her duties properly. She kept numerous cats in her home without permission and without consulting the organization.

In an Instagram post, the organization noted that a cat was rescued from the home, initially "unrecognizable." Its "skin was partially removed and its paws were covered in garbage."

The animal protection center in Kumamoto city told AFP on Wednesday that it is believed that there are "around 100" cat carcasses in the house.

However, according to local media reports, the number of dead cats may be higher.

Kumamoto-based Animal Assist Senju says it rescues dogs and cats from animal shelters and then delivers them to people who want to adopt them, helping the animals find new homes.

In another Instagram post,

the organization said, "Our organization members have taken this matter seriously. The cruelty that the cats endured before they died is perhaps unimaginable."

The organization has confirmed that the woman will not be allowed to keep any more cats in the future.

However, it is not certain whether any legal action is being taken against him.

Earlier, city officials and animal rights volunteers visited the Japanese woman's home twice after receiving reports of a cat's death last week. A full-scale search and rescue operation was then launched. So far, 12 cats have been recovered alive from the home.

Kumamoto animal protection officer Tsutomu Takimoto reported this information.