Police discovered 300 cats, a third of which were dead, in the Virginia home of an elderly woman after neighbors complained of a stench coming from the house.

The house, less than a mile from late President George Washington's historic Mount Vernon estate, looks neat from the outside with manicured lawns and bright flowers, but inside it was overflowing with wild cats, feces and urine.

Fairfax County Police officer Richard Henry says, "Cats were coming out of the cabinets and drawers and were inside the walls. There were hundreds of them."

Animal control officers removed 273 cats - including 86 dead - over the weekend and deemed the residence condemned. The woman, her husband and daughter were told to leave.

The woman reportedly returned and attempted to smuggle an additional 30 cats from the house. These animals were confiscated, bringing the total to more than 300.

Ruth Knueven, 82, is charged with failing to care for her animals and of improperly disposing of them. Dozens of dead cats were found in plastic bins around the house.

Officials say most of the cats were inbred and sick and were unfit for adoption. Henry says, "These were feral cats who were given free range of the house and almost all of them will, unfortunately, have to be put down."