Marlene Kess, who has a reputation as a cat lover, running a "no-kill" animal shelter in Manhattan, was charged with health code violations after 200 dead cats were discovered in her backyard, rotting away in garbage bags.

According to Sgt. Joseph Bierman of the state's Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, it appeared the dead cats were going to be buried in a large hole that had been dug.

Authorities also found 48 cats inside the home, 38 of which were contained in one room. The discovery came after neighbors complained about the stench.

Kess,56, is the founder and executive director of Kitty-Kind, which runs one of New York's few "no-kill" animal shelters. She assures all the cats died of natural causes.

SPCA spokesman Matt Stanton said an investigation into the death of the cats is ongoing.

Kess was charged with numerous health code violations including keeping an unlawful number of animals, harboring dead animals and causing an environmental hazard with the corpses.

In all, she was charged with 38 counts of failing to properly shelter cats.

"I take very good care of them," Kess told reporters Friday. "People who know me know there's no cruelty involved."

Kess is allowed to keep the other 48 cats in her home as long as she promises to separate the sick cats from the healthy ones.