Fifteen cats found living in a storage bin along with a live artillery shell on Monday, Oct. 6, are recuperating at the municipal animal shelter shared with the Salem Animal Rescue League.

Ray Denis, SARL director of development and shelter operations, said the town would retain control of the felines until their owner surrendered the animals. At that point SARL would take possession of the cats, move them into their regular feline shelter and begin the process of medical check-ups, neuterings and eventual adoption.

“They’re very comfortable right now and well cared for through the efforts of the town,” Denis said.

The cats are housed inside a string of pet cages lining the walls of the Salem’s animal shelter. Affixed on each cage is a sign warning shelter volunteers not to open the enclosures. Until the criminal investigation into the owner is finished, Denis said, the town is not allowing the rescue league to give input on how the cats are handled.

“If and when the case is won, they’ll be released to us,” Denis said. “It could only be short term, which would be better for them psychologically. In the meantime, they’re being well cared for.”

A Salem animal control officer discovered the cats after two customers of Uncle Bob’s Self-Storage at 134 South Policy St. reported both hearing and seeing them living in the storage unit on Saturday, Oct. 4. After an initially unsuccessful attempt to retrieve the cats over the weekend, managers at the self-storage again contacted animal control after hearing the animals crying on Monday.

According to Diane Piegza, a company spokesman, store managers then opted to perform an emergency access of the 10- by-20-foot storage unit. Sifting through what Piegza described as a “very, very full” storage unit to look for the animals, searchers were delayed when a large artillery shell was discovered instead, forcing the authorities to evacuate the facility as well as two nearby homes.

The New Hampshire State Police Bomb Squad removed the shell without incident.

With the artillery shell gone, animal control and store management resumed the search and discovered 13 cats living in the rear of the bin. While the animals had food and water available nearby, police described the conditions inside as deplorable.

According to the authorities, the cats had been living in the unit for two months without light or temperature controls.

Two more cats were discovered late Tuesday night, according to Denis.

Piegza said the number of cats inside came as a surprise to the storage facility’s management.

“We, at the time, sort of thought it got into one of the units, and we called animal control, and they came over and set traps to try and catch the kitty, thinking that however it got in, it got back out,” she said.

The case is currently under investigation by animal control. No charges have been filed.

The Salem shelter is preparing to take possession of the animals as soon as the town is ready to turn the felines over by taking steps to free up space inside their regular cat shelter. Denis said the shelter was pushing to get as many of the cats they have now adopted and out of the shelter by the time the case is concluded.

Balancing the influx of animals from this case with the animals already coming in from owners who can no longer afford their pets remains a challenge going forward, Denis said. At the moment, the cats rescued from the self-storage bin do not pose any significant strain on SARL’s shelter operations, but that could change down the road, he said.