A Florida Couple Stored Dead Cats in Their Freezer While 57 More Suffered Next Door
On June 12, 2025, Collier County Sheriff's deputies arrested Olga Murphy, 62, and Igor Mursalimov, 54, at their home on 1740 Piedmont Court, Marco Island, Florida. Inside: 57 living cats in medical distress and between 15 and 20 dead cats stuffed into a freezer in the living room.
The couple held an active license to breed and sell Maine Coons.
The "Quarantine Room"
Deputies found a sealed-off room containing 24 cats, all suffering from untreated medical conditions. The couple called it a "quarantine room." None of the animals inside had received veterinary care. Floors throughout the home were soaked with feces, urine, and vomit.
Among the worst cases: a cat named Irene, who had been missing an eye since at least 2023. Detectives said the physical evidence suggested the couple had been aware of Irene's condition for more than two years and did nothing. The ruptured eye was never treated, never examined, never mentioned to a vet.
Felony Charges and 28 Misdemeanors Each
Murphy and Mursalimov were each charged with one felony count of animal cruelty -- punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine -- plus 28 misdemeanor counts of animal confinement, one for each cat found in the quarantine room.
The Collier County Sheriff's Office ordered the home demolished.
Licensed Breeders, Not Random Hoarders
This is the detail that should alarm anyone who has ever bought a cat from a "reputable breeder." Murphy and Mursalimov were not operating in the shadows. They were licensed. They sold Maine Coons -- a breed that typically fetches $1,000 to $2,500 per kitten. They had buyers, presumably satisfied ones who left five-star reviews while 24 cats rotted in a sealed room behind a closed door.
The breeding industry for cats operates with minimal oversight. In Florida, a breeder can obtain a license without home inspections. Nobody checks how many cats are actually on the premises, or whether the dead ones are in the freezer.
A Fast Adoption -- But Why Were There 57 Cats in the First Place?
Within three weeks of the seizure, 36 of the 57 surviving cats were adopted. Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League in West Palm Beach took in 25 of the Maine Coons and placed all of them in new homes, even those requiring ongoing medical care.
The system moved fast once the door was kicked in. But the door should have been kicked in years ago. Irene lost her eye in 2023 at the latest. That means for at least two years, a licensed breeder operated a house of horrors on a quiet Marco Island cul-de-sac and nobody intervened.
No neighbors called. No licensing board inspected. No buyers asked uncomfortable questions about where their $2,000 kitten came from.
Sources:
FOX 13: Florida couple stored dead cats in freezer while living cats suffered
Marco News: Charges pile on for Marco Island couple in animal cruelty case