Pussy galore

Woman has an affinity for cats.

An 83-year-old woman caught hoarding nearly 500 cats was suffering from mental illness when she began taking in neighborhood strays, "and the situation got out of control," her attorney told a Fairfax County judge yesterday.

Thats not alot of cats, that's a herd.

Knueven's penchant for keeping strays came into public view shortly after July 8, when neighbors called police to report a strong odor coming from Knueven's home on Ludgate Drive.

A strong odor? Thats an understatement.

"She loved these animals," Frieden said. "She thought they needed her, and she was afraid to call the authorities, fearing they'd be euthanized."

And you thought you had a weird cat lady in your neighborhood.