An Australian woman has been convicted of animal cruelty for locking up her 14 cats for so long that they were forced to eat other’s dead bodies to survive. The 43-year-old Adelaide resident was placed on a 12-month-long behaviour bond and has been banned from owning animals indefinitely, according to Special Broadcasting Service.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Australia said the woman left the 14 cats behind when she left her property. RSPCA inspectors found 13 of the cats dead when they entered the woman’s house in Adelaide in September 2015. Chief inspector Andrea Lewis said the remains of the felines were “spread throughout the house”, and the only surviving animal (pictured above) was found in a critical condition.

While sentencing the woman, the Port Adelaide Magistrate’s Court took into account her mental health and the fact that she also spent two weeks in custody after failing to attend earlier court hearings. Lewis said the surviving cat had recovered and had been adopted by a new family. “You simply cannot abandon animals. You have a responsibility for their well-being.”