A Philadelphia contractor found a surprise when he opened up the walls of an abandoned house. A cluster of nine adult cats and seven kittens were using these walls as their home.

After reports from the homeowner that meowing was coming from the walls, a contractor was called to investigate. He found a different type of job than what he is used to, spending 8 hours to get all the cats out safely.

The contractor was able to save the majority of the kittens and took them to ACCT Philly, where they are recovering.

The animal shelter made a Facebook post explaining the situation and the current state of the cats. It stated in the post that “a few aren’t in great shape, and that one of the kittens was not able to be saved.”

“The cats are scared. Some will require more socialization, but right now they are resting in their cages," the post read.

Approximately 3.2 million cats enter U.S. animal shelters nationwide every year, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

The ACCT Philly official website offers opportunities to adopt a pet.