SA woman convicted of ill-treating cats A WOMAN has been convicted on 59 counts of ill-treating cats and ordered to pay the RSPCA $5000 for their care. Kathy Roberts was convicted in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court in Adelaide on Thursday of failing to provide adequate food, water and living conditions for the animals and was banned from acquiring more cats in the future. She was allowed to continue to care for 12 elderly cats for the next 12 months, under RSPCA supervision. In 2011, the RSPCA seized 79 cats from the woman's Port Gawler property, and many were euthanased because they were in such poor health. RSPCA chief inspector Simon Richards said the organisation had spent more than $55,000 on caring for the cats and was disappointed that it was awarded only $5000. "Under the Animal Welfare Act we are entitled to be reimbursed up to $20,000, and even that would be a significant shortfall," he said.