CHESTERTON | Chesterton police said a man apparently moved out of his Chesterton townhouse about a week ago, but left his cat behind.

The cat -- which is believed to have spent seven or eight days in the building without air conditioning or a litter box, and with only a modest amount of food and water -- urinated and defecated all over the carpeting, police said.

The cat was discovered Tuesday afternoon inside one of the townhouses owned by Chris Karbatsos in the 600 block of Wabash Avenue.

Karbatsos called police for assistance as he prepared to enter the unit to investigate a foul odor.

Police said they made sure nobody was in the townhouse, then they discovered the cat on top of the refrigerator. Porter County Animal Control assisted by capturing the cat and taking it into custody.

A police officer said the odor inside the townhouse was so overpowering that he could only bear to be inside for 30 seconds.

"It seemed like a terrible environment for an animal to be living in," the officer wrote in his report, adding that the water bowl was tall and would have been difficult for a cat to get water.

Sept. 1 is believed to be the last day the 25-year-old man lived in the unit, police said. Police spoke to the man on that day when he reported $3,000 worth of furniture and other items stolen from the townhouse.

Police said the man, who now has a Chicago-area telephone number, was behind on his rent and left the unit in shambles. The carpet and padding are total losses, police said.

Police reports state the animal control/animal shelter director aggressively seeks criminal charges against people who abandon pets. The investigation into possible charges continue.

Officials said the townhouse owner told police he will initiate civil action to recoup the cost of making the townhouse livable again.