Humane society officials are investigating after more than 140 dead cats were found, most stuffed in a fridge, in two apartments in Windsor, Ont., on Friday morning.

In the first apartment, they found 124 dead cats wrapped in towels in the fridge and freezer, along with as many as 60 cats living in squalor, Windsor police Sgt. Matthew D'Asti said.

The search of another suite in the same building led to the discovery of 20 more dead cats in a fridge. Police said a couple lived in the second suite, and they were taken to hospital for "assessments."

Humane society officers called police at around 8:30 a.m. to assist while the animals were removed from the homes.

"It's a mystery why someone would have so many animals and why someone would be preserving them or placing them in a fridge or freezer," D'Asti said.

Charges may be laid pending the outcome of the humane society investigation.