LONDON, ONT -- The city is floating the idea of putting a limit on the number of animals fostering agencies can have in one location in the wake of a fire at a home where dozens of cats were being cared for.

When firefighters arrived at a semi-detached home on Snowden Crescent they found an owner suffering from smoke inhalation and about 40 cats, four of which died.

While neighbours in the adjoining home initially helped care for some of the distressed felines, they also had concerns, questioning why so many cats are being allowed in a single-family home.

It’s an issue that brought city staff before the animal welfare advisory committee.

The current bylaw limits the number of domestic animals in a home depending on the living situation.

The largest number is eight in a detached home and only three of the eight can be dogs.

Currently approved foster agencies are exempt from caps.

The semi-detached home on Snowden was part of just such an agency.

Members of the advisory committee agreed to hold consultations with foster and rescue agencies on the issue of caps but some expressed concerns about possibly losing good foster homes.

Committee member Marie Blosh says those agencies, along with other city initiatives, have been key to reducing the feral cat population.

“We've seen a lot of improvement since the city has been working more actively with these organizations. So, we don't want to put on a lot of restrictions,” said Blosh.

She believes there needs to be some flexibility because the demand for fosters can go from quite low to very high in a short time.

"They may just, temporarily, for a few days have to have animals taken out of hoarding situation and kept in one place temporarily until various foster homes can be found."

When the bylaw revision on pet limits was passed in 2014 it was recommended fosters be limited to 10 animals per residence, but that limit was then dropped.