Inside an animal hoarder's house

Jeanette Meyer, Kalamazoo, MI — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 10:53:03 GMT

How sad that the cats had to be rescued in the first place. If all pet owners would take responsibility for their animals and always spay and neuter then the pet population could be controlled. Cases of hoarding are misguided people trying to solve a problem that is real, but with a flawed solution.

Spay and neuter and adopt a resuce animal.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Marion Mulcahy, Floral Park, New York — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 14:43:06 GMT

I commend this women. I thought I was bad with 10 cats. Wait till I show this article to my family. So many people get a pet and when they don't fit in or they can no longer handle the pet, they let them loose on the streets, to fend for themselves. We need more people who are willing to take in strays and contact the ASPCA, the Humane Society, any no kill organization or their local vet to have them either spayed or neutered. I'm not saying that they have to keep the pet, but at least give them a chance.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Munchkin3000 — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 15:25:30 GMT

What a fascinating story! And I'm glad the producer took the time to look beyond the facade of the story -- that only a crazy person would hoard that many cats -- to get the owner's humanistic perspective.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Mimi S, Newark, Delaware — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 18:58:06 GMT

Why don't people think "first" about what is causing this woman's behavior and care about her, before the cats.

A mental health care advocate and animal lover and owner.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Mimi S, Newark, Delaware — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 18:58:31 GMT

Why don't people think "first" about what is causing this woman's behavior and care about her, before the cats.

A mental health care advocate and animal lover and owner.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

lauramerle, Homer, AK — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 19:22:49 GMT

As the devoted care-taker of twenty-three cats, I wince everytime I see an article on "crazy cat-ladies" or animal hoarders. My husband and I found ourselves with a multi-cat household much as the hoarders do--by taking in the animals that other people abandon. Often we are painted with the same "crazy" brush that society reserves for the truly trouble and out-of-touch but good-hearted people who take on more pets than they can handle.

I was glad to see that the producers of this segment at least tried to make a distinction between people who have a lot of cats or dogs and those who take on the animals without being able to properly care for them. If you do a brief web search, you will find that there are many responsible people in the world who do have fifteen or twenty or more pets and manage to provide them with good veterinary care, clean homes and love. Lisaviolet, Tally, Tik Tok, and Noofies are names familiar to many of us in the cyberspace network of committed multi-pet owners. Through websites, links, articles and forums, these folks and many others offer help, advice and insight into the complexities of caring properly for multiple cats. The media reports the hoarders because they are news and the many responsible pet owners with large numbers of pets are not. Unfortunately, this sort of story often prompts local governments to try and "solve" the problem of hoarding by legislating a limit to the number of animals one is permitted to have. Laws of this sort will be ignored by the troubled pet-hoarders and penalize the dedicated people quietly investing their time, resources and emotions in caring for unwanted and abandoned companion animals.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Shirley Weiler, Midland, TX — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 20:48:56 GMT

I understand that the city of Houston has passed a ruling that unless a person has a breeder license, ALL animals in their possession MUST be spayed or nutered to be licensed. And you MUST have a license tag for each animal. No surgery--no tag.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

mary mcvee — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 20:50:47 GMT

hoarding is hoarding! how can someone not be aware of spaying/neutering? all you have to do is look around and it is everywhere. call the vet and ask them. come on people! if it were a law that you had to register an animal like you do a car, child etc. maybe the wold would be a better place for keeping tract of these pets. out law breeders for one thing, theres way too may homeless animals that need adoption. here is one area the government should get their nose into.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Kerry, Kanab, Utah — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 20:52:54 GMT

Thank you for this story- I work at a large no-kill animal sanctuary (with a full clinic staff and state of the art equipment!) and see these stories every day. If only everybody could see spay/neuter is the answer, euthanasia in local shelters would be down and the stray, feral cat population could be contained. Once again, thank you for the time spent on this story- if only a few people are educated about these situations it totally worked!!

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Yaz, Capital Area, Maine — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 21:04:05 GMT

Hoarding is not simply the result of a "misguided" do-gooder getting in over her head. It is a symptom of a larger mental health problem. The people living with these animals seem oblivious and live with feces and urine covering their furniture, counters, tables, and even their own clothing and bed. Sane people do not collect 100 or more animals and not notice the death, disease, and stench. Believe me, hoarding does no animal (or human) any favors, even the street cats because it only prolongs the inevitable; lives shortened by disease and injury. Cats that come from hoarding situations are virtually wild and typically cannot be handled. They bite, carry diseases like distemper, feline leukemia and feline infectious virus (FeLv/FIV), suffer from eye and ear diseases, and have ear mites and fleas. This woman and people like her and NOT to be commended for hoarding. And if it wasn't cats, it would be dogs, horses, or some other voiceless animal. Hoarded animals are not healthy nor should they be considered "saved." Life on the streets is no better but certainly no worse either. Anyone who thinks so has never had to see what these animals live through crammed into a stench-filled house with a crazy human and a jillion other animals. Nor have they helped while 100 plus seized animals get euthanized because they were too wild to adopt out after a mass-seizure from a hoarder's house.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Amanda Jones, Fargo, ND — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 21:14:23 GMT

I have a friend who was considered a "crazy cat lady". She took in cats with FIV. When she was arrested years ago, they took her cats off for euthanization. All 80+ of them. It was devastating for her. To this day, if I have any questions about my own cat, I call her. She knows everything there is to know about felines. She is a hyper-intelligent individual who had names and sounds for each of her animals. While the house did smell, the animals, although terminally ill, were well cared for (as best as she was able), happy, well fed, and knew that they had a person who loved them and would do anything for them. I do, however, think that hoarding is a mental illness that people should not take so lightly. These people are not "crazy". My friend is a genuinely caring person who really did just want to save the animals. In the end, her efforts were in vain, but that doesn't make her crazy. She is not allowed, by law, to hoard. She is checked up on regularly, which I can understand. But, to not legally allow someone as caring as she is to take care of cats the way no one else can? That's a tragedy. Maybe not in her home - but, somewhere.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

joAyn — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 21:19:02 GMT

too bad the ASPCA didn't step in when she had a dozen or so.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Dawn Moore, Butler PA — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 21:19:56 GMT

My township takes care of stray dogs...but not cats. When you find strays, there are usually tens of them! To take them to our shelter would cost $100 each. The local governments should have a hand in helping. I've taken over 20 cats to a low-cost spay/neuter program for wild cats. It's sad to know some of these animals are poisoned by old-timers and younger fed-up families because middle america can't afford to take the problem into their own hands--the right way. Not everyone has the time or resources to find the low-cost alternative that I did.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Ruth Frericks — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 21:24:07 GMT

I, too, am an animal lover, but I have all I can handle with 3 dogs ( 2 left from my children ). The poor woman thought she was doing a good thing saving the cats and it is so good to have the ASPCA step in to assist her.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Wendy King, New Orleans, LA — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 21:26:03 GMT

I hope that the SPCA follows up with this owner, and stays in touch with her, so that she gets help, since hoarding cases have so many dimensions, mental, emotional, social, etc. Since her hoarding started after her dog died, she sounds like she was trying to deal with her grief over her dog's death, by "replacing" the dog with several cats, and, as you saw and heard, it got out of control.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Anonymous, Maryland — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 21:49:15 GMT

Just because other people do not/cannot/will not understand the reason behind someone's behaviour, is no reason to call them crazy. Read "Dianetics" by L. Ron Hubbard, then maybe you will have more of an understanding of yourself and others.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

RJ — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 21:56:34 GMT

We certainly have enough animals to qualify as "crazy cat people' or even "crazy dog people". All our animals are considered our pets and were either abandoned, injured, feral or unadoptable for one reason or another. They are all neutered and spayed and current on their vacinations and extremely friendly and loving to one another and to people. They have their own climate controlled space and outside exercise areas. I feel there is only one reason people find it easy to ignore the needs of either animal or human creatures and that is selfishness. There are many reasons why people have difficulty turning away needy creatures and needy humans, all of them more commendable than selfishness. We feel blessed to be able to care for our animals well and to have had them in our lives.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Amy Carol, Windsor, WI — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 22:04:52 GMT

To the person who has 10 cats of her own and "commends" the woman in the article: I think she missed the point. This woman was not being lauded for amassing 100 cats and then 'having them neutered'. The ASPCA was there because the woman's original intent to take in a few strays had grown into an unsafe,unsanitary and unmanageable situation. The woman in the article had not called the ASPCA with a plan to neuter her cats. After all, she is the one who stood idly by while (by her own admission) the cats just kept breeding and breeding. She had obviously been reported to the ASPCA by a concerned family member or neighbor. It was the ASPCA's decision to neuter the cats in an effort so somehow stem the flow of the out of control breeding and collection. Hopefully they will continue to work with her and be able to stem the flow of cats into her home and maybe even get her some mental health assistance.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Jeanette Herron, Morton, MS — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 22:08:46 GMT

This is common with dogs as well, Please understand that we do not do this out of any reason other than love for animals. I don't think that compassion is a sign of mental sickness. Understand and offer HELP for the animals instead to TALKing about the care provider.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Shannon Brown — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 22:10:12 GMT

These types of stories always surprise me. I never think "Oh what a terrible person", but the first thing I do wonder is how the people who allow there homes to fall into the condition where there is feces and urine piling up everywhere are not severly ill and in just as bad of a condition as the animals. Did they mention what there health was like?

Inside an animal hoarder's house

RM - Evans, CO — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 22:11:18 GMT

I can understand how a person becomes a hoarder. It starts with unconditional love for all animals and just gets out of hand. I have gained 3 cats just because people have moved and left them to run wild. With my doggie door makes it easy for them to move in. Fortunatly, I have the means to have them neutered or spayed. But the food cost alone, could drive me to the poor house. I live a mile from our local shelter which is not a no kill shelter. It breaks my heart to take them there knowing if they are not adopted, they will be put down. Will I take the next one who shows up at my door to the shelter??? I don't know - I may well be on the way to being a hoarder.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Jo, Las Vegas, Nevada — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 22:17:49 GMT

I'v lost 3 beautiful cats in my neighborhood. I wonder if we have one of these people living here?

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Minou, Edmonton Alberta — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 22:27:24 GMT

Sometimes the kind heartedness of people blind their ability to take care of one pet let alone a hundred!
If a stray, please spay!

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Elise, Houston, TX — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 22:30:52 GMT

I wish more cities, counties & states would institute mandatory spay/neuter laws and programs that help people with the costs. It's a shame that we 'put down' thousands each day and spend untold amounts on shelters and these type rescues. Could the money be better spent? We, as americans are all about stretching the 'all mighty dollar' but we refuse to see the BIG PICTURE. And education: People with the best intentions are still buying from breeders. SHAME ON US. I was appalled when I first moved here that they sell animals on the side of the road.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Monica, Eugene OR — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 22:35:18 GMT

Animal hoarding is a form of mental illness. I'm sorry, but someone needs to rescue the owner in this case. This many animals, kept in this manner, is not only unhealthy for the animals but for the owner as well. Hopefully she has family that will step in and take care of her, as well as place some of these animals.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

ccurrin@northrock.bm (Bermuda) — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 22:37:31 GMT

I know a hoarder of cats.She will take them from anywhere and try to care for them but space,finanaces and a belief that cats ca take care of themselves creates an unhealthy home for her and the cats.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Jennifer, Sylmar. Calif — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 22:46:29 GMT

OUTSTANDING STORY! Not only this lady but all who have several pets ALWAYS have good intentions, but somehow streamline to the worst cases. This story puts people with several pets & the plan to purchase more in perspective! & also to people who purchase pets as "toys/gifts" as kittens & puppies, and leave them out in the streets when they no longer want them!

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Tammy Wiseman ,Lanett Alabama — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 23:03:28 GMT

I CAN'T BELIEVE PEOPLE WOULD HAVE THAT MANY ANIMALS. I HAVE 2 DOGS , 3 CATS, AND 2 HORSES. MY DOGS AND CATS ARE SPAYED. MY HORSES ARE BOTH MARES NOT EXPOSED TO STUDS. I FIND ALOT OF PEOPLE NOT WANTING TO HAVE THEIR PETS FIXED. PLEASE PEOPLE THINK OF YOUR ANIMALS HEALTH.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Shirley Bullock, Shepherdsville, Ky — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 00:07:16 GMT

This is a mental health issue. The animals need to be cared for and so does the owner. How heart breaking is it for the owner to see objects of his disorder being taken away. We would not punish a bi polar person for his disease or a depressed person for thiers. Other people should not denegriate these hoarders for lack of a better term. They need love and guidance and the tools to say good bye and let go.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Ann Doepner — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 00:17:23 GMT

I think people who hard animals see that too many other people don't care about them, and dump them when theyre tired of them, so they go about trying to solve problem greater than they can handle. It gets out of hand when the person is depressed or otherwise suffering themselves and can't stand seeing animals suffer. Instead of judging these people you should do something to help animals yourself.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Ann Doepner Saint Paul Min — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 00:20:05 GMT

I forgot to add my city and state

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Caitlin Cooper, BC, Canada — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 00:29:51 GMT

I'm glad to read this story and hear about this woman who was willing to take in cats off the street. One of my two cats went missing almost a year ago, and while we searched and searched for her, she hasn't been seen since. I much prefer to think that she was taken in by a well meaning (if misguided) person than hit by a vehicle, tortured by teenagers, or something like that. While this woman wasn't exactly responsible (ALWAYS spay and neuter your pets!!) she WAS trying, which is more than most people can say.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

lady b...houston, texas — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 00:49:09 GMT

I rent rooms in a grand old house with a woman who suffers from this. She has dogs in the back yard and cats in the house.None of we tenants (there are 4) use the lush back yard because the dogs are all over you when you walk out the door. In 6 months I've never used the kitchen which is a haven for the cats.
They are on and in cabinets, on tables and even lie on the stove's burners and sink. And yes, many times I hold my breath from the entry to my space upstairs where the environment is clean and fresh. I like the lady and love the 85 year old house (5 minutes commute) but have worried many times about her mental and physical health. All her expenses come out of her pocket. Vet bills are frequent and food for all the animals must be extraordinary.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

catlover2 — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 01:12:34 GMT

How can it be safe to return 100 just-spayed or neutered cats back to that habitat? Obviously, it's very unhygienic. Were precautions taken to prevent the dominant animals from endangering the more docile? Many times, animals react to the injury or a weakness of a lesser by becoming aggressive. Has the woman stopped 'rescuing' cats from the outside? If not, this procedure has been a very temporary stopgap measure.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

ron butlin gilbert,az. — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 01:51:18 GMT

my ex wife with whom i had lost contact, moved back to klamath falls ,oregon and invited me for a visit. when i got there, i found a new titan truck trashed,and three dogs,three turkeys,and two ducks living in the back of the truck. she refused to take the animals to the humane society and when the two ducks got out of the vehicle,we hunted for 6 hours w/o ever finding the ducks.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

L. Smith — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 01:52:36 GMT

I have personally been involved with two hoarders, and the sad thing is, if I didn't keep a tight rein on my own impulses, I fear I could become one as well. I have arned my children that as I age, they should keep an eye out if I start "collecting". When they were small, we had 3 dogs,four cats, 3 horses, assorted budgies, hansters, and one daughter started raising purebred "show rabbits" for a while. Currently, I "only" have 3 dogs and a horse. When I see a stray, part of me thinks "Ah, it would only be ONE MORE..." Fortunately (?) one of my dogs is somewhat aggressive and I talk myself out of adding any others by convincing myself that he would kill any new arrivals...

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Patty Cloonan, Pulaski, VA 24301 — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 02:40:17 GMT

I am the owner of 8 cats. I understand the desire to save these wonderful creatures, too. Seven of mine came to me as strays. I'm very happy to know that these cats have been spayed & nutured, and that all of the kittens are being given a chance to have a good healthy life.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Josie wolfe — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 02:51:56 GMT

I feel sorry for the lady, I would like to know when you hoard other animals I went by a place near me and counted 72 horses and there are more than that. they have not been properly taken care of since the people moved here and they have been turned in.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Kathy Melbourne,Fl — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 03:17:40 GMT

Only a crazy person WOULD hoard cats that way. People like that are not helping the animals. They are still breeding, passing diseases from the common kitty cold to Feline Aids. The cats medical needs are not being met and the filth and stench are just as bad for the cats as the humans. I bet the reporter left out the fact that several had to be euthanized and were probably even some dead or dying without the lady's knowledge. Only if you've worked in a shelter or in the animal field can you understand how horrible a situation that is and how it is absolutely of no service or help to the cats involved.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Eva Lyn, Georgia — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 04:01:15 GMT

I have one indoor cat (neutered and declawed) and three outside "feral" babies I am in the process of taming. The one female, a snowshoe siamese, I captured, took to the vet, had spayed, inoculated and defleaed. It cost me almost $300 for everything including all the tests necessary because she was wild. However, she will never have kittens and she is becoming tamer every day. The boys are too. As soon as I can recover from my last expense, the boys go in for THEIR neuter. I don't think 10 cats are too many for some people as long as they are cared for properly. These 4 are my limit, in fact too many, but they are beautiful and I just love them.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

G. Simpson — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 04:40:31 GMT

I will never understand this behavior as long as I live. If I had one hundred acres for free roaming and the means for proper care of any stray that came along. I would welcome them with open arms. I love animals of all kinds and have raise several wild babies fallen or left behind by the parent in the wild. It warmed my heart to set them free again only with proper care and advice from my Vet. or a licensed rehabilitaion facility.
However I do not and will not agree with people who hoard animals for personal reasons without proper care.

There is a man who has been reported to the local aurthorities on two occasions that I know of, who has dogs inside a mobile home that he has not allowed to see daylight in over five years. This is unhealthy for him as well as the animals.
He lost four adult dogs and three pups in a span of four months. He doesn't seem to understand why that many seemingly healthy animals.... JUST DIED!!!! Not once have these animals had vacinations or seen a vet for preventive care and they lived in their own fecal matter and urine. That doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out. Yes, I am venting. Maybe the ASPCA will take notice to this comment and do something about it. A little help is all I ask.

This man is my sixty nine year old brother. I don't want him to die as so many of his animals have.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Carol Whalen, Manorville, N.Y. — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 04:45:59 GMT

This woman tried to do her best helping these cats
I don't think she was tryng to put these cats lives in danger, it just got out of hand - there should be
more places who offer spaying and nuetering options at
reasonable prices - this woman did not look like she
could afford for all these cats to go to a Vet - which
would have been too expensive I don't think she is a
crazy cat lady, I think she just wanted to help them

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Ann Klein Chattanooga, Tn — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 05:43:25 GMT

I am also one of those "cat hoarders" however my population is well cared for with yearly vet visits and plenty of food, water, clean litter and warm places to sleep. Yes it is a challenge but I do have a wonderful pet sitter and a daughter who both help with the care. And just for the record, while I have 17 cats all "fixed" except for two and all rescued, these were my unadoptable crew out of the 600+ I took in over the past 8yrs. All of my adopted animals had shots/wormed at adoption--I pd. the cost myself.All were referred to vets and low cost spay clinics or certificates.All were adopted with a one month return policy-only one return. As a previous reader stated we need to be responsible for our own pets so we don't need rescue groups.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Gladys, Morristown, Tennessee — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 06:00:15 GMT

When we bought our house from my husband's aunt, we were left with two female cats, so between the two, 15 cats emerged (they were outside), they were wild and would bite if cornered. It was a job taking care of 15 cats, I commend this women trying to care for all of the cats she had, Bless her heart. She had more work than she could carry. So finally me knowing something had to be done, I rented a Live Cage from our animal shelter to capture them. None of the 15 were sutible for adoption.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Taylor, Seattle, Washington — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 06:47:05 GMT

I can relate to the "cat collector lady". I have a sister who has a very debilitating disease. She chose not to marry or have children so as not to pass on this horrible disease. To make up for her loss of children she starting taking in cats for something to love, and more and more cats, trying to fill that void because she had wanted children so bad. She just needed to love and be loved back. But they started breeding. This went on for years, and the last time I saw these cats, all the cats had turned feral. She could not even hold any of them and she had scratches all over her. Her apartment was a shock to me, it was beyond anything I have ever seen and the smell was horrible. I was shocked my own sister was living like this. But I could not reason with her to let go of some of these animals. As of now, I have no idea what has happened to her as she cut all ties with me because of me wanting to get her into a better place. She knew she would have to give up her cats. This is so sad of a situation. I could not understand how the tenants on either side of her place did not complain about the odor. And outside of her door flies were all over the place and the smell was even out into the entry. I contacted several places and was told that nothing could be done because she chose to live like that, or I could take her to court and claim her unfit. I could not find it in my heart to do that even though I knew it would be better for her, but did not want to humiliate her either. I knew I would lose her forever if I did that, but now I have lost her anyway. I have no idea of where she is.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Mary Pensacola Fl. — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 07:12:34 GMT

I have 6 dogs and just recently lost one. That had me at 7. Just because people have several pets doesnt mean that they are trying to be mean or ugly to the animals. I take very good care of my dogs. If they get sick they get medical help, they are love and cared for just like children, however i do know when to quit. I will admit sometimes it is difficult to take care of all of them but me and my husband manage. They always have food even if I might have little to eat myself. People who have several pets just need to learn when enough is enough. I comend those who try to help strays and try to give them loving homes, but everybody needs to realize that pets are expensive and require lots of the same things kids do. If you cant provide the same care you would to a child to your pets because you have too many you need to rethink your situation.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Linda Em — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 07:29:04 GMT

FINE TAKE IN CATS = FED THEM CARE FOR THEM = IT WILL BE A BETTER LIFE THAN THE STREET = but but BUT SPAYING IS ESSENTIAL or YOU ARE COMPOUNDING THE PROBLEM!!!
OWNER OF 10+ CATS AT HOME AND NOT COUNTING....
CARER OF 10+ and definately not counting rest ON HARBOUTR NEAR OUR BOAT.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Evelyn, Cincinnati, OH — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 16:35:18 GMT

Interesting commentary about the woman. How can anyone live in such a house??? I've been helping, since last summer, with a 63 cat rescue from a hoarder/foreclosed house in Cincinnati, where the cats were abandoned to die. The previous owner(s) were already gone, so we don't know their details - except that these poor cats were very ill, without any previous medical care, and were starving to death. We pulled together a wonderful grassroots effort to rescue/vet/foster/adopt out all these cats - at this point, we've got about 15 of them that we're still needing to find homes for.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

William Atherton, Columbus, Ohio — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 17:42:14 GMT

We have 7 cats at home. That's a rather large number, but it's a big house and they all live good lives and have all been spayed and neutered. I recognize that 7 may be too many, but why not? They were all rescue cats and they have been treated far better at our home than out on the street. We love them all and would never want to part with a one of them. Sometimes I think that 7 is too many, but then I look at them one by one, and I can't for the life of me pick one that I would be willing to part with. We both love all of our cats with all of our hearts and they ARE family members. I am an avowed animal lover (not just cats) and the older I get, the more I love animals. I have seen far too many abandoned family pets. I don't understand how any human being with feelings could do that.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

William Atherton, Columbus, Ohio — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 17:50:14 GMT

We have 7 cats at home. That may seem to be a large number, but it's a large house and they all have good lives and they've all been spayed and neutered. These were all rescue cats and they live much better than they would have on the streets. I love all animals, not just cats, and the older I get the more I love animals. Sometimes I think 7 is too many but then I look at them and I can't for the life of me think of parting with any one of them. We love them all and they are ALL family members. It's unbelievable to me that so many people abandon family pets. Any human being who could do that is beyond my understanding. These animals are precious gifts from God, and I think they deserve better treatment and care than they get many times.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Cat woman, Tulsa, OK — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 01:02:43 GMT

I can sympathize with horders, as I have 14 cats and three dogs. Most I have gotten from the street and three have come a breeder of bengals that had to take them back from owners that decided that a cat was not for them, two had been abused. I will conceed that I have too many, I added 5 after my son died 4 years ago, there was obviously a need being filled there. All my pets are spayed or neutered and all but one cat is declawed in the front to preserve my furniture,and to keep them from harming each other when they have the occasional tiff, none of them go outside. The hardest part is placing them in a new home, I would love to find some of them a new home, but I'm afraid that I couldn't find them a home that would care for them as they well as they are being treated now, and I don't feel that would be fair to them after I have had their trust for so long, they are truly like my children or family.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Jennifer(pusnboots30), Martinsville Indiana — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 14:42:31 GMT

I am not just an animal lover but i am also a animal owner.I have 2 dogs and 2 cats all i have bottle fed and raised as part of our family.But i also know that i have a responsibility to keep them safe and sound.There is not a day goes by i don't see an abondoned animal on the side of the street or go by a shelter and wish i could help every animal in there, but i also know i can't help every animal in the world which keeps me only having my 2 dogs and 2 cats. If we want to help the animals of the worl get your pet spayed or nuetured.keep the pet population down people.And just know you can't save the world by owning more pets than you can take care of...Keep yourself healthy, love god and take care of our animals.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Jessica, Voorheesville, NY — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 15:47:54 GMT

Unfortunately, this situation is all too common, but to a lesser extreme. I am involved in animal rescue and it becomes difficult to say "enough is enough". You want to help every last one of them, why stop at 4???? Who better than me to take care of these poor little creatures?? When you have the will in your heart, you simply cannot turn an animal in need away. It becomes easy to get caught up in it, truly feeling as though you are doing what is right for the animal, but when it becomes a human health risk, as well as an unsafe environment for the animals themselves, it's time to seek out the help of a professional and do what truly is best for the animals.
My heart goes out to this woman, she really did beleive she was making a difference in the lives of these unwanted animals, sacrificing herself and home to provide shelter for them.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Betty Dickson, Tillamook, Oregon — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 00:29:49 GMT

How do you report a hoarder? I know a person that has at least 60 or so cats that he has been giving his best care. He gets them spayed etc, but you can't be sure he even notices any new ones popping up. The person is a Vietnam vet with some obvious issues. My seems to collect unusual friends and this person is about the most unusual of them all. I cannot stand within a foot of him even if in the downwind. He smells like an overused litterbox. At one time I went into his house and never made that mistake again. Standing too close made me gag and going in the house was worse. Luckily I made it outside without showing my reactions and recovered before I had to barf.
I mostly worry for him as he smells so bad he has been banned from places he would like to go that would give him some type of social activity.
I don't think his lifestyle with the cats is healthy for him even though the cats seem healthy themselves. I also don't think he could be classified as an animal abuser as the cats seem fairly well taken care of. I just want to know how to get help for him as I am sure the amount of ammonia he breathes with their spraying isn't healthy and I have seen him lose a lot of social interaction that he could have with people due to his cat obsession.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Shari Stoeser, Spokane, Wa. — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 05:55:10 GMT

I think that is wrong to have that many cats in your house. Think about the sanitary situation. That must smell terrible. Im sorry, but to have that many animals in one house is absurd. I would love to save all the animals in the world, as would others, but we can only do so much.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

maria DaSilva, Newark, NJ — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 12:09:00 GMT

People collect cars, clothes, and other material things. If a person can afford it, they should be able to have as many pets as they wish. However if then animal collector is not providing a healthy lifestyle for their animal companions, they should be helped not punished. These people are compassionate individuals with good intentions.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Lisa Williams, Redondo Beach Ca — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 12:54:10 GMT

I don't understand why people find the need to hoard animals. Cats, dogs, birds, whatever! Most of them end up starving to death or die of diseases. My husband and I have four dogs and believe me, they eat better then we do. My house is clean and so are our dogs. It's a real shame that these hoarders think they are doing the right thing for these poor animals which in fact, they are suffering and slowley dying.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

T. Adams — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 14:33:04 GMT

How many is too many? This would have to take into consideration the location and the facilities. For an apartment, I would think anything over two would be too many. For a home with safe outside access, perhaps three, but like children, animals need personal attention and anymore than that is just too many for a person to give adequate care and attention. Having one dog and one cat should suffice any person's love of animals. I am sorry Marion, but ten cats is a bit much and is over the top eccentric.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

david stowe madison, wisconsin — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 14:39:22 GMT

i have frined she has 7 , 8 , 9 cate two dogs n snake birds mice to feed snake hamsters radits ops one dies neglect out side cage nspider fish tanks n lizard n maybe more i can not count almost 20 total. i think you are right she has disfuncitional fmaily n marrages past husband was sex offender. in prison long time iowa know girl 18 has older boy frined sex offender n he is back in prison ex offender. there is law in city4 pets allowed outher wise fined n has to get rid of them. shall one call police n report this hoard of animals? the house stinks n pets do it ever where it's discusting!!! she can not keep up with the expense of cleaning up after them.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Linda Palmer,MA — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 16:39:08 GMT

I have had at least 10 cats for most of my life,my oldest died at 21 years of age,all have reached their upper teens and have been spayed and neutered.We have fostered them and taken in at times older cats from the vets office or pound.I even got a group rate once for having 7 done by my vet of 20 years.
I also have 2 dogs and cat sit for my neighbor when she goes on vacation.
Am I crazy?I think not.I belong to the MSPCA and PETA.
My vet has had a member of her staff check out my house before I could adopt a dog,I adopted the dog.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Marah Rawe — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 17:05:56 GMT

I think the lady was trying to her best ability to help unwanted animals. It got beyound her control, and she needed help, but probably didn't know where to look to get it. I hope all the cats find a good home, and I hope she collects no more, but she probably will.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Anna McClung — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 17:05:58 GMT

I don't completely agree with the reasons given in the previous article "Animal hoarding: The crazy cat lady, explained". Not everyone has deep routed childhood issues, etc. I think that many people who end up with so many animals start out with good intentions of trying to help the animals, not realizing how easy it is to become overwhelmed with such a tremendous responsibility. Things also change in peoples lives, like possibly the loss of income or illness which can create these situations. If more people would step up to the plate and adopt and give an animal a loving home, and/or have their pets spayed and neutered, less animals would die in shelters each year and other people wouldn't have to feel that they have to take on so much.

I also think that the daily question of "How many pets is too many?" is slanted. The choices given are rediculous, choices A. and D. It depends on the person and their circumstances and means to be able to take care of an animal(s). For some people one animal is enough. For others, maybe 5 or more. It just depends. Many people have more than 3 animals. So the results from this vote are stupid.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Amy Bomberger Sacramento, CA. — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 17:27:25 GMT

Aside from the sad truth that it seems most people with such enormous numbers of animals (that are not neutered or immunized for the most part) have some deep-seated psychological problems, it is paramount to continue to try to keep the cat population under control. Most of us that love and try to help in this fashion know all too well how many cats an un-neutered female can produce in her lifetime. I wish there were more recources for this specific issue.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Wendy Parsons Monroe UT — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 18:09:13 GMT

I also am a pet lover and have 5 cats at present. It would be easy to have more as there are so many that need homes. I also have 4 dogs but that doesn't seem to have the "bad" stigma placed on it that cats have. If people would take care of there own pets then there wouldn't be the problem. But too many don't. It is very hard to not take in all of the animals that need help.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Sue Weil — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 19:02:28 GMT

As an animal lover myself it was difficult for me to finally grasp the hard truth that euthanasia for some of these animals is a welcome relief. If an animal is so called "rescued" then subjected to filth and poor living conditions ie, disease, they're not really being rescued in the real sense.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

virginia sullivan binghamton, ny — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 19:12:35 GMT

I have much sympathy for any animal horder. My problem is cats. They are my best friends. they talk to me in their own language, listen to them and you will hear them. The problem with horders is not enough money. Shelters are great ,but when you ask for help to spay/neuter , the answer is you can pay so much down and pay the balance in monthly payment.
Please my $260.00 a month does not go to far. Most of the cats I have acquired have been gien to me by someone else or just knocked on my door. A cat gives undenialabe love. Which some people need and get from their cat.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Vivian Kirkbride — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 19:23:26 GMT

So, that's what a "Cat-House" is!

Inside an animal hoarder's house

jen chowchilla calif — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 19:23:46 GMT

i feel for both this lady who took in the cats and the cats themselfs ,, people more than not mean well and a sickness can soon become over wheming ,,,I hope anyone that knows of someone in a cse like this will try to get that person some help and not just walk away and call them crazy ... Help is much better than walking away ,,

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Sandra - Toccoa, Georgia — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 21:14:39 GMT

We buy, fix up and resell homes and recently bought one that belonged to a cat hoarder. This house was so bad, after working there 2 days we found that she had housed cats in the attic also and the litter, feces and urine was about 6 inches deep. Our first thought was we have to tear the house down or have it burned but we plugged on and finally finished the job and removed all of the odor. While doing this though I figured out by things I found there that this lady trully did believe she was doing good. My first impression though was that she must have been completely off her rocker. We estimated she must have had around 100+ cats in a small 2 bedroom house. WOW!

Inside an animal hoarder's house

TERRI SCOTT — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 22:57:28 GMT

I AM MORE PERSONALLY FOND OF THE ANIMALS THAT ADOPT ME. THE STRAYS THAT COME AROUND AND THEN STAY OF THEIR OWN FREE WILL. I DO NOT LOCK UP THE STRAYS, I FEED THEM, BATHE THEM, PUT AN AD IN THE PAPER, SOON THEY WILL EITHER STRAY FROM MY YARD AS WELL, THEIR LONELY PARENT WILL RETRIEVE THEM, OR THEY WILL STAY AND BE MY NEW BEST FREIND.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Trish Shea, Worcester, Massachusetts — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 01:43:05 GMT

I know this lady's heart for cats all too well.She is not crazy.They are God's creatures with feelings like us and and its people like her that saved them and the fact that she welcomed the help from the ASPCA says alot.My two cats that I have , were thrown out by my neighbors .I have the mom cat of my runt cat Bella.Bella's mum was thrown out of her home because they thought she was flea infested and pregnant.I took her from the woods outside my home.She has been with me for two months and is the best lap cat.Now Hope,the mum cat is reunited with her baby girl Bella age 2 and they get along.Laws should be more enforced for animals that if someone is to have a pet,they get cori checked first.I bathed hope in a flea and tick treatment,no fleas since she been at my home and she is not pregnant,thank goodness.She will be spayed in May.But I said to my neighbor,the little girl age 12 that owned her- Hope was renamed,her old name was Speedy and I said "As you throw your cat away,I want you to think of this,how would you feel if your mum says I'm having a baby bcause your to old and I don't want you no more,how would you feel?" She says 'Jealous,and mad" and I said well that is how your cat feels and why she acted out because you kept her kitten,but not her.Animals have feelings too,just like humans.Age should not be a factor.Its the personality of the animals. All animals need love,thats why animals show aggression to human and because they don't have the same pretense of speaking out for help as we human do.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

anoni — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 01:50:14 GMT

I agree with Marion. We need as a nation and the government needs to try and get more animals homes and adopted. In a world where pets ar frowned upon, or too much trouble, people who look after these abandoned animals are angels. There are too many that di every year in shelters, on the streets from starvation or injury. People may think that these folks who look aftr the animals, th ons that really car and not neeglct the animals are batty but in actuality they're doing God's work.
" A righteous Man Looks After the Animals"!

Inside an animal hoarder's house

alice cauley,beaumont texas — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 02:21:11 GMT

i have taken in many dogs and cats over my adult years.it is so hard to find homes for these animals even after getting their shots and having them spayed or neutered.after exhausting all possible efforts to find a home for them there has to be a limit,the most humane thing is to have them put down.one person can only care for so many,and do the most good to our limits.

Inside an animal hoarder's house

Juanita Carter, Seatle, — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 04:10:34 GMT

Spay and neutered should be an oligation and Animal Hospital should be more reasonable with the fees! There are many good people than want a pet, but can't afford the hight prices!