[Blessings2You]

There is a little ranch house a few miles down the road with two front windows, and we go by several times a month. For years and years we've watched the windows and taken note of kitties peeking out when we drive by. Especially my husband kept track, calling out "One kitty!" or "Two kitties!" as the case might be. Just a pleasant little diversion.

A couple of years ago, the woman who lived there was found to have 55 cats, several blind and/or starving, and at least two or three already dead among the filth. She was/is not mentally competent, but nevertheless.

Now I can't bear to look at the house when we go by. It makes me cry when I think how happy we were to see their little faces, having no idea they were suffering. I just can't imagine how family members can be unaware...or if aware, how they can ignore such a situation.

[Kitty]

Oh, that's so sad. I hope the animals were rescued and the ones that could be saved given a chance to find a good, loving home.

I have three indoor cats and sometimes that gets overwhelming to me. I cannot imagine 55!

[Blessings2You]

Yes, the ones that could be saved were given homes.

[Jules A]

Hoarders are so disturbing because they can harm so many more animals than just a single scum bag who neglects or abuses their pet.

You are correct in that it is an illness and I also wonder why family or at the very least neighbors don't get involved and speak out for the helpless animals who can't speak for themselves.

My mother worked on a huge horse seizure several months ago and those animals could be seen from the road looking like bags of bones. Even someone with no horse savvy could tell they were emaciated! Why didn't someone make a phone call or ten if needed before it got that bad?

[Blessings2You]

I talked with this woman's daughter after the raid, and she was understandably shaken and sobbing. She had stopped going to visit her mother a "few" months before, because her mother had six or eight cats and the place always stunk.

She blames herself for not knowing, but she swears she had no idea it was that bad, and I believe her. The daughter probably doesn't have the wherewithal to recognize a growing hoarding problem. This could be an atypical incident, but I just keep thinking somebody had to know. Of course, we didn't.

[Jules A]

Originally Posted by Blessings2You

I talked with this woman's daughter after the raid, and she was understandably shaken and sobbing. She had stopped going to visit her mother a "few" months before, because her mother had six or eight cats and the place always stunk.

She blames herself for not knowing, but she swears she had no idea it was that bad, and I believe her. The daughter probably doesn't have the wherewithal to recognize a growing hoarding problem. This could be an atypical incident, but I just keep thinking somebody had to know. Of course, we didn't.

They go blind from a nutritional deficit which doesn't happen quickly. When cats live in those conditions that they often become wild and hide from humans which might have been the case but I just can't imagine her daughter not realizing there were so many cats in the house.

The chances of someone going from 8 cats to 55 that are in poor health in the matter of a few months is highly unlikely, imvho.

[holdingontohope]

That is very sad. I guess when I was 2 or 3 years old my parents said we had a neighbor that hoarded cats that were very poorly taken care of. They reported the lady several times but nothing was done. My mom said one of the cats even had its organs hanging out of its body and they were scared about us playing outside that we might have contact with her cats especially this particular one.

In my opinion hoarding especially animal hoarding is a type of mental illness. Healthy, sane, stable people don't do that. Even with my mental problems I wouldn't hoard animals. I am tempted to take in animals that need adopted but I know I can't care for more then the one I have so I don't.

[Blessings2You]

I agree, Jules, and think the daughter was much in denial, and clueless about how to handle the situation. A very sad family. And it's very possible that the daughter was afraid to intervene. The cat hoarder eventually threatened the woman from the shelter who spearheaded the raid.

I can't help thinking about those kitties in the window, and then wondering about the children that I see...what goes on behind THEIR windows?? Arg, no wonder I have nightmares. But I can't stop thinking about those things.

[kicker]

As an ex special ed teacher and knowing what happens in regular ed, a lot goes on. Special ed kids sometimes come from special ed kids grown up and now parents and in reg. ed cases where things seemed fine but stuff was happening unseen. I've called child services with my principal and vice principal firmly behind me and the law saying as a teacher who suspects, I must. That made it easier, I was required by law and had support. But alone in a store, seeing things I didn't think should happen, I wasn't so brave. Out of control big parents were scary (I'm 5"1') and I had very little back-up. I knew what I saw but not any stories. By law, I had to call for a child in foster care and did, but knowing the story knew no good would come of my call and none did. But seeing another child and parent in crisis, intervention did help. Did what I could. That was the best I could do.

[ewizabeth]

We got Rocky from the local animal shelter and he had belonged to a "hoarder". He shows permanant signs of damage sort of like PTSD. He has issues, but we love him dearly. I feel fortunate to know how he began his life. It was difficult the first year because he had constant bad diarrhea from eating objects. I'm guessing he learned that habit from starvation as a kitten.

He is much better now but still has compulsions to chew on odd things so we have to watch him like a baby and "baby-proof" the house.

At least these things are now in the news so we are more aware of the potential situations.