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It definitely hurts that I can't take any more animals in right now...I have 3 cats & 4 dogs, which is all I can handle space-wise, money-wise, and in the aspect of being able to give each animal plenty of individual, as well as group, attention. I wouldn't compromise their diet, quality time with me, space, or security as far as knowing I can vet them all with no worries...I made a vow to do my best by them when I took them in, and I will stand by that promise even if it breaks my heart sometimes .
I know a guy, (a friend of my previous tenant), whose mother had LOTS of cats. When she passed away, she left the dilapidated house and over 20 cats to him. I never saw the house myself, but my ex-tenant said there was a vicious stench in the whole general area, and feces all over the place. Apparently, the guy was in his socks one time on the front porch, and stepped on a piece of poo, and just wiped his foot on the porch stairs and put his shoes on like no big deal ...he was so used to the stench and the filth he was de-sensitized to it, but I can tell you that the few times I saw him in person have been very unpleasant due to the strong and putrid smell he is immersed in, it sticks to him and permeates a space very quickly. I could literally smell him from outside my ex-tenant's place . Last I heard, some friends he works with helped him find homes for most of the cats and cleaned the house, which is great...I think he was most likely VERY overwhelmed by his sudden role as caretaker to that many cats, also probably depressed or traumatized by his mother's death, and this combination of emotions just kind of immobilized him until people in his life intervened and helped him out. But what if they hadn't? How far this could have gone is a scary thought.
I'm thinking there are probably others out there who get burdened with a family member's extreme amount of animals and that maybe this is how it starts with a good percentage of hoarding situations, the person or people are so overwhelmed they just shut down and the situation spirals out of control. The amount and frequency of cleaning for more than 20 creatures is insane...with 7, I spend at least an hour cleaning each morning and evening, with a 3 - 4 hour deep clean session weekly...and I have a pretty small house! I imagine if I tripled that number of pets, I'd also have to at least double the cleaning time...that's a 40 hour work week ! 20 hours I can handle, some good music and a pot of coffee and I'm good to go...but that's where I draw the line unless I'm doing fun stuff like rearranging furniture or going through closets!
One thing's for sure...if anyone I'm remotely close to goes through something like this and winds up with a bunch of animals, I will do everything short of moving mountains to help find them homes...if they need help with cleaning, I'll do that, too. I think just knowing there is someone on their side to support and help them would be a good first step in the healing process...and that's what this really boils down to...these people need help, they need to heal whatever it is that makes them shut down the logical side of their consciousness like that. Some people might refuse help, as an earlier poster pointed out in their experience...but I do think many would accept it, so it's always worth it to try.
Just this past December, a woman in my area was discovered hoarding 240 cats. The Pasadena Humane Society is now caring for them. The woman would take in cats to save them from being euthanized.
Trying to rehome can get overwhelming as well, though. It's not like there's a big demand for cats (except maybe for a specific breed) anywhere. Sometimes people take in too many of these rehoming cases and get overwhelmed. Of course, not everybody who has too many cats has the mental issues related to hoarding. Some simply are overwhelmed.
But where is the line drawn? At 10, 15, 25 cats? Where does it cross the line into hoarding or a mental/emotional illness?
Just this past December, a woman in my area was discovered hoarding 240 cats. The Pasadena Humane Society is now caring for them. The woman would take in cats to save them from being euthanized.
It doesn't say where she took them in from. The streets? Shelter's death row? Disgusting.
My Mother is a hoarder, of stuff, and cats. She just loves cats, and can't bear to think of one homeless. She takes care of her cats, most are feral. However, she needed money and help, but I told her I won't live in a house with more than 10 cats. (And I think that is excessive, but I was willing to let her have 10). However, she said I was mean. So, she lives alone, in a mess, with too many pets. She needs help. But refuses to make responsible choices, or changes. At some point she will hit rock bottom, and choices will be forced on her. Until that happens, she can visit me, but I won't give her money, I won't "support" her habit/addiction. She will always have a home, but if she ends up moving to my home, two cats is the limit. Why is she like this? I think it is related to OCD and stress, and having the ability to control something, and help animals. I like animals, but not more than 2.
Maybe you could record this particular episode of animal hoarding, invite your mother over, and watch it together. See if she is able to recognize a problem. I hope you are able to help her help herself before it goes so far as to endanger her health and quality of life.
Maybe you could record this particular episode of animal hoarding, invite your mother over, and watch it together. See if she is able to recognize a problem. I hope you are able to help her help herself before it goes so far as to endanger her health and quality of life.
Taping the show and watching it might help, but if you plan to actually stage an intervention and it's a really bad situation, I would suggest getting a psychologist/psychiatrist involved, especially one that specializes in hoarding (if there are any around your area). It would be expensive (psychiatric help often is) but I wouldn't try to do it myself. If it goes wrong it could cause a lot of damage, too. Getting a professional is expensive, but you need to do it right. Just my opinion, of course, but the mind is a fragile thing. You need all the help you can get.
Of course, he could contact one of those shows, but some people don't like having their homes on TV like that. Still, I wouldn't stage an intervention alone if the situation is that bad. It's difficult to get through to someone without them shutting everyone else out. It's probably much harder without professional help.
Taping the show and watching it might help, but if you plan to actually stage an intervention and it's a really bad situation, I would suggest getting a psychologist/psychiatrist involved, especially one that specializes in hoarding (if there are any around your area). It would be expensive (psychiatric help often is) but I wouldn't try to do it myself. If it goes wrong it could cause a lot of damage, too. Getting a professional is expensive, but you need to do it right. Just my opinion, of course, but the mind is a fragile thing. You need all the help you can get.
Of course, he could contact one of those shows, but some people don't like having their homes on TV like that. Still, I wouldn't stage an intervention alone if the situation is that bad. It's difficult to get through to someone without them shutting everyone else out. It's probably much harder without professional help.
I wasn't suggesting staging an intervention, just watching her mother's reaction to a situation and seeing if she is able to recognizes someting as abnormal and detrimental when it is someone else doing it. That might give the poster an idea of how much help is needed and how out of touch her mother's perceptions are.
Yes, of course, medical help can be expensive but necessary. Not doing anything and allowing the situtation to worsen, if it does, is paramount to watching a person commit a slow suicide. Eventually that person becomes a danger to herself through the conditions she creates, which means she needs a leagl guardian.
She knows she has a problem. I am a mental health professional, but she is so defensive about her house, and pets, to the point of that if I push the issue, she will cut off all contact with me. It is better to provide limited support, I pay for her cell phone, medicine, doctor appointments--after I see the bills. She is still stable, young, and healthy. This is part of who she is, you can't pick your parents. At this point I could call animal control on her...or Adult Protective Services...and that would force the situation. I have done it on patients, for their own good. I just can't bring myself to do it to my own Mother. Not yet. It may come to that point, when she is older.
I watched the animal hoarding show, where they made a woman go from 250 cats to 85! But she made progress. My Mom is also making progress, incremental, she now only rescues Ragdoll cats, that is self limiting. She also works on finding homes for the cats, and I have worked with her on her former "qualifications". Now anyone can have a cat, as long as she can call them and maintain contact. So, it is progress...from what it was...believe me!!!
I've seen the particular episode the OP is talking about. Did you keep watching it? I was shocked that in the end because none of the cats had major health problems, they would spay/neuter and vaccinate the cats she had and let her keep them! And they basically told her no more than what she has. I do think this episode was a special case though; these people actually converted their house into a cattery. They had a room that was only litter boxes and a room that was only food, they even built cat-sized holes in the walls so the cats could climb through.
Normally I can't watch this show because I feel so bad for everyone involved. It's even worse when the people have kids who are forced to live that way. It's very sad.
I watched that episode too and was surprised that the vet spayed/neutered all the cats for free. They took the kittens to be adopted out and let them keep 67 cats. I have 5 cats and sometimes that feels like too many, especially when they're all underfoot waiting to be fed.
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Originally Posted by =^..^=
But where is the line drawn? At 10, 15, 25 cats? Where does it cross the line into hoarding or a mental/emotional illness?
One has to draw the line as to what one can afford. While some can have 2 dogs, 2 cats and feel that's enough, others may have 6 dogs, 6 cats w/ no problem. I think the line is drawn when the pets aren't being cared for properly, like being kept up to date w/ vaccinations and having proper vet care when needed. When one can't afford the vet along w/ quality food, heartworm and flea preventative, they have too many pets. When the house becomes too much to keep up and litter boxes overflow, the smell of urine is strong, the pets aren't groomed, imo the person has crossed the line.
if the animals needs, both emotional and physical are not being met, then you have too many.
if you cant afford to feed youself because your spending so much on dog/cat/bird food...you have too many.
and if youve got so many pets that they are literally destroying your home and the conditions are completly unsanitary because you dont have the time to clean that many cages/litterboxes/let all the dogs out for potty breaks...then you have too many.
an accident is one thing...but when your living in piles of poop because your in over your head...thats just...thats the part for me that i dont understand not seeing...even if your accustomed to the smell, you can still see it.
for some even 1 dog or cat might be too much, for another 8 dogs could be their limit...
its all about comfort level, money and time available ect.
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...he was so used to the stench and the filth he was de-sensitized to it, but I can tell you that the few times I saw him in person have been very unpleasant due to the strong and putrid smell he is immersed in, it sticks to him and permeates a space very quickly. I could literally smell him from outside my ex-tenant's place 
