Couple Charged After 697 Cats Seized

I got my current cat from a low-budget no-kill shelter. He was in a cage at least a dozen other kittens. Maybe more. That's what happens when some one takes in every animal that needs a place. My cat was really sick, and he had ring worm and ear mites. I got him to a vet and nursed him back to health. He's king of the castle now. Maybe how wouldn't have made it at a kill shelter. I don't know.
 
It was a nonprofit in a commerical space. Just not enough space. Animals arrived daily and they did not turn them away or kill them. It's an overwhelming need. There were people there to adopt some of the animals but more keep coming in. It's not bad enough for the authorities to intervene. The animals were getting vet care. Some crazy people like me make it a mission to take some of these animals. I always wish that I could save more but we're at our limit now.
 
as far as I know, hoarding tends to be a psychological symptom of something else. Sometimes, people are relieved to be able to let some of what they have hoarded "go" but often they really literally cannot see any problem - "oh but you cat is running around with a broken leg or you have 20 cats in your closet or you have dead cats in the corner here ..." but the person replies, "but they're all fine, I just fed them, they're all fine. But I love them!" and etc.
 
Wirelessly posted (droid)

Yes, denial is a psychological defense that protects people from knowing/acknowledging what they cannot deal with. For whatever reason, the person has a deep need to believe things are different than reality. Sometimes, I think that people are so damaged that it's extremely difficult to break through their defenses and get through to them. Maybe impossible in some cases. That is a job for a mental health professional.
Even if you get a hoarder's home clean, it's a short term solution.
 
Yeah, I know.. sigh.. I will try to talk to my niece, to give up some of her cats, if it fails and then, I will have a talk with my niece's youngest sister, to see what she has to say. So, stay tuned.

Call the police and ask them if anything can be done about it. A lot of cities have by-laws keeping the pet population to a minimum. For instance, 3 dogs per house, 2 cats per house, no exotic pets, you get the idea.
 
Call the police and ask them if anything can be done about it. A lot of cities have by-laws keeping the pet population to a minimum. For instance, 3 dogs per house, 2 cats per house, no exotic pets, you get the idea.

Banjo, I don't feel comfortable about calling the police on my niece and her family's situation but I had a long talk with her (via Skype) and of course, I was so concern about her, etc. She said she understands that I said what I did out of love and concern, but there are several things that I am incorrect about. She said her 21 cats get upset and act badly when they left alone, they always vomit and poop. (Hello? I work all day or going out for the day, Maxwell, my cat is doing fine, he doesn't vomit or poop in my house.Huh?) My niece said her cats see veterinarians for check ups and vaccinations. It is the vet's job to tell her when they are sick. (Really? Some of her cats are really sick. It is hard for me to describe about them but I mean they look awful.) She said she and her spouse have found many cats loving homes over the years. They do not take any more cats. But most of the ones they will have to stay with her and her spouse because people rarely adopt cats that are not kittens. Even cats that are 3 years old are very difficult to find homes for. My niece and her spouse have had five or six veterinarians visit their homes in Salt Lake City, Georgia and Kentucky. They all said what a great job my niece and her spouse did taking care of so many cats. They said it was clean and sanitary and the cats seemed happy and loved. Her spouse spends a lot of time grooming and petting the cats. Of course, they don't like it when my niece and her spouse are there and they don't get attention. Also, the professional pet sitters who have taken care of the cats before said the cats were well cared for. They said they they saw many homes with just one or two animals that were not taken care of as well as their cats. The children are not near any unsanitary conditions because some of the cats because my niece used carpet cleaner to clean the poop stains that some of the cats made. My niece also said it is her business how to deal with her landlord. She has a plan in place for everything. She did not want to rent a house but she did not have any choice. All the cats she and her spouses rescued would be dead if they didn't take them and no one wants them because they are not kittens. So, they are going to take care of the cats. It is not illegal if it is sanitary and they receive vet care and clean food and water every day. (Yeah, right, they keeps 6 cats in the house and 15 cats in the basement. That's illegal.)
Now, the question is : Are my niece and her spouse hoarders? My sister's husband said yes, they are. Is he right? Also, what's your thoughts about my niece's statements?
 
Banjo, I don't feel comfortable about calling the police on my niece and her family's situation but I had a long talk with her (via Skype) and of course, I was so concern about her, etc. She said she understands that I said what I did out of love and concern, but there are several things that I am incorrect about. She said her 21 cats get upset and act badly when they left alone, they always vomit and poop. (Hello? I work all day or going out for the day, Maxwell, my cat is doing fine, he doesn't vomit or poop in my house.Huh?) My niece said her cats see veterinarians for check ups and vaccinations. It is the vet's job to tell her when they are sick. (Really? Some of her cats are really sick. It is hard for me to describe about them but I mean they look awful.) She said she and her spouse have found many cats loving homes over the years. They do not take any more cats. But most of the ones they will have to stay with her and her spouse because people rarely adopt cats that are not kittens. Even cats that are 3 years old are very difficult to find homes for. My niece and her spouse have had five or six veterinarians visit their homes in Salt Lake City, Georgia and Kentucky. They all said what a great job my niece and her spouse did taking care of so many cats. They said it was clean and sanitary and the cats seemed happy and loved. Her spouse spends a lot of time grooming and petting the cats. Of course, they don't like it when my niece and her spouse are there and they don't get attention. Also, the professional pet sitters who have taken care of the cats before said the cats were well cared for. They said they they saw many homes with just one or two animals that were not taken care of as well as their cats. The children are not near any unsanitary conditions because some of the cats because my niece used carpet cleaner to clean the poop stains that some of the cats made. My niece also said it is her business how to deal with her landlord. She has a plan in place for everything. She did not want to rent a house but she did not have any choice. All the cats she and her spouses rescued would be dead if they didn't take them and no one wants them because they are not kittens. So, they are going to take care of the cats. It is not illegal if it is sanitary and they receive vet care and clean food and water every day. (Yeah, right, they keeps 6 cats in the house and 15 cats in the basement. That's illegal.)
Now, the question is : Are my niece and her spouse hoarders? My sister's husband said yes, they are. Is he right? Also, what's your thoughts about my niece's statements?

Sounds like a classic case of hoarding to me.
 
Sounds like a classic case of hoarding to me.

I thought so, but she said she and her spouse are not take any more cats but they adopted a puppy last spring, even though, they already have other 3 dogs and plus 21 cats and 2 rabbits. (Their dogs were at the kennel at the time.) Geez.. I don't see why not she should call the Animal control officer to pick up the strays in the first place.
One of their cats has a (Feline Herpesvirus - FHV-1) virus because of his cough, etc. Every object her cat can come in contact with such as the litter tray, bowls, and even, with cats but my niece said a virus just has to run its course. :hmm:
 
She's hoarding the animals....The Landlord is gonna take her to court whenever he finds all those animals in his house....and sue her "big time"....the urine is practically impossible to get out of carpets, it even damages the wood floors....The Cats are sick...you're worried about ur neice and nephew....She's also making excuses for having that amount of animals in the house....Bottom line is: call the authorities and hopefully they will steer ur relatives to get therapy for this hoarding. Those cats deserve a better life than this.
 
She's hoarding the animals....The Landlord is gonna take her to court whenever he finds all those animals in his house....and sue her "big time"....the urine is practically impossible to get out of carpets, it even damages the wood floors....The Cats are sick...you're worried about ur neice and nephew....She's also making excuses for having that amount of animals in the house....Bottom line is: call the authorities and hopefully they will steer ur relatives to get therapy for this hoarding. Those cats deserve a better life than this.

Rockin'robin, yes, I know..Sigh.. I prefer not to call the authorities, if I did and then, it can destroy us. So, I don't want to do that to my niece and her spouse and to our family.
Correction: My niece and her spouse both are lesbians, not niece and nephew. (They are legally married.)
 
Classic hoarders, and oh, that poor puppy. And she's going to find out what it means for that virus from the one cat "to run its course" - every single cat is going to get very sick.

She is mentally ill, unfortunately. Please call Animal Control. They know how to deal with situations like that.
 
Classic hoarders, and oh, that poor puppy. And she's going to find out what it means for that virus from the one cat "to run its course" - every single cat is going to get very sick.

She is mentally ill, unfortunately. Please call Animal Control. They know how to deal with situations like that.

Yep. :(
 
Rockin'robin, yes, I know..Sigh.. I prefer not to call the authorities, if I did and then, it can destroy us. So, I don't want to do that to my niece and her spouse and to our family.
Correction: My niece and her spouse both are lesbians, not niece and nephew. (They are legally married.)

That's ur choice?...Ur cat looks so healthy and my doggie is healthy too...we both love animals, right? If it were somebody else, you would call the authorities?...So, you're just gonna sit back and let those cats get sicker and sicker. More than likely, ur neice & her lover are gonna get sick also, but in fact, they already are....I'm sorry you can't report this....I sure would, no matter if it were my sister because I would know she needs help and those animals need to get out of that house....Good Luck!
 
That's ur choice?...Ur cat looks so healthy and my doggie is healthy too...we both love animals, right? If it were somebody else, you would call the authorities?...So, you're just gonna sit back and let those cats get sicker and sicker. More than likely, ur neice & her lover are gonna get sick also, but in fact, they already are....I'm sorry you can't report this....I sure would, no matter if it were my sister because I would know she needs help and those animals need to get out of that house....Good Luck!

1.) Yes, it's my choice because they are my family. So, please respect me. Sigh.. I am sorry.. (I already spoke it with my therapist and she said I did the right thing not to report it to the authorities, but the landlord will.)
2.) Yes, we are.
I was hoping that their landlord catches my niece and her spouse someday when the cats/dogs make a lot of noises. Like the cats are fighting each other and the dogs are barking at night, for example.
I already have met their next-door landlord a few times when I took care of their 21 cats and 2 rabbits. He often stopped by to say hello! He seemed nice. I am sure he stops by there often, to check on them. So, again, he will catches them someday.

Yes, my niece and her spouse both are mentally ill. They need a professional help. Sigh....
 
ok - based on what I read... yes it is clearly a "hoarding" behavior but I don't think they are mentally ill. They're just "caught" in the loop where they need to snap out of it.

Judging from Sosie's posts about them... looks like they took in animals out of caring love. They truly do care about animals and it looks like they're well-cared for. They just cannot fathom the thought of animals being subjected to cruelty and euthanasia at shelter. IMO - this is usually the easiest case to resolve. A much more difficult case is the one who hoarded animals because of their unresolved childhood issues or they substituted their deceased loved ones with animals. Very difficult.

I believe this situation can be resolved with relative ease because their hoarding behavior is not as extensive as other horrendous cases where animals have died and their homes in a dilapidated condition. They just need to snap out of it. What I can suggest is to contact an animal rescue expert or a counselor who have experience with animal hoarding and have him/her to come over to have a talk with them and show them that there are caring people out there who would take care of them.
 
I agree, but my niece and her spouse both are mentally ill, according to my therapist because they keep taking in more cats. I don't understand why their 5 or 6 veterinarians are allowed to let them have so many animals in the house. Actually, it's their fault.

I better sign off because my computer is acting up. I have to fix it now, and I will be right back.
 
I agree, but my niece and her spouse both are mentally ill, according to my therapist because they keep taking in more cats. I don't understand why their 5 or 6 veterinarians are allowed to let them have so many animals in the house. Actually, it's their fault.

I better sign off because my computer is acting up. I have to fix it now, and I will be right back.

have your therapist talked to them?
 
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