Cat Lover, or......

[catlady1945]

While shopping for a birthday card, I noticed a section which catered to animal people. There was a card which said, "there is a very fine line between cat lover.......

and nut case" and on that page showed a cat person with cats all over their body and their room.

What do you think? I don't think I have crossed the line, myself (I did laugh at the card), but do you suspect some people have? Do you know people who definitely have crossed the line?

[Maresche]

My two cents is, you've gone over the line when the quality of life for the cats you have begins to suffer. Then I think you've moved from cat lover to animal hoarder.

[DJFyrewolf36]

Maresche, I agree. I know a lady that lived in the apartment complex I used to, and she had at least 20 cats IN her apartment plus several that were just "outside" cats. They ALWAYS were hungry (a lot of people helped feed the outside cats though) and they were always yowling and getting into fights. You could smell the unclean catboxes as you walked by. Plus, I don't think any of them were spayed/nutered and there were several litters of kittens (I counted at least three seperate litters amongst the outside cats last year, there might have been more) and they were pretty much left to themselves. Animal control got called there more than once but nothing was done :(. They said something about the landlord having to call. I really felt bad for those cats...I wish there was SOMETHING I could have done for them.

[catlover4ever]

I would have to agree, but there are some people who would classify those of us with more than 2 or 3 cats, dogs, etc as horders, however I think you have to look at the welfare of the animals.

Lets say you have 10 cats and they are all healthy, up to date on shots, well taken care of, then I consider that person a LOVER. If on the other hand a person has 10 cats and they have full litter boxes, old dried up stinky food, are behind on their shots/vet visits, and have a look of neglect than I consider that a collector/horder and feel that the animals best interest would be to not be with that person.

[Randi]

Originally posted by catlover4ever
Lets say you have 10 cats and they are all healthy, up to date on shots, well taken care of, then I consider that person a LOVER. If on the other hand a person has 10 cats and they have full litter boxes, old dried up stinky food, are behind on their shots/vet visits, and have a look of neglect than I consider that a collector/horder and feel that the animals best interest would be to not be with that person.
I agree on this. :)

[moosmom]

Recently there was a news story about a man in Wyandotte, Michigan who had 100 cats in his house. The smell could be detected from down the street!! Most of the cats were either dead, close to death or diseased!

THAT is the definition of an animal hoarder.


Lets say you have 10 cats and they are all healthy, up to date on shots, well taken care of, then I consider that person a LOVER. If on the other hand a person has 10 cats and they have full litter boxes, old dried up stinky food, are behind on their shots/vet visits, and have a look of neglect than I consider that a collector/horder and feel that the animals best interest would be to not be with that person.

Catlover4ever - you hit the nail right on the head!!

[dukedogsmom]

That card was done very tongue in cheek and I would have laughed. However, in real life, I don't know of many people(in this county anyway) who would have that many cats and not have them properly cared for. I, personally, wouldn't be able to care and love that many. It would be just too much. But if you didn't work, that would be a different story. However, if you didn't work, how would you pay for their care? Catch 22.

[Kfamr]

I agree with the majority here.

I remember a case on animal cops (or one of those shows) a lady who had an apartment full of cats, all sickly looking and she was sickly looking herself. She fed the cats a diet of mainly rice.. from what I remember. THAT's a nutcase.


Now, someone like Jenn, with all of her kitties. That's a cat lover.

[smokey the elder]

It's not the quantity of cats, it's the quality of life that counts. There is a lady in my rescue group who has over a dozen of her own, plus fosters, and they are in awesome shape.

[catcrazylady]

I don't know why but this caught me off guard. I have ten cats and it had never crossed my mind that I could be considered a hoarder!! I don't know why but it just never occured to me! I know some people think I'm crazy but not a hoarder I hope!
I do work but my cats are all taken good care of and are given lots of love and attention. I make sure to spend time with each one of them every night and in the morning before I leave. I can tell just by looking at their face if something is wrong and we need the vet.
I agree with the others that if they are loved and cared for then they belong to a lover....like me!!

[catlady1945]

I don't think people are nutty just because they have a lot of cats. It is definitely the way they are treated.

By the way, what do you say to people who say, "Oh, you treat that cat better than you treat people"?

[catcrazylady]

Originally posted by catlady1945
I don't think people are nutty just because they have a lot of cats. It is definitely the way they are treated.

By the way, what do you say to people who say, "Oh, you treat that cat better than you treat people"?

My response to that is...Because I like my cats better than most people!
That is a true response that I have given on more than one occasion. They usually don't ask again! :)

[rg_girlca]

Oh CCL you are not a cat hoarder at all but definitely a true caring big time cat lover. After all, look what you have gone through and still are doing for precious Magoo.:D

I agree with most here also, it doesn't matter how many cats a person has, as long as they are all healthy, neutered and up to date on their shots.

If I could financially, believe me when I say, I would definitely have more than 4 cats. Even though 1 is my sons cat, he is MINE.:D

[2kitties]

plenty of people call me a nutcase..... but it has nothing to do with the cats!!! lol

[Kfamr]

Originally posted by 2kitties
plenty of people call me a nutcase..... but it has nothing to do with the cats!!! lol


That's honestly not surprising. :p :p :p

[sirrahbed]

Originally posted by catcrazylady
...Because I like my cats better than most people!


I have said that before also!!! I only have three kitties but I also have people who think I am a nut-case. Maybe I am :confused: I DO prefer my kitties to some people quite a lot of the time:rolleyes:
e.g. I went to conference last weekend and showed another catlover pictures of my kitties. She had some also. However, I had no pictures of my skin-kids.:o Sorry Missy and Devon if you read this! Some of the folks thought I was weird for that:D

[moosmom]

http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?s=&threadid=49864

[DJFyrewolf36]

I agree with you all that the number of cats isnt the issue ALTHOUGH I think over 100 might be a problem...

As long as the kittes are cared for properly and such I don't see why people can't have lots of cats...they ARE preferable to most people lol

[NoahsMommy]

ha ha! That card sounds funny, I would have laughed. :)

I agree with everyone here. I'm a cat lover with 8 and they are all well taken care of and loved to pieces.

We have a client that has 8 cats too...she means well and DOES spend lots of money on vet bills, but I don't think she's all that smart about the caretaking part. I mean, she went to a holistic vet who told her to put a mixture of olive oil and garlic in her cats ears because she had an infection!! The cat's ears turned red and she came back to us for real treatment. When our vet said most of the cat's allergies may be due to a food allergy to most commercial foods, it took her all day to decide to purchase the low allergen food. She means well, and is willing to pay for proper care...but she's also the one who will buy the medicine, but feels MEAN for "forcing it down their throats". I wonder if that's how the hoarding begins?

[Ally Cat's Mommy]

People can own ONE animal and be a bad owner!

The multi-cat households here on PT are the perfect example of how cats should be cared for - they are in a loving home, receive all the love, food, and vet care the require. (Besides if we weren't cat-lovers we wouldn't be here, so I guess we are, for the most part, "preaching to the choir".)

There are unfortunately some well-intentioned people who have crossed the line, and unfortunately it's the cats who suffer! Those type of people need help, but we need to help re-inforce than not all people with an unusually large number of cats are nutcases!!!

[CatMama78]

My response to that is...Because I like my cats better than most people!
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In total agreement..........