IBK,

It's not just lonely, older females that are hoarders. There was an elderly gentlement in CT who hoarded cats (over 48!!) and it cost the town over $18,000 to clean the building up and make it habitable. He was forbidden to own anymore pets and had to reimburse the town for the expense of the clean-up.

Hoarding is an illness. People THINK they're doing good by taking in strays but then they fail or can't afford to get them the medical attention, food and litter they require. It's sad.

Also, there was an elderly gentlemen in Michigan recently who had over 249 cats in his home. It was shown on Animal Cops. The house was FILLED with feral cats. They had no human contact, affection, were sick, emaciated and diseased. Unfortunately all of them had to be euthanized. The man was not charged with any kind of animal cruelty, but was forced to undergo psychiatric evaluation and never again own any pets.

*sigh*