Confessions of a Crazy Cat Lady
Scientists Try to Sort Behavior of Hoarding Pets
By Ray Stern, Tribune
Even with a gas mask on, the strong stench of cat feces and urine made breathing difficult for the police officer as he picked his way through 3-foot-high piles of garbage. Nearly 20 cats skittered nervously about the Scottsdale house, which was buzzing with flies and infested with spiders, roaches and maggots, a police report states.
"It was clear the homeowner’s life was overwhelmed," said Scottsdale police Sgt. Mark Brachtl.
The mess, found by police Nov. 5 after neighbors reported a foul smell, was one of two "animal hoarding" cases in the East Valley in a week. On Tuesday, about 80 cats were discovered in a Mesa woman’s apartment. The air had a higher concentration of ammonia than oxygen.
More scientists than ever are studying the phenomenon, but no one knows why some people will live in filth rather than give up cherished animals. While the causes and treatment remain a mystery, the problems surrounding animal hoarding affect many areas of a community: The homeowner, often elderly, who may need counseling, a new place to live, and legal assistance. The animals that are mistreated or sick. The property owner forced to pay for renovation.
Animal hoarders are not necessarily mentally ill, said Gail Steketee, a psychologist at Boston University. "The best bet is to call it a well-intentioned behavior gone awry."
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