Posted on 03/13/2010 2:27:28 PM PST by Chet 99
52 cats and one dog were removed from the home of a 76 year old Elkhart woman Tuesday by Elkhart Police Department's animal control officer and Humane Society workers.
Elkhart Humane Society Assistant Director Rachel Dennis says the cats and dog are all in poor health, suffering from respiratory problems, matted eyes and infested with insects.
Adult Protective Services was called to assist the 76 year old woman who was living in the feces covered trailer. The woman is now living with a family member.
Elkhart Police say a maintenance worker at Four Season Trailer Park flagged down an animal control officer of the Elkhart Police department Tuesday morning. Police say that worker told the officer of a cat problem.
When officers went into the home, police say they found conditions described as horrendous and unsafe for anyone to live in.
As many as 10 to 15 cats may still be hiding in the trailer.
The Humane Society says it is taking care of the animals at its shelter, but needs towels and cat food to help the process.
where were the woman’s family/relatives?
I know older adults can be firecly independent, but where were family members..No visits?
Who wants to play “52 Feline Pickup”?
That is absolutely disgusting, how can people live like that?
The funny part is that there is an Arm and Hammer bottle in the 3rd picture! I wonder when she finally put that down and figured, what is the point? 10 years ago?
HA HA HA
I feel really feel bad if someone else owned this thing. I have heard some wretched stories of people having to clean up some despicable houses. I would just demolish this thing. Then again, illegal immigrants are good for something... LOL
The woman is now living with a family member.??????????????
My first thought!
Perhaps they should check that residence. All in the family?
IMHO pet collections are a substitute for lack of human contact.
I love how she has the Arm & Hammer cleaning spray next to the litter box. Too little.....way too late.
Finally living with a family member. It’s about time. Or at least keep an eye on her.
...in a related story, 52 cats decided to let a 76 yr old woman move in with them provided she had enough social security money to buy them food and an occasional newspaper to play with.....
Sorry to interrupt your smug church-lady superiority but please try to have a shred of compassion and note the woman's age.
This is typical of the early to mid stages of senior dementia, perhaps Alzheimer's, an actual physical disease of the brain and nervous system.
Those-who-claim-moral-superiority kitty ping
Wait that reads terrible, I didn’t mean you. Others on the thread (sorry).
Its kind of sad really. This woman loves animals. She either couldn’t afford to have her first cats fixed or never thought of it, and they multiplied and she just didn’t have the heart to part with them and she got overwhelmed. I feel really sorry for her. I have 3 cats right now, 2 more than I wanted. But these tiny helpless kittens show up wet and cold and crying and I can’t just turn my back on them. I took in 3 tiny kittens last year and I managed to give away one but now the other 2 are grown. I just took them yesterday and had them fixed. I don’t know what I am going to do when kitten season rolls around again and the usual lost kittens show up. We don’t have an animal shelter.
A parasite endemic in cats, a protozoan called Toxoplasma gondii, is readily transmitted to humans and sometimes causes schizophrenia and other mental and behavioral problems. In effect, a parasite carried by cats may have made the woman crazy enough to keep dozens of cats and let her home fall into squalor.
With that many cats, she wouldn’t have to have had anything wrong with her for her house to fall into squalor. That many cats can make an awful mess. Its an effort keeping up with 3 cats. I can’t imagine 52.
Notably, the parasite also infects rats and causes them to become reckless, which in turn makes them easier for cats to catch.
Trying to have her declared incompetent so that they could do something for her if she was unwilling and/or incapable?
People of sound mind, legally at least, have a right to go to Heck in a handbasket of their own making.
Once again, I jump to being judgemental...yeesh.
Its a possibility. But I have seen these situations before. It usually starts with just one or two and they reproduce and on it goes. Cats can reproduce at an alarming rate. It probably took no more than 3 years to get this many cats, plus she probably took in every stray that came along.
Classic hoarder profile. Single woman over 50, no family around. Probably several dead kitties lying around and in the freezer too.
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