Wow, that puts this character in context.
LOL
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.