450 cats cleared from home

pioneer press ^ | 11-06-04 | kevin harter

[Rakkasan1]

ST. CROIX FALLS, Wis. — Shielded by hazardous materials suits against the toxic combination of feces, ammonia from urine and decaying flesh, crews removed about 450 cats Friday from a home along the St. Croix River.

A gut-wrenching stench, something akin to raw sewage combined with rotting meat

[Rakkasan1]

enjoy your breakfast... what's wrong with people like this??!!

[Americanwolf]

Was this what happened after the last Viking Kitty Kegger at the old troll house?

[MisterRepublican]

A gut-wrenching stench, something akin to raw sewage combined with rotting meat...

Michael Moore was nearby?

[Kiss Me Hardy]

Well, Wisc. is a Blue state....

[asgardshill]

what's wrong with people like this?

Its called "animal hoarding" or "animal collecting". It is believed to be a psychological condition or mental illness. There are some very bent arrows living among us, unfortunately.

[IStillBelieve]

From your link, this is the future for most liberal women.

The Cat Lady

Collectors are known to collect all species of animals, although the infamous stereotype is the "Cat Lady." Cat ladies are typically middle-aged to elderly, single or widowed women who spend all of their time and money feeding hoards of cats inside and outside their homes while they themselves live in filth, poverty, and squalor. They are known for their eccentricities and tend to shy away from human contact as they scour the neighborhood in search of animals in need of their help.

One such case involved a 60-year-old woman who "rescued" some 589 cats and kept the cats in a house filled with their own waste, covered with fleas and suffering from ear mites as well as a number of other health conditions. This woman vehemently denied that she was a "collector": "I live in a nice house. I don't live in squalor" and "I'm not a crazy old lady." Of course, she failed to mention that she keeps her cats at a different residence than the one that she herself inhabits!

[csvset]

Good grief, I thought I was going to puke just reading about it. I can see why the guys were wearing Haz-Mat suits.

[rightazrain]

When delivering meals on wheels to a home in Chesapeake VA, we'd stand on the stoop once a week, hold our breath, and hand the meals to an elderly couple. Finally the neighbors' complaints were heard, the hundreds of cats were cleared out, and the fire department inherited a house to practice on. Like, totally condemned, dude.

The elderly couple were placed in a nice retirement home, where they belonged.

[Rakkasan1]

scoop up the house and drop it on Fallujah.
Airborne Kitty !

[Gimme]

I thought 5 or 6 cats was a lot. Wow!!

Did they let her keep even one cat or was she carted off?

[DJ MacWoW]

We watch Animal Cops on the Animal Planet channel and recently they had one where the woman in Detroit had died and they were called by the police. The house was horrific and there were dead cats everywhere. There was a dead kittens carcas on the bed the woman slept in. It was unbelieveable. The ASPCA team had to wear gas masks to go in the house and bugs were crawling and flying all over. I love animals and have rescued whole cat families with no help from rescue agencies but I would NEVER let it get that bad.

[alley cat]

I love animals and have rescued whole cat families with no help from rescue agencies but I would NEVER let it get that bad.

Sure, that's what you say NOW... :-)

[Tealc]

Were they zotted? :)

[unbalanced but fair]

I worked with the elderly for years and saw similar situations; but nothing this bad. Most of these people thought they were helping the animals. They thought simply feeding them was better then the life of a stray. They didn't have the money for vets and most of the animals had to be destroyed due to disease. Also, many older people are not aware of the no-kill policy of some shelters. They are usually thankful for any help.
These people are often alone and need the community to reach out to them before things get out of hand. Home delivered meals, the housekeeping programs, and home visits are a good start. But neighbors can help by notifying the local assistance programs and churches, or by simply stopping to check in.
Finally, the simple fact is there wouldn't be all these strays if people would get their pets neutered.

[BunnySlippers]

I met one at the grocery store some years ago. She woman ahead of me in line was buying plants, only plants. But they all were drooping, yellow and almost dead. I told her that I had seen other plants of the same variety as hers in the produce department that were specimens of health.

She told me that "no", she had to buy the dead, wilting plants because if she didn't buy them no one would.

[DJ MacWoW]

Sure, that's what you say NOW... :-)

LOL!!! Hubby would kill me if it even LOOKED like things would head in that direction. We found homes for all of them but 2. So we now have 4 cats and everyone of them were rescues including Mandy who is now 21.

[Rakkasan1]

I don't know how they can stand the smell. these people should be contestants on "Fear Factor"

[Rakkasan1]

apparently these old folks didn't watch the Price is Right.

[Ditter]

I too am a life long animal rescurer but the most I have ever had at one time was 5 dogs and 7 cats. I have 3 dogs and no cats now and that is the way I am going to keep it. Wellllllll....... maybe ONE more dog. LOL!

[It's me]

Finally, the simple fact is there wouldn't be all these strays if people would get their pets neutered.

Yeah, and there won't be any pets for our children and grandchildren either!
I like muts. Purebreads have way too many problems.