In times past any old widow woman who fed the neighborhood strays until she had a house full of cats was generally burned at the stake as a witch. This was even more likely if she happened to have inherited property as the last surviving heir of a man – since this allowed the authorities to confiscate that property and get it back into the hands of a man - where it belonged to their way of thinking.

We did stop burning people at the stake – mostly – a few hundred years ago. But we still tend to socially castigate the “crazy old lady down the street with all those cats”.

There are some legitimate complaints to be made regarding any person (although it is usually a woman) who feeds feral strays. There is a responsible way to do this – and an irresponsible and inconsiderate way to do this.

First, let us agree that the person who feeds the cats does so from a kind and warm heart that cannot bear to think of the cats suffering and starving. This is the person who when that first cat arrives on their porch, crying and begging for food and comfort, cannot turn them away. This is not a character flaw!

In an ideal world, everyone would keep their cats as indoor pets and there would be no starving lost or feral born cats to feed. Sadly, this is not an ideal world. This is a world where, rather than socially ostracize the people who have abandoned their pets, or allowed their pets to breed irresponsibly, we ostracize and attack the people who attempt to care for the resulting problem – stray cats. .

Given that this kind hearted person is going to feed and try to help those cats in any way she can – there are other issues to consider. Does she feed them, but also capture them, placing those who are suitable in good homes (even if that is her own), providing vaccinations and spay or neuter and then if necessary a re-release into the area for those cats who are not adoptable. This is called Trap, Neuter, and Release and is, in fact, a very responsible way of dealing with the stray cat problem. (see Alley Cat Allies for more information on TNR)

Perhaps before you start pointing fingers – you should visit with the person involved and find out exactly what their situation is. You may be surprised, and also get to know a person of true value and compassion.

If a person has a number of cats in their home, that does not automatically mean they are mentally ill hoarders. In the U.S. there are over 90 million pet cats living in 37.7 million households. This should tell you that most cat lovers own more than one cat. If some of them only own one cat, then some of them, obviously, must own more than two or three cats. It is not de facto evidence of mental illness.

The characteristics of the mentally ill hoarder are; a person who is depressed, often who is unemployed, often without family or other social connection, and who is unable or unwilling to take appropriate care of the cats. They take in more pets than they are capable of feeding and caring for properly and are soon overwhelmed. The home is often filthy and many of the animals may be injured, sick or malnourished.

There are perfectly mentally well balanced people who simply love cats and enjoy their company. They have a job or a means of income. Some of them even marry another cat lover, or have family. Their cats, be there one or one hundred, are clean, healthy, and well cared for. Their house is clean and litter boxes are provided for the cats. They usually have a relationship with one or more veterinarians who provide vaccinations and other regular care as needed for their cats.

It is possible to take care of multiple cats in such a way that the house is not reeking and filthy and the cats and people in the home are healthy. There is a certain amount of effort and organization required to do so. But then, there is a certain amount of effort and organization required to keep a house with multiple children clean, too. A person with a chronic mental illness is not going to be able to manage either situation.

I have seen a news story about a couple in New York who had over one hundred cats – all vaccinated, spayed or neutered, clean, and healthy. Their home was built around the care and comfort of their cats. This was simply what they wanted to do with their lives – they could afford it, they were willing to do the work involved in caring for their pets, and they were just as sane as anyone else.

Maybe you do not want to share your home with more than two or three pets. There are people who actually do not like animals at all and do not want any pets in the house or out. (Personally, I find that a bit suspicious!) But that does not mean that someone with multiple pets is by definition “crazy” or in need of medical or other professional intervention.

Please, do not prejudge or jump to the conclusion that any person who has more than a certain number of pets is necessarily “crazy” and should be arrested and confined to a mental hospital, and their animals confiscated by officials. Before you make that assumption and call in the police, or SPCA and make accusations be sure you are aware of all aspects of the situation.

Are the animals healthy? (And here I would like to add that when rescuing ferals a certain amount of illness and injury is almost inevitable with newly rescued cats- so the real question is - if a cat is ill or injured, is the ailment being treated and healing) Is the home clean? Is the person involved a ble and willing to support and care for the pets?

If the answers to those questions are yes, then that person is just a cat lover, not a mentally ill danger to society. This is equally true, of course, if the person involved has multiple dogs, or hamsters, or tropical fish. You might not happen to share their passion for animals, but so long as they are not harming you, themselves, or the animals involved, nor violating any laws, they have the right to enjoy their lives as they see fit.

It is sad but true that because this label of mental illness has been thrown around at anyone with multiple cats, some authorities now tend to jump to conclusions. By the time the “crazy old cat lady” has proven she is not mentally ill, her animals have been put to death by authorities who assumed they were diseased or abused. Often her home has been invaded by the media and her name published for the public to shame. By the time the charges are disproved, or dropped by a judge, the damage is done. And dropped charges, or proof of innocence isn’t a juicy story for the media – so that doesn’t get covered. And, of course, nothing can return animals that have been needlessly put to death.

This is not to say that there are not people who are mentally ill, who hoard pets they cannot properly care for and who do not need help for both themselves and the animals they’ve hurt – however good their intentions. But don’t just throw those terms around and point the finger at every old lady you don’t like who owns or feeds a few cats.

Might as well just burn ‘em at the stake.

IMHO