Pet Hoarding
There are people—you may known one, one might live in your neighborhood—who keep dozens of cats, and
often other pets, in their houses. Some people like to make jokes about “cat ladies,” a peculiar stereotype
of an old woman who keeps 50 cats in her cramped house. Of course not all pet hoarders are women, or
even old. Pet hoarding is often a symptom of a serious mental condition known as compulsive hoarding.
It's important to distinguish pet hoarders from pet breeders. Being an animal breeder means running
a business, which makes it easier to afford supplies for keeping the animals. Breeders will often have
special buildings for housing their animals. Pet hoarders, in contrast, usually let their animals roam
freely in their house. While breeders are able to contain and care for their animals properly, hoarders
are usually unable to care for them. They also tend to deny this inability.
For whatever reason, many pet hoarders do not get their pets spayed or neutered. This is one way a house
can become overrun with animals. Once they start breeding, two cats can turn into dozens within just
a few years. In addition, compulsive hoarders tend to be emotionally attached to the animals and find
it very difficult to part with them.
Keeping many pets in such a small space is often detrimental to their health. Aside from limiting their
freedom of movement, dozens of pets can produce a tremendous amount of waste. A house overrun with pets
is very often impossible to keep clean, and definitely well beyond the means of a single person. A buildup
of waste increases the risk for disease for both people and animals.
Contact Us
Intervening in a pet hoarder's life is a difficult task: hoarders need psychiatric help, and the mess
left by pet hoarding can pose a public health risk unless cleaned. Because of these difficulties, it
can be easy to overlook the well-being of the pets. Only a qualified veterinarian can make sure these
pets are taken care of. Contact your Houston Vet Clinic today to learn more.