Topic : 03/07 When Too Much is ... Too Much

Which is a TERRIBLE message being sent out for every person who WON'T TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for their problems, but blames someone ELSE for them instead!!
 
Lori, you KNOW you have a SERIOUS problem, and all you can say is you can't believe your husband "told" on you?!?!  Abusers talk like that!  Upset when their secrets are discovered, but NOT SORRY FOR WHAT THEY'VE DONE!  I didn't see you AT ALL SORRY for turning your HOME into a HE**HOLE!!

I have hoarding problems BUT I'm NOT SMUG about them!  I'm embarrassed!  AND I own that I'm the one who's made this mess here!!  AND that I'm working to heal past this!!

Dr P, imho, today's message was that someone who has shows NO remorse for what she's done to her family and her home is getting bailed out withOUT consequences of any kind!  This is NOT the message you want to send out, is it? 

 I have heard that some of the guests go to the message boards to read what the posters say about them.  I just wanted Lori to know if she ever read this that she came across to me as fun and real 9if she cares). 
If I were one of her friends - I would not care one lick if her house looks bad on TV.  Her husband is lucky to have her and she is lucky to be getting help.

I watched this segment with interest, just as an animal lover and citizen of the planet. It's clear that this woman has reached a point with her obsession that she is breaking the law, possibly jeopardizing her own beloved cats, creating conflict with her neighbors, and doing harm to her life and her own cause. But this is one thing I am quite sure of: this was NEVER her intention. I am thinking about some other people I have known, who while maybe skating on the edge of what's legal and acceptable behavior, are the front line of protecting the planet in their own eccentric way. OK, she's a bit nutsy, but I did not get the sense that she's delusional. She's putting her money, her mouth and her passion behind her love for cats and saving unwanted animals, one at a time. It just escalated out of control, without her realizing it was becoming kinda crazy. Fact is, we are all in serious danger because we disprespect our environment and every life form we consider "lesser" than ourselves. Was St. Francis crazy? Was Mother Teresa crazy? Of course. Every hero and saint was a serious nut-job in their time. But history never talks about the legions of individuals in every generation who advance unpopular progressive causes in their own little eccentric way, in their own neighborhood -- everyday people who did wierd things with cats, whose relatives thought they were strange, and who really pissed their neighbors off. I got a feeling that this lady has a pure intent. I may be wrong. But if I'm right, I'm sure she will take advantage of Dr. Phil's generous offer of assistance to help her. If she truly wants to make her life, her mission and her private endeavor successful, she will be thrilled for the opportunity he is giving her, and use it to great advantage. And I hope she reads this. God Bless Her, Annie

Okay, I admit I am pathetic with no life, but I did some math after the show, and some of the comments that cat lady made seem unbelivable to me.  Now with the exchange rate ( this figuring is done in Canadian funds ) it might be cheaper in the States, but not much I don't think.

I broke down everything I spent this year on just my FOUR cats( there are two dogs as well, so the vet bills are NOT pretty ) Food $1 848 Vet visit ( including the altering of three) $1 000, Meds ( the little ones had to be de wormed, and that meant ALL the animals ) $350, Kitty Litter $432 and for toys and treats $200 ( the love affection you get from them PRICELESS)  so on only FOUR cats in one year I have spent$3 830, multiply that by five that is $ 19 150 for four cats over five years, so in one year for 200 cats a person could spend as much as many families make, I WANT the name and number of her VET, let's just say the $ 40 000 she claims to have spent over five years seemed strange to me, and too cheap.

A four foot fence, are you kidding me, as any cat owner can tell you, the cats are laughing at that, a proper shelter or cattery has ENCLOSURES and the cats DO NOT roam around freely, why because with cats, a fence means very little unless its very tall, and wood posts, well they can sharpen their claws anyway ( one has to wonder if she knew cats can climb trees ).

As for the poisonings, well if it was done on purpose, SHAME ON YOU, but her neighbors can leave what they want on THEIR property, like I said, that fence means NOTHING, and the cats accidently got into it, as for trapping them, if it is a hunmane trap and you are taking them to aPROPER shelter, well Good for you.  This woman is a HOARDER, classic signs, justifacation, excuses cutting herself off from the real world, what she wants to do is admirable, to an extent, but if it affects your neighbors in such a negative way, well its a problem.  This woman is suffering, she seems unable to connect with humans, so she resorts to another species, hey there are times I like my pets better than people, but really !

Just what was shown of the yard and the house, thee is MUCH more going on there than just the cats, the Humane Society has to get involved, STOP pussy footing around ( oops, no pun intended there ).

The second guest, again the justifacations, the excuses her husband took a hard line for sure, but she has to realize as well that that clutter drives him around the bend, it would me for sure.  But she was sweet for sure and funny, and I wish her luck on her road to recovery.

 

     We had a neighbor in Brooklyn NY who would regularly get raided by animal control and they would take away 70-80 cats at a time.  The man had a wire basket with wheels that he would cart to work and then stop for groceries before home each day.  You could always see at least 4 cases of cat food and a quart of milk.  Never litter and never any food for himself.  I could see him in the kitchen window and it seemed he ate what the cats ate.  When he wasn't seen for a few days, my Dad went over and found him.  Dead and sprawled across his bed, the cats had eaten away at his face and hands.  There were neighbors on the other side of his house that shared a wall with his house.  The smell could knock you out and our house wasn't even attached.
    The man didn't have any family and no one got involved except to complain.  This is a country of freedom to be an idiot.  The nutrition of this man, his sanity, his basic well being were not anyone else's problem.  Everyone was too busy with their own lives to get this man help and like the lady on the show, he never saw a problem with his many house guests.  I always thought that NYC was home to too many crazy people and so there really was no more room to commit anyone else to a home.  Maybe taking cats out 80 at a time every so often was cheaper for the city and taxpayers than 24/7 nursing home care.  This man was in his 80's.

From what I understand an acre isn't that big, and a territory of twenty per acre ( and cats are VERY territorial ) is adding stress levels that don't need to be thee for the animals, handling kittens is one thing ( and I know what you are going through there ) but the adults unfortunatly if not properly handled and socialized ARE NOT good adoption cadidates, some shelters do not have the foster homes or the money to even try, the animal is written off.

You are so right, one person CANNOT save them all, if a person REALLY wants to help, Donate to your local Humane Society, or volunteer either as a foster family, or in the shelters themselves.

Great post, you have VERY valid points.

 

Kristy,

I want to thank you for caring for those cats. Not many people will use their own money to take in, neuter and spay these homeless or unwanted animals. I know because I am a animal rescuer also. My husband and I are USDA licensed and we rescue sugar gliders. I fail to see how on that much land it could smell like a little box, our local shelter has at least that many cats. Daily I get calls to take in cats and dogs, and birds and other creatures because our shelters here are full and turning them away. I would love to have the chance to talk with you, I live in Dallas TX and although far from you I feel close to you in spirit.

Our group is called Hope for Gliders, I am the president, most people don't even know that sugar gliders need rescue, but they do and the problem is growning. Our group has aided in the care and rescue of over 240 gliders in the last 3 years, and has been able to help a few dogs, cants, birds, ground squirrels and other creatures that were not wanted.

For those who are not animal rescuers they don't understand, I do, my husband does, and many other people we know do.  The animals are a big part of our lives and I can see your love for them. If you didn't love them you wouldn't be getting them fixed, getting them shot sand loving them like you do. I would like to share this prayer with you, I wrote it in 2003, I say it every day...

 

Rescuers Prayer

Oh lord up above watching over us
Led us to help those creatures who can’t help themselves
Bless us so we can keep them safe and well and give them what they need
Keep me strong in voice when I speak for those that have no say
If they are mistreated, abused or throw away
Send an angel to my side to help me dry my tears
You know Lord how easily I cry
Protect us from those who’s hearts are cold and dark and wish to see us fail
Help us to find families that will love these creatures too
And take them home to love and cherish until they come home to you
Some say there is no heaven for creatures large and small
I know this isn’t true
You created all
Amen

 

My husband and I are both disabled, we don't have much money and we are happy to spend it doing what is right! If you can find Hope for Gliders on the internet, please email me. I don't know if links are allowed here.

One thing we need is more volunteers, foster home and people to educate the public, I don't know if you get any help, I hope so, You deserve it!

Thank you for helping the animals!

Animal hoarding is a mental disorder. The ASPCA recognizes this and usually takes steps to help the hoarder by taking and relocating the animals, and sometimes getting them help since theyre quite often unable to improve their own living conditions.

 

Hopefully, her local aspca will get involved.

  I agree that 200 cats is more than one person could probably take care of by herself.  I myself have 8, the oldest being 15.  They are all spayed and neutered and they are all rescues.  They are a handful even for myself, my husband and my college age son.  I feel that this woman truly only has those animals best interests at heart and loves them all dearly, she just needs to go about it the right way.  On the other hand, the thing that concerned me were those two men.  Maybe she is operating on the wrong side of the law, but if those two men poisoned any of those cats they should be arrested and convicted for animal abuse.  Of course, no one could probably prove it, however, exactly who leaves buckets of antifreeze out opened in an area that has that many loose animals running around, including their own if they did not want to cause harm to them.  I truly love Dr. Phil, but I wish he had laid into those two men.  They make me sick and I am sure to the bottom of my heart that they were sitting up there lying through their teeth.  I commend the woman if she can manage to find a suitable arrangement for those cats.  To the men, for you to be ashamed of yourselves is too mild a feeling.  You are some sick people. 

 Kristy is at least trying to help homeless animals and give them love.  She is not the one feeding them antifreeze.