I am definitely a hoarder.

Yup. I have to admit it.

I am a hoarder. I come from a family of neurotics, with a depression era hoarding background. However, I like to think that I am a step improved from my mother, and two steps improved over her mother with my personal neurosis.

I would love to "collect" cats. I would love to have hoards (pun intended) of them roaming my home. I am jealous of those that own upwards of a dozen of the little beasties.

But I am not mentally ill (well, ok, not TOTALLY ) and I recognize that I can and should only have as many cats as I can give proper care and attention to. I have a limit that is based upon my income and budget. So I can't simply take in cat after cat, and I won't. I stay AWAY from the shelters and the petfinder website, because the temptation is there. I can and do resist.

I give my three a lot of attention, take them to annual vet checks for wellness, feed high quality dry, groom them as best as I can, have adopted a feral kitten who has turned into the most wonderful, special little lovebug.

I research, I self-educate, I do what I need to do so I can be a good "parent" to my furkids.

But...I am a hoarder. I can't help it. Right now, I have enough dry cat food and enough wet cat food to last a MINIMUM of three months for each cat.

But my fridge is empty except for condiments, and I have nothing in my cabinets, save for dried pasta, that is fit for human consumption.

It's definitely a sickness. I think I would hoard cat litter, too, if the packages weren't SO heavy.



Oh - and them there are the cat toys. I have more than 150 furry mice in the house, and scores of catnip toys, dozens of wands, at least three laser pointers...

Do you think I need professional help?

Originally Posted by GingersMom

Do you think I need professional help?

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Well, i'll only answer yes if you have over 3 of those shirts with the overly cutesie kittens on the front of them.

If you have 3 of those shirts

YES!

SEEK HELP!

I can relate, except you have much more discipline in the cat "hoarding" department. I take good care of my cats and feed them quality foods so I don't think I am what most people would consider a "hoarder". At least that's what I'm going to continue telling myself.

No, I don't think you need professional help because if you do then a whole lot of the rest of us do too!

Originally Posted by Sibohan2005

Well, i'll only answer yes if you have over 3 of those shirts with the overly cutesie kittens on the front of them.

If you have 3 of those shirts

YES!

SEEK HELP!

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I have NO shirts with cats or kittens on them. Phew!

I guess I'll be okay, then!

if you need help, Betsy, I REALLY need help

Originally Posted by Sibohan2005

Well, i'll only answer yes if you have over 3 of those shirts with the overly cutesie kittens on the front of them.

If you have 3 of those shirts

YES!

SEEK HELP!

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PJ's don't count, do they??

Originally Posted by katiemae1277

PJ's don't count, do they??

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of course not only the stuff you might ware out in public like this sort of thing


cute yes... but not exactly ware in the world for people to take you seriously clothing

If you need help, then I do too!! Even tho I have just 2 (we're thinking about a 3rd) but I feed my cats better than myself & John & they have more toys than any cat would possibly need!)

Along with 60 of those furry mice that SOMEONE sent them

Originally Posted by babyharley

Along with 60 of those furry mice that SOMEONE sent them

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Well, they DO tend to multiply...

Originally Posted by GingersMom

Well, they DO tend to multiply...

Click to expand...

Those mice are Bayley's best friend! He's now learned how to OPEN the box of the remaining 30 or so mice, and flick them out with his paw, and chase them!

Now when they all "dissapear" - a.k.a- under the bed & furniature, we'll end up needing more... you know, for the poor deprived baby

Originally Posted by GingersMom

Do you think I need professional help?

Click to expand...

Betsy if you think you need help then we'd all be seeing the same proffesional as you

TCS is my professional help

I do sometimes envy hoarders...I would LOVE to own lots, but once we got whitey and had 4 cats that all needed special one on one attention then I realized I was at my limit. B and I both came to that conclusion and I said that we'd have to lose one or two before we got another one.

oh boy, same same.

I actually went to a friend's house to visit for awhile today and my BF told me he was, "glad that the cat lady left the house for a little bit".

haha, I just can't stand to leave them for too long

I know just what you mean. Except I can't afford to hoard food for 5 cats. But I am very proud of myself that recently when a co-worker had to re-home her cats, I did NOT offer to take them. (I did think about it, though. )

I too am a hoarder.

I have 13 cats and 2 dogs
I have 600 pounds of litter sitting in my basement closet
I have 2 pantry drawers stocked with canned cat food
I have 2 large bins of dry cat food
I have 2 large bins of dog food
I have an entire pantry drawer full of treats
I have a drawer full of brushes and other pet odds and ends
I have a book case shelf dedicated to pet books
I have at 1 - 3 cat tree(s) in every room (excluding bathrooms)
I have a walk in closet full of cat and dog beds and toys
I have another room dedicated to making cat and dog toys
That room has a walk in closet full of materials, a separate floor to ceiling cabinet full of materials and 4 sewing machines
And I can't walk more than a few feet without walking on a toy or bed
In a 3500 square foot house

Oh yeah, and I have at least 10 shirts with cats or dogs on them.

And you're worried?

OK, I feel better now.

Momofmany that sounds like more stuff that some shelters have!

Betsy... 3 is not hoarding getting a 5th when you have said 4 is your limit

I'm not one to say if you need help or not, but if so, we can go together!

Alot of people have different styles of hoarding. Some women are crazy about shoes, some people are crazy about collectibles, you name it, I think it's all just different ways to make ourselves feel secure for whatever reason.
Me? I have to resist hoarding paper. I'm an artist, but will want to buy paper that I don't even need & have trouble throwing old notebooks away. I used to have dreams about paper, like walking into Office Depot with stacks of paper!
And colors. Like for example I walk by a display of embroidery thread with all of the colors..I want to buy it all, knowing in the back of my mind I'll never use it. Same with fabrics & beads. It's a battle, knowing I could do this or I could make that someday, but I have to fight it, have to remember that too much of this stuff is not good, it will only sit around & ruin my focus on the art I really need to do. It makes me feel like some sort of strange bird, wanting to collect things.
But I see what you mean about cats! They are very difficult to resist, aren't they? (must...resist...Tuxedo Cat collection...)

Oh Betsy, this reminds me of that thread in the lounge about cat owners VS cat lovers