Remind me not to go to my neighbors.

[cheermom1]

any time I get the thought in my head to go to my neighbors house shot me!!!!

she is a nice lady, cookoo, but nice...anyway she is a chain smoker and has like 30 cats and doesn't clean!!!

anyway I got board and went over there ...while I was there she only has a space heater..I asked if she has heat. she said she did but doesn't want to turn it on...

We have helped her in the past with things like this but she still does what she wants..I know that it doesn't matter how I help her she will still use the space heater...

I just can't stand the smoke and the cats!!!!!

she is so good to her cats that my cat won't come home. I tried!!! he is FAT, FAT, FAT!!! I think she spends her money on them and not on heat or anything else ...she has a son and I don't know really what to do..she has lived her for about 4 years now and I know that this is not just a money thing..somewhat is but if she wouldn't have so many cats, and she is always taking them to vet for silly things ..when i say 30 cats I really mean 30 cats!!!

she does take care of her son he has clothes, shoes and food and home. she is good to him ..but she chooses the cats more

 

[Scurvy]

any time I get the thought in my head to go to my neighbors house shot me!!!!

she is a nice lady, cookoo, but nice...anyway she is a chain smoker and has like 30 cats and doesn't clean!!!

anyway I got board and went over there ...while I was there she only has a space heater..I asked if she has heat. she said she did but doesn't want to turn it on...

We have helped her in the past with things like this but she still does what she wants..I know that it doesn't matter how I help her she will still use the space heater...

I just can't stand the smoke and the cats!!!!!

she is so good to her cats that my cat won't come home. I tried!!! he is FAT, FAT, FAT!!! I think she spends her money on them and not on heat or anything else ...she has a son and I don't know really what to do..she has lived her for about 4 years now and I know that this is not just a money thing..somewhat is but if she wouldn't have so many cats, and she is always taking them to vet for silly things ..when i say 30 cats I really mean 30 cats!!!

she does take care of her son he has clothes, shoes and food and home. she is good to him ..but she chooses the cats more

I guess I'm confused. When you say you don't know what to do, what are you thinking you ought to do? It doesn't sound like she's neglecting her son in favor of the cats. Admittedly I can't imagine owning 30 cats - it seems excessive to me. But if she is taking care of them and taking them to the vet when they need to go (which is more than many people do!), and if she's taking care of her son as well, I don't see why you would need to do anything.

As for the space heater - is it dangerously cold there? Do you think that they are in danger of freezing if they don't turn the heat on? It doesn't sound like a big deal to me, but we rarely turn our heat on. We prefer cooler temperatures. If it's dangerously cold where you are, then that might be a problem. Otherwise, I wouldn't worry about it.

Either way, I think you're right that you shouldn't go to your neighbor's house again! Between the smoke and the smell of that many cats, I wouldn't want to go there either.

 

[cheermom1]

I guess I'm confused. When you say you don't know what to do, what are you thinking you ought to do? It doesn't sound like she's neglecting her son in favor of the cats. Admittedly I can't imagine owning 30 cats - it seems excessive to me. But if she is taking care of them and taking them to the vet when they need to go (which is more than many people do!), and if she's taking care of her son as well, I don't see why you would need to do anything.

As for the space heater - is it dangerously cold there? Do you think that they are in danger of freezing if they don't turn the heat on? It doesn't sound like a big deal to me, but we rarely turn our heat on. We prefer cooler temperatures. If it's dangerously cold where you are, then that might be a problem. Otherwise, I wouldn't worry about it.

Either way, I think you're right that you shouldn't go to your neighbor's house again! Between the smoke and the smell of that many cats, I wouldn't want to go there either.

I meant the heat sorry...we are expecting an ice storm tomorrow...I asked her what she was going to do then..she said take a blanket and put it around the heater and make a tent with the two of them in it..

as far as the vet i said she takes them in for SILLY things not when they need it but for silly things!! like if one of them has the sniffles she takes them in and the vet tells her there is nothing to worry about and sends her home..she told me that ....

edited to add: it is very cold here and she said she doesn't to turn the heat on this winter at all!!

personally I think she needs to take the money that she is spending on the cats for her heat if taht is the problem...I think she is choosing to do this ...but of course there is no way I would not have my heat on, I would find a way!!!!

 

[HelenePA]

Maybe you need to think about calling adult protective services? if anything they'll help pay for her heat! If she is taking care of her cats I dont see why they wouldn't leave them be

 

[cheermom1]

Maybe you need to think about calling adult protective services? if anything they'll help pay for her heat! If she is taking care of her cats I dont see why they wouldn't leave them be

she has cases open b/c she is on disability and so is the kid and they go to councilors all the time and they both are on meds...I don;t know if they know she is not turning her heat on though..

my problem is that she is spending way more on the cats, so much so that she won't turn her heat on so she can have that much more for the cats...and like I said she takes them to vet all the time for stuff that the vet sends her home and says they can't do anything as it is normal...

see for me I don;t understand why she doesn;t want to turn the heat on just so she can have that money for the cats ..it doesn't make sense...if they are cold then they all are going to sick a lot...

 

[ckay87]

Sounds to me like she is living in a way that many of us would probably not choose to live. But she isn't the first and won't be the last. You'd probably be shocked at how many, many people choose to live. Even if you don't agree, it still doesn't sound like anyone is being harmed.

It always kind of rubs me the wrong way when people judge the way other people choose to (legally) spend their money. I wouldn't choose to spend money on cats and smokes over heat, but to each their own, you know?

I actually saw some news story recently about how a certain population of people are choosing not to use heat in their homes. They just bundle up. Sounds crazy, but if they are happy, how can you argue with that?

 

[Scurvy]

I meant the heat sorry...we are expecting an ice storm tomorrow...I asked her what she was going to do then..she said take a blanket and put it around the heater and make a tent with the two of them in it..

Well that doesn't sound safe at all.

As for the cats, well, she can't know that the sniffles aren't something dangerous to the cat without going to the vet. Unless she's literally dragging them in to the vet every day, it just sounds like someone who is cautious about her pets' health. Are you even sure that she actually owns all 30 cats? Does she keep them all in her home? Maybe she owns some cats and is also taking care of some neighborhood strays. Honestly, at this time of year I'd assume that any outdoor cat was a stray and I'd probably be taking care of it, too. Either way, I wouldn't worry about that part. I think you should ignore the cat issue completely.


The heat is a separate issue. I rarely turn on our heater and it has nothing to do with money. Our house just retains heat well and it stays comfortable in the winter with very little heat, plus we like the place colder than most people do. (Of course that also means we run the air conditioner nonstop in the summer!) I wouldn't necessarily be concerned about the lack of heat, but making a tent with a blanket around a space heater sounds completely unsafe.

If you are absolutely sure she is really doing that and you can't convince her not to, maybe you should mention the space heater/tent thing to the agency that handles her other case. That sounds like the sort of thing they should probably be aware of simply because it can be a very serious fire hazard.

 

[Heidict]

Cheermom, I think it's great that you are such a caring neighbor that you go over there to check on her and have a chat. I wish more neighbors where like you.

I guess she really loves cats though. Thirty of them? Heck no!! She must be cleaning out litter boxes all day. I can imagine the smell must be over powering between the kitties and the smokes.

How old her is her son? Is he underage?

While you may not agree with how she spends her money or how clean her house is, it is her house and her money. She is harming no one and her son is well taken care of. I don't think you need to contact anyone, because honestly, as long as no one is being harmed, then it is none of your business.

 

[snapppyd]

How old is her son? Sounds like she might burn the house down if she puts a blanket over a space heater. Are your homes connected?

 

[cheermom1]

Well that doesn't sound safe at all.

As for the cats, well, she can't know that the sniffles aren't something dangerous to the cat without going to the vet. Unless she's literally dragging them in to the vet every day, it just sounds like someone who is cautious about her pets' health. Are you even sure that she actually owns all 30 cats? Does she keep them all in her home? Maybe she owns some cats and is also taking care of some neighborhood strays. Honestly, at this time of year I'd assume that any outdoor cat was a stray and I'd probably be taking care of it, too. Either way, I wouldn't worry about that part. I think you should ignore the cat issue completely.


The heat is a separate issue. I rarely turn on our heater and it has nothing to do with money. Our house just retains heat well and it stays comfortable in the winter with very little heat, plus we like the place colder than most people do. (Of course that also means we run the air conditioner nonstop in the summer!) I wouldn't necessarily be concerned about the lack of heat, but making a tent with a blanket around a space heater sounds completely unsafe.

If you are absolutely sure she is really doing that and you can't convince her not to, maybe you should mention the space heater/tent thing to the agency that handles her other case. That sounds like the sort of thing they should probably be aware of simply because it can be a very serious fire hazard.

I have known this woman for 4 years so what I am saying is true..the cats yes they are hers ...and as far as the vet she really is taking them in all the time and the vet sends her home all the time!! this is a small town with one vet and one dog catcher (who lives next to us) and they all said the same thing....when the vet says it is a problem it is a problem...

I agree the heat and the cats are separate however I also think that since she is spending her money on the cats instead of the heat they are kinda related..

 

[snapppyd]

Cheermom, I think it's great that you are such a caring neighbor that you go over there to check on her and have a chat. I wish more neighbors where like you.

I guess she really loves cats though. Thirty of them? Heck no!! She must be cleaning out litter boxes all day. I can imagine the smell must be over powering between the kitties and the smokes.

How old her is her son? Is he underage?

While you may not agree with how she spends her money or how clean her house is, it is her house and her money. She is harming no one and her son is well taken care of. I don't think you need to contact anyone, because honestly, as long as no one is being harmed, then it is none of your business.

I don't mean to argue, but second hand smoke is harming her son. And if she puts the blanket over the space heater ALOT of people can be harmed.

 

[cheermom1]

Cheermom, I think it's great that you are such a caring neighbor that you go over there to check on her and have a chat. I wish more neighbors where like you.

I guess she really loves cats though. Thirty of them? Heck no!! She must be cleaning out litter boxes all day. I can imagine the smell must be over powering between the kitties and the smokes.

How old her is her son? Is he underage?

While you may not agree with how she spends her money or how clean her house is, it is her house and her money. She is harming no one and her son is well taken care of. I don't think you need to contact anyone, because honestly, as long as no one is being harmed, then it is none of your business.

How old is her son? Sounds like she might burn the house down if she puts a blanket over a space heater. Are your homes connected?

he is 8 ..and no I'm not contacting anyone ...I just wanted to vent..and I do agree the way she spends her money is none of my business. I just wanted to say that we have helped her in the past and I'm not going to any more b/c she does (IMO) spend too much on the cats and should use that money for heat. but I have only helped b/c of her son I want him to be warm and not have to worry about having to put a blanket on to keep warm...

 

[minkydog]

She sounds like a hoarder as well as a pet collector. Both situations are serious mental disorders which no outsider can change. It's a type of OCD. Until she decides or the court decides that she should discontinue her practices this behavior will continue. Most hoarders do not change without heavy doses of therapy and many of them have to be court-ordered, either because their homes exceed the number of allowable pets or because they are endangering their child, their pets or themselves.

 

[Heidict]

he is 8 ..and no I'm not contacting anyone ...I just wanted to vent..and I do agree the way she spends her money is none of my business. I just wanted to say that we have helped her in the past and I'm not going to any more b/c she does (IMO) spend too much on the cats and should use that money for heat. but I have only helped b/c of her son I want him to be warm and not have to worry about having to put a blanket on to keep warm...

Oh, I'm sorry. I don't know where I got the "should I go to the authorities" from. Maybe someone else mentioned it and I related it to you.

I don't blame you for not helping out with the heat when you are concerned that she is going to just use it on the cats. Her son is young, I can understand the concern and I would be worried about him also. How cold does it get during the day and at night where you are?

She sounds like a hoarder as well as a pet collector. Both situations are serious mental disorders which no outsider can change. It's a type of OCD. Until she decides or the court decides that she should discontinue her practices this behavior will continue. Most hoarders do not change without heavy doses of therapy and many of them have to be court-ordered, either because their homes exceed the number of allowable pets or because they are endangering their child, their pets or themselves.

How are you getting that she is a hoarder? All I got out of the post, aside form the cats and smoking, is that she doesn't clean. If she was a hoarder, to the degree that I have seen on the show, then, yes the authorities need to be called, but having tons of cats and not cleaning doesn't make one a hoarder.

 

[minkydog]

I'm all for having cats but IMO and in the eyes of the law in many locales, 30 cats constitutes a cat collector, which is another way of saying a hoarder. A house doesn't have to descend to the extreme levels of the people showcased on Hoarders to be considered a hoarding household. I don't know what her house looks like but her collection of choice/hoarding is CATS.

 

[luvmy3]

Wow, I didn't realize people's choices to go without heat bothered others. I know several people who keep their heat very low and use space heaters and blankets instead. In fact we had friends over who do this, and their kids were talking about how hot it was in our house, because they came over in layers. Alot of people choose to bundle up in their own home, they are doing it to conserve their oil and/or money. Its none of our business whether they choose to spend their money on oil, the new ipad, or a years supply of cat food. OP, I don't even understand your reasoning to vent, unless you gave her money with the stipulation it was for heat and she used that money to feed her cats, yours included

 

[cheermom1]

OK let me set the record straight ..this woman is sick..the first time I met her she said she was cookoo her words...she would like to have her heat on but she wants someone else to pay for it ..she makes herself look like a charity case to get someone to feel sorry for her...

but from the way most people see her if they have been around her a while can clearly see that she spends her money on the cats first then tries to make other feels sorry for her to get her needs met..now does this make sense?

sometimes I have trouble wording things the way they need to when I type..I can talk and get the mess. across the way I want but for some reason when i type it doesn't work the way i talk...

I was trying to get some frustration out...thank you for listening to me...

 

[Morganpics]

I meant the heat sorry...we are expecting an ice storm tomorrow...I asked her what she was going to do then..she said take a blanket and put it around the heater and make a tent with the two of them in it..


That is just asking for a fire. She is SCARY

 

[cheermom1]

I meant the heat sorry...we are expecting an ice storm tomorrow...I asked her what she was going to do then..she said take a blanket and put it around the heater and make a tent with the two of them in it..


That is just asking for a fire. She is SCARY

I agree thank goodness our places are not attached but at the same time she shouldn't be doing that...

 

[Heidict]

I don't mean to argue, but second hand smoke is harming her son. And if she puts the blanket over the space heater ALOT of people can be harmed.

I totally agree, the second hand smoke is horrible for her son. I get angry when people smoke in their homes with kids present. Total disregard for their own childs health, selfish, selfish, selfish.

OK let me set the record straight ..this woman is sick..the first time I met her she said she was cookoo her words...she would like to have her heat on but she wants someone else to pay for it ..she makes herself look like a charity case to get someone to feel sorry for her...

but from the way most people see her if they have been around her a while can clearly see that she spends her money on the cats first then tries to make other feels sorry for her to get her needs met..now does this make sense?

sometimes I have trouble wording things the way they need to when I type..I can talk and get the mess. across the way I want but for some reason when i type it doesn't work the way i talk...

I was trying to get some frustration out...thank you for listening to me...

She sounds like a user and expects people to cater to her wishes so that she doesn't have to give up her fun. Yup, I know someone like that. Frustrating, aren't they?

The whole "i didnt type that the way I thought it"......I do that all the time.