# crazy cat lady
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-cat-lady/477660
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [December 18, 2008, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-cat-lady/477660 "2008-12-18T00:28:24Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@studiowolf1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/studiowolf1)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2008, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-cat-lady/477660/1 "2008-12-18T00:28:24Z")
Dear Cecil and the gang,
Just like the eternal question, "How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll pop?.. "How many cats _does_ it take to make a crazy cat lady?
concerned in Richmond
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### Author:  [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2008, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-cat-lady/477660/2 "2008-12-18T01:02:46Z")
If you’re worried, you have too many. My husband and I were sliding down the long, slippery, fuzz-covered slope toward crazy cat people status, so I know whereof I speak!
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### Author:  [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2008, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-cat-lady/477660/3 "2008-12-18T01:16:43Z")
If nobody but you can remember all your cats’ names, you have too many.
– a fellow Richmonder.
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### Author:  [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2008, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-cat-lady/477660/4 "2008-12-18T01:26:56Z")
It’s not how many cats, it’s how many cat boxes and how well do you keep up with them. It’s also a matter of cat hair and keeping up with it.
Although if you have too many cats, they’ll form groups and may start thinking outside the box.
For me, I’d also have to be able to leave the house for at least a few days without coming back to death and destruction.
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### Author:  [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2008, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-cat-lady/477660/5 "2008-12-18T01:27:59Z")
Since it’s doubtful this has a factual answer, let’s visit IMHO.
**samclem** Moderator, General Questions
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### Author:  [@seodoa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seodoa)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2008, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-cat-lady/477660/6 "2008-12-18T02:04:32Z")
Ugh, doesn’t anybody search for threads anymore. Or even bother to look at the board? This topic has not only been done to death, there is a relevant discussion on the _first page_ of IMHO: [How many cats is too many? - In My Humble Opinion - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=497792)
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### Author:  [@studiowolf1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/studiowolf1)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2008, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-cat-lady/477660/7 "2008-12-18T02:51:49Z")
Hi Seodoa,
I did search but was too specific I guess 🙂 thanks for the link.
I myself do not have any pets. I travel too much and it wouldn’t be fair to the animal. My friend however just hit the 47 mark. Seriously. 21 full time cats and the rest fosters that she hopes to adopt out. More coming in than going out. First batch was 4 kittens (4 years ago) grew to 11 when she couldn’t adopt the new fosters out, and so on to the 21. She just took in 9 - a mother and 8 kittens. Wouldn’t call her a hoarder as she does care and provide for them. It’s getting out of hand though.
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### Author:  [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2008, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-cat-lady/477660/8 "2008-12-18T02:52:53Z")
> [@seodoa](#):
>
> Ugh, doesn’t anybody search for threads anymore. Or even bother to look at the board? This topic has not only been done to death, there is a relevant discussion on the _first page_ of IMHO: [How many cats is too many? - In My Humble Opinion - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=497792)
That’s actually a different question.
But, I’m sure the OP–who literally _just_ joined a couple hours ago–fully understands how the board works and appreciates your pointless snark.
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### Author:  [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2008, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-cat-lady/477660/9 "2008-12-18T03:04:44Z")
> [@studiowolf1](#):
>
> Wouldn’t call her a hoarder as she does care and provide for them. It’s getting out of hand though.
Sometimes you get an opinion type question with facts so far out of bounds that no rational person would consider it an opinion question anymore. This is one of them. She passed the line into Crazy Cat Lady at somewhere between cats 5 - 10 and now she is several times above that resulting in behavior that is so off the charts that something has to give at some point. It doesn’t matter if she takes good care of all of them now. At some point she won’t be able to even if it just because of unfortunate circumstances like financial issues like finances or illness.
It is safe to say that you should give her a cuckoo clock for Christmas that drops down the phone numbers of help out of its mouth every time it sounds.
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### Author:  [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2008, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-cat-lady/477660/10 "2008-12-18T03:07:08Z")
I have two.
Thank you, that is all.
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### Author:  [@seodoa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seodoa)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2008, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-cat-lady/477660/11 "2008-12-18T03:24:35Z")
> [@Q.E.D](#):
>
> But, I’m sure the OP–who literally _just_ joined a couple hours ago–fully understands how the board works and appreciates your pointless snark.
I didn’t say it was the same question. I said it was a related one. The question in that thread is “How many cats is too many?” The OP gives a specific example, but leaves the question open.
And the studiowolf1’s response suggests that the s/he appreciated the link, even if s/he didn’t appreciate the snark. (I do, however, apologize for aforementioned snark. It was in bad form)
ETA:Well, looks like we have the answer, straight from the horse’s mouth. Case closed, I’d say. 😉
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### Author:  [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2008, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-cat-lady/477660/12 "2008-12-18T09:41:00Z")
More than 0.
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### Author:  [@SomeUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SomeUserName)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2008, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-cat-lady/477660/13 "2008-12-18T10:49:49Z")
> [@Q.E.D](#):
>
> If nobody but you can remember all your cats’ names, you have too many.
>
> – a fellow Richmonder.
Not necessarily. The reason one of my friends does not know all their names is because I use a lot of nicknames. Most of my cats have at least one and some have two or more.
Yeah who the hell am I kidding. I am a crazy cat lady. Not as crazy as the OPs friend but on the edge.
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### Author:  [@History\_Mystery\_and\_the\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/History_Mystery_and_the_Wolf)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2008, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-cat-lady/477660/14 "2008-12-18T11:25:32Z")
47!?!?!
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### Author:  [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2008, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-cat-lady/477660/15 "2008-12-18T12:40:48Z")
Once your house stinks of cat shit and you no longer notice, you are a crazy cat person.
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### Author:  [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2008, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-cat-lady/477660/16 "2008-12-18T13:04:47Z")
It only takes ONE cat, but you have to be really motivated to make it work, like me. It is _demented_ how spoiled our cat is.
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### Author:  [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2008, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-cat-lady/477660/17 "2008-12-18T19:01:31Z")
> [@studiowolf1](#):
>
> My friend however just hit the 47 mark. Seriously. 21 full time cats and the rest fosters that she hopes to adopt out. More coming in than going out. First batch was 4 kittens (4 years ago) grew to 11 when she couldn’t adopt the new fosters out, and so on to the 21. She just took in 9 - a mother and 8 kittens. Wouldn’t call her a hoarder as she does care and provide for them. It’s getting out of hand though.
Sorry, but that sounds like “Crazy Cat Lady” territory, especially if she has them all in a normal sized house rather than, say, having a barn or something like that on her property where the cats are kept.
What sort of efforts is she making to find them homes?
If she is sincere about wanting to find homes for them, maybe you can offer to help with that process (maybe even some of the people on this board can help with that). However, it sounds to me like one of those cases where nobody else will be deemed good enough to take care of her babies.
It’s easy to end up with too many cats. One cat is not much different than having two cats, so you easily think, “What’s one more?”. If you keep thinking that way, it’s quite easy to end up with a dirty house full of neglected critters.
Even though I’ve seen some cute and sweet homeless kitties that I wish I could help, I absolutely refuse to take in any new cats now that I have two. You have to draw a line somewhere for the animals’ own good.
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### Author:  [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2008, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-cat-lady/477660/18 "2008-12-18T21:39:16Z")
> [@seodoa](#):
>
> Ugh, doesn’t anybody search for threads anymore. Or even bother to look at the board? This topic has not only been done to death, there is a relevant discussion on the _first page_ of IMHO: [How many cats is too many? - In My Humble Opinion - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=497792)
_Anymore_??? You only joined in November. November was the good old days, when people searched before posting?
😕
:dubious:
Also, doesn’t anyone know how to consistently and properly use question marks anymore?
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### Author:  [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2008, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-cat-lady/477660/19 "2008-12-18T21:41:29Z")
My soon-to-be ex and I had 6 cats. Which is is to say that she had 6 cats and they _allowed_ me to stay there.
They no longer allow this. I fear there will more cats. Oh yes, there will be more…
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### Author:  [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2008, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-cat-lady/477660/20 "2008-12-18T21:49:15Z")
Zero. If you have an imaginary cat, chances are you are crazy. Its a given if you have any actual ones.
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crazy-cat-lady/477660.md?page=2)