Early Animal Hoarders: Are These Pets Adequately Looked After
New research explores the onset of animal hoarding, which often comes after a history of appropriate animal companionship. This study investigated whether those who have what many would consider an unreasonable number of cats—but do not fit the clinical definition of hoarding—share the psychological and demographic profile of animal hoarders. The study found that individuals in this group were more likely to be older, have a greater attachment to their cats, and displayed a notable positive relationship between anxiety and hoarding behavior, and thus were more readily comparable to clinical animal hoarders than to a typical guardian with one or two cats. Understanding the warning signs for animal hoarding is an important step in tackling this unfortunate outcome for both the animals and their troubled guardians.
[Abstract excerpted from original source.]
“Animal hoarding is a spectrum-based condition in which hoarders are often reported to have had normal and appropriate pet-keeping habits in childhood and early adulthood. Historically, research has focused largely on well-established clinical animal hoarders with little work targeted towards the onset and development of animal hoarding. This study investigated whether a Brazilian population of owners of what might typically be considered an excessive number (20 or more) of cats were more likely to share the commonly reported psychological and demographic profile of animal hoarders than owners of 1-2 cats drawn from the same population. Psychological traits measured were attachment to pets (Lexington Pet Attachment Scale, LAPS), anxiety and depression (Hospitalized Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS), and hoarding behavior (Saving Inventory-Revised, SI-R). Owners of 20 or more cats were significantly older, scored significantly higher pet attachment scores, and displayed significant positive relationships between hoarding behavior and anxiety. Such a profile demonstrates greater similarities to clinical animal hoarders than to typical cat owners on these particular measures, although additional disparities with clinical animal hoarders exist in the areas of functioning, veterinary care and home organization. Taking this information together, the studied population may represent the understudied group of early stage animal hoarders. However, external factors such as culture and societal animal control policies should not be overlooked as alternative explanations for pet keeping at levels that might be considered excessive.”