Hoarder Project Update

On 1 November, SCAA Founder Carol Wolfson, Dog Foster Care Director Jaycee Chan and Vice-Director Sonny Gao, visited our SCAA hoarder project and are extremely pleased to report that the hoarder (who will remain nameless so that other hoarders don't try to give him more animals knowing SCAA is assisting), has continued to follow all of the SCAA guidelines. It should be noted that not one hoarder SCAA has tried to help in the past three years has followed SCAA guidelines, thereby making it impossible for SCAA to continue support long-term. The fact that this hoarder has followed SCAA rules (and probation!) for almost one year is a very positive sign for the future.

The hoarder has not added in a single cat and we are thrilled to report there are currently no kittens at the hoarder's. This includes births either from a previously undetected pregnancy or missing spay/neuter resulting in a new pregnancy, or even new kittens dumped over the hoarder's walls, which is practically a miracle! There were a few less healthy cats (mostly colds) that were isolated in spacious cages in a separate upstairs room. The premises are immaculate and there is no smell at all; at most hoarders, we are usually immediately sickened by the smell of urine/feces and the overall unhygienic smell of cats forced to live in close quarters. The first floor of the cats' quarters is comprised of two large indoor rooms and three huge outdoor lounging areas. This additionally includes one indoor/one outdoor room dedicated solely to the kitty bathroom, where there are now 20 litter boxes. Although this is not what we consider ideal, it's far more comfortable than the mere six he used to have due to lack of funds to buy litter.
There are also two upstairs rooms for isolation, where the hoarder has just created a new fenced-in outdoor area, streaming with sunlight, so even the sick cats can get some exercise and sun themselves.

What we always find amazing when we visit this hoarder is that it's an extremely stable cat population for its size (about 180 cats) and there is very little fighting and meowing/hissing. The entire environment is positive and calm. Many of the cats are already 5-16 years old, which indicates the hoarder has been taking sufficiently good care of the cats so that they are relatively healthy. This is the exact opposite of many hoarders we have visited, where the cats are diseased and in pain and allowed to run free. Consequently, at these locations, many cats are not spayed/neutered resulting in constantly new and very sick litters, of which the majority we would need to euthanize to try to save even a few. These hoarders will not follow SCAA requirements and we are forced to turn away although it always breaks our hearts.

Thanks to B&Q and Canada Wood, at this SCAA-supported hoarder project there are now wooden structures to climb, run, play and hide both indoors and outdoors. You can clearly see the effect on the cats in their surroundings - it's as if they are all hanging out in their favorite spots. Carol Wolfson has personally bought almost 1,000 cat toys to create a more stimulating environment for the cats. Carol will also be donating the funds to buy 200 warm cat beddings for the coming winter (that will be placed in the cat walls built by B&Q earlier in the year).

Our next step will be to choose five of the hoarder's sweetest, most adoptable cats (there are many as when any of us walk in the room or sit down, we are surrounded by cats wanting and often demanding affection!), and have them tested at PAW for various contagious diseases. They will then be kept in isolation on the second floor and tested again in one month's time. If the majority of the cats are disease-free, we can then consider testing and adopting out the cats one at a time long-term. Unfortunately, if the majority or all of the cats carry contagious diseases, it's likely that the entire population is infected and we will not be able to adopt out these cats. Instead, our goal will then be to make them as content and stimulated as possible for the rest of their lives. In time, the population will die off and hopefully the hoarder will not start collecting again.

We also hope that if the cats test negative for disease, we can start taking volunteers out to the project to play, groom and give so many of these lovely cats the affection they desire and deserve!

There are also a few dogs kept in a covered outdoor pen. Currently there are three very loveable little dogs that we are attempting to adopt out for the hoarder, one at a time. There are also a couple of dogs that are very aggressive and are likely to remain as guard dogs.

What we fervently request of SCAA supporters is donations of cat/dog food, litter, furniture that can be used for the animals to climb, hide or snuggle in (used beds, sofas/chairs, closets, etc.), warm bedding/linens/towels, scratch posts and we desperately need more cat toys (with 180 cats, toys don't last long!). This hoarder is doing his best but he needs our help! For more information, contact founder@scaashanghai.org .

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!! FOSTER, ADOPT, DONATE TO SCAA!!