How Many Cats Can You Fit in a Studio?

At least one hundred, in the case of Melanie Neer, whose brood of a hundred cats has been whittled down to 30, and must be brought down to two, per her landlord. The NY Times profiles Neer as she bids farewell to cats - and casts spells on her landlord for forcing the issue. Neer lives with her mother in a rent-controlled studio in Elmhurst ("When the Neers moved in 45 years ago, they paid $86 a month. Now they pay $521, they said."), and the landlord threatened eviction over the cats, since the lease states there can only be two. The Times reporter noted that there was a "heavy cat smell" in the apartment - and can you imagine the craziness during shedding season? The sad thing is that Animal Care & Control is removing cats every day, the cats will be killed if they are not adopted in three days! We hope some no kill shelters claim the kitties.

This is a lesson to spay or neuter your pet - you don't want a cat reserve in your apartment. And this reminds us one either an episode of Animal Precinct or the children's book, Millions of Cats. Plus, some good advice in yesterday's Post about cats: Put their food in stainless steel dishes, so they don't get cat acne (acne can affect their self-esteem). You can check out our archives about animals. Update: Reader Wendy included a link to a Queens Ledger story about Neer - check out the pictures of the cats in the apartment (the cat in the pot makes us laugh and cry).

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in Arts and Events, News on May 1, 2006 11:50 AM

Comments [rss]

Rich

Huntgrunt, your comments are on the spot. This is an OCD condition. Thus is a hard disorder to cure. Lets hope for the best when trying to help the victims.

HuntGrunt

Sure enough, this woman is mentally ill. She suffers from OCD hoarding, a little-understood condition, as evidenced by the comments above and by the tone of the story, which misses the bigger point. One of the few places doing substantial research on animal hoarding is Tufts Veterinary School.

http://www.tufts.edu/vet/cfa/hoarding/abthoard.htm#A1

blah

This is completely disgusting. I can't believe they haven't been evicted. Imagine living next door to this fetid apartment.

[1] Posted by: Meghan | May 1, 2006 12:06 PM

Remember ladies ... it all starts with one. Look how it can turn out. SHe probably got her first cat because she broke up with a boyfriend and thought it'd be a good replacement.

[2] Posted by: hr | May 1, 2006 12:09 PM

Ah HR, cat owning women know that cat loving men are a thousand times better in the sack than their unfortunate counterparts. Oddly enough, they also tend to have bigger packages.

My cat is an awesome bullshit detector...if she takes to the guy immediately, I know he's going to be a good time. She has never been wrong!

--

errr and what if you're allergic to cats? I feel oppressed by your allergist stylings! no pussy's gonna get in the way of my pussy.

etc.

Roland

"If cats were like hamsters" might be my favorite phrase of the day.

Can somebody make a list of 101 things that would not have happened if cats were like hamsters?

I'd hit that.

Vin

If cats were like hamsters and eat their own youngs, this would not have happened.

MT

I think the cat in the pot is hysterical. It's right up there with the cats in the sink (didn't I see a link to that website on here?) It looks happy enough to be in there.

Rocknrope

I would bet green money this gal has an eharmony profile up...

"Animal Lover 4 U!"

Kevin G

Cats and pot rule...

Jen

Wendy, thanks for the link - that picture of a cat in the pot is too much!

newyorkette

Did somebody say "catne"?

Kevin G

Only two pussies per apartment? Sacrilege!

Kojak

It’s a mental condition. It’s not like these people can help it. Jail is not exactly an answer for these cases.

Mr. Brightside

The lesson should be don't abuse/torture animals by doing this. Why isn't this idiot in jail?

wendy

For anyone who's interested, this story actually appeared a while back in the Queens Ledger/Brooklyn Star.

http://www.queensledger.com/StoryDisplay.asp?NewsStoryID=3429

Mothra

Uhm:
Put their food in stainless steel dishes, so they don't get cat acne (acne can affect their self-esteem)
Holy-fucking-shit no.

Laura

I love that she smokes while her mom has esophageal cancer--classy.

Brightliner

I've never understood why some people "collect" cats like this. At some point (after more than three per person, if you ask me), you just can't give the cats the attention they deserve. You have to do more for a cat than just put food out for them then walk off to the next one.

BTW, "hr" is still bitter that many women pick cats over him. So he rationalizes in his mind that it's the "disgusting" cats and it's the "crazy" women. It's never him. Yup, women with cats never get men. Maybe he should explain that to Jen Chung and Molly Dobkin's husbands.

ed_Extinct

mmmm! chinese food...

pussy loving hussy

Ah HR, cat owning women know that cat loving men are a thousand times better in the sack than their unfortunate counterparts. Oddly enough, they also tend to have bigger packages.

My cat is an awesome bullshit detector...if she takes to the guy immediately, I know he's going to be a good time. She has never been wrong!

hr

Remember ladies ... it all starts with one. Look how it can turn out. SHe probably got her first cat because she broke up with a boyfriend and thought it'd be a good replacement.