When I grow up ...

I wanna be a crazy cat lady. Seriously.



UPDATE:

Ok on a more serious note, I googled animal hoarding to read more about this weird habit in some people. Picked the mental health issue side of it from wiki:

"Mental health issues

Though it has not been firmly linked to any specific psychological disorder, evidence suggests that there is “a strong mental health component” in animal hoarding.^[14] Models that have been projected to explain animal hoarding include delusional disorder, attachment disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and various others, but more study is required before definitive explanations or diagnoses can be made.

Delusional Disorder

Animal hoarders display symptoms of delusional disorder in that they have a “belief system out of touch with reality”.^[14] Virtually all hoarders lack insight into the extent of deterioration in their habitations and on the health of their animals, refusing to acknowledge that anything is wrong.^[13] Further, hoarders may believe they have “a special ability to communicate and/or empathize with animals,”^[20] rejecting any offers of assistance. Delusional disorder is an effective model in that it offers an explanation of hoarder’s apparent blindness to the realities of their situations.

Attachment Disorder

Another model that has been suggested to explain animal hoarding is attachment disorder. Attachment disorder, which is primarily caused by poor parent-child relationships during childhood, is characterized by an inability to form “close relationships in adulthood”.^[20] As a result, those suffering from attachment disorder may turn to possessions, such as animals, to fill their need for a loving relationship. Interviews with animal hoarders have revealed that often hoarders experienced domestic trauma in childhood, providing evidence for this model.^[20]

Obsessive-compulsive Disorder

Perhaps the strongest psychological model put forward to explain animal hoarding is obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) 5. An overwhelming sense of responsibility for something is characteristic of OCD patients, who then take unrealistic measures to fulfill their perceived duty. Animal hoarders often feel a strong sense of responsibility to take care of and protect animals, and their solution—that of acquiring as many animals as they possibly can—is clearly unrealistic.^[20] Further, the hoarding of inanimate objects, practiced by a majority of animal hoarders^[13], is a fairly common occurrence in OCD patients.^[20] These connections between animal hoarding and obsessive-compulsive disorder suggest that OCD may be a useful model in explaining animal hoarding behavior.^[20]

Cat hoarding and "Cat Ladies"

Recently, there has been speculation in popular media that the widespread incidence of cat hoarding may be related to infection with the Toxoplasma gondii parasite ^[21] Unlike ordinary animal hoarding, which is often caused by obsessive compulsive disorder, it has been speculated that one of the effects of Toxoplasma gondii could render the infected host attracted to, or at least not offended by, the scent of cat urine.

Others

Other models have also been suggested, including zoophilia, dementia, and addiction, although there is little direct evidence to support these.^[20]

Further research and study is needed before any psychological models of animal hoarding can be firmly established.^[13]"

WTF xD Crazy cat ladies are attracted to the smell of cat's urine!!? But let's be fair, the reason why they are attracted to the smell of cat's urine is due to them being a host to the parasite T. gondii. Check this out:

"T. gondii infections have the ability to change the behavior of rats and mice, making them drawn to rather than fearful of the scent of cats. This effect is advantageous to the parasite, which will be able to sexually reproduce if its host is eaten by a cat. ^[8] The infection is almost surgical in its precision, as it does not affect a rat's other fears such as the fear of open spaces or of unfamiliar smelling food. There has been speculation that human behavior may also be affected in some ways, and correlations have been found between latent Toxoplasma infections and various characteristics such as decreased novelty-seeking behavior, slower reactions, feelings of insecurity, and neuroticism.^[9]

Several independent pieces of evidence point towards a possible role of Toxoplasma infection in some cases of schizophrenia and paranoia, but this theory does not seem to account for many cases.^[10] A recent study has indicated toxoplasmosis is also correlated strongly with an increase in boy births in humans, leading to an alteration of the human sex ratio.^[11] According to the researchers, "depending on the antibody concentration, the probability of the birth of a boy can increase up to a value of 0.72 " The study also notes a mean rate of 0.60 to 0.65 (as opposed to the normal 0.51) for Toxoplasma positive mothers.

One study suggests that a possible behavior modification is that people not infected with the parasite found women with toxoplasma more attractive than women who don't have toxoplasma.^[12] Another study performed in the Czech Republic suggests individuals with latent toxoplasmosis had a 2.65 times higher risk of traffic accidents than noninfected subjects; and concludes "that 'asymptomatic' acquired toxoplasmosis might in fact represent a serious and highly underestimated public health problem, as well as an economic problem."^[13]

The prevalence of human infection by Toxoplasma varies greatly between countries. Factors that influence infection rates include diet (prevalence is possibly higher where there is a preference for less-cooked meat) and proximity to cats."

Ok ... this is getting a little disturbing now. I'll need some time to digest all this. It reminds me of this series of books I read when I was younger, called "Animorphs". Basically the story is of 6 teenagers in an epic battle against an alien parasite species called Yeerk, that infest the body through the ear canal, making the creature their host and also being able to control them.

I think I read science fiction too much.