Woman arrested for burying cat carcasses in park

The story that is coming from the suspect seems very plausible. Sounds like she is suffering from some mental issues like depression. It is really easy to let everything go when you are depressed. I could possible see someone suffering from mental issues then try to comfort themselves with animals. When the animal companions are no longer working, they too get neglected because the person is looking for other ways to get treatment. Thus, these animals are locked in the home eventually succumbing to either starvation, disease or heat.

She certainly looked a bit loopy on the news.

I am not a doctor, but she should be tested for toxoplasmosis. She certainly has crazy cat lady syndrome. Go look it up. It is not a clinical term, but it might be someday. Wikipedia has long articles about this.

I suppose some people will see this as a chicken and egg problem. Does the crazy come from the cats, or do the cats come from the crazy? Why not both?

Anyway, the possibility of abuse to the cats should be investigated. I doubt it can be proven, and I would say trying to bury them in a park kind of labels this woman as someone who needs help. So there we are.

Just what was she supposed to have done with them?

Just what was she supposed to have done with them?

Police said Takezawa abused the cats in September and October last year, which resulted in their deaths... Takezawa was previously questioned by police when the unsanitary conditions of her apartment became an issue. Takezawa’s residence was covered in cat feces and urine

So, it appears she neglected the poor things. That's the problem when you can't resist taking in strays (if that's what she did) or maybe have some mental health issues. Apologies, I loathe speculation on these sad stories and now I'm doing just that.

Contact.City-Hall and have the dead animals picked up is what she should have done.

"I loathe speculation on these sad stories"

But in the absence of truth, or even sufficient facts to draw strong conclusions, what are people left with? People will give a benefit of doubt, or assume the worst in most of these cases. I do agree that it often reveals more about the commenter than the story itself. But the way the stories are written also seems to invite the speculation, if you really think about it. People are curious, and skeptical. That can be a really good thing.

Is it useless? What good comes from it? Well, sharing opinions and speculation can spur people to learn more about these kinds of problems. These problems of animal abuse, dementia, and toxoplasmosis are certainly not going away. I have to admit my bias that an attitude of "tsk tsk" or "gosh how sad" seems far less productive to me than people asking questions or suggesting causes. Social sciences are more moral than many religions in this respect, if you ask me. Studying and understanding human behavior is a far more successful strategy, loathsome though it often is, than merely assuming that some people are "good" and others are "bad," and turning away in horror. All of us are potentially loathsome creatures. The fact that most of us are not is also an example of useful speculation. The fact that science builds and accumulates knowledge rather than dismissing it also suggests that it is the better course in the long run.

If we don't wonder WHY people do what they do, then we are wasting our time with psychology, a justice system, most laws, most social science, and most of government.

Finally, the REAL problem with speculation that shows up recently is that people often don't read or inform themselves before speculating. People don't even use the knowledge they have available. Lazy lynch mobs and agenda-driven witch hunts are all too common.