When Neighbors Don't Love Cats

 We have been providing insulated and waterproof shelters for the TNR cats that reside in the woods that is adjacent to our home. We have been caretakers since 1999 and honestly had no idea that neighbors were watching from afar and that they didn't love cats.

Recently we were made aware of the neighbor's concerns as animal control told me that all the cat houses had to be removed from the public woods and that I could only provide the shelters in my yard. (however, if the cats become a nuisance then I would have to remove the cat houses)  Animal control made me aware of a neighbor that was bothered by the cat houses and had reported me for providing a cat house in my yard (behind a privacy fence) and in the woods.

The cat houses could not be seen by the woods trail.  You would have to hike off the trail to find them.  I suppose they may have followed me one day when I went out to feed the colony of TNR cats.  The neighbor was not bothered by the cat feedings but certainly wanted the cat houses removed. 

Our weather can be brutal with extreme heat in the summer and bitter cold with snow in the winter. The cat houses may have saved the colony cats' life because they were insulated to keep cats cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.

When neighbors don't love cats and put a stop to people that help cats, then they hurt cats by denying them shelter.   I know that going forward that I need to be more careful about what is said to neighbors and to change my time for feeding the colony cats as I don't know what the neighbors that do not like cats will do next. 

Here is a photo of what my outdoor cat shelters look like.  They are not cheap nor are they eyesores. Yes, I am angered at this neighbor for being so hateful toward the cats. 

The cat houses in the photos below are in my yard.  I bought 4 houses like this 2 for my yard and 2 for the woods cats.  These quality-made houses should not offend anyone.