Well, I've been busted on feeding cats

[Auntie Debbie]

outside. Seems someone has it in for me and my landlord. I got home Thursday night and he had a notice on his door with a complaint about his hedges in the back being overgrown, the pallet loaded with crap on the side of the driveway and his three disabled cars. This could not have been a random inspection or a complaint just about yard conditions. It has to be someone who knows him and knows he has "3"cars not working.
Then today in the mail I get a letter from the board of health stating that someone filed a complaint against me for feeding wildlife.
This has to be someone who "knows" us and what we do. I think it's the snotty woman upstairs from me. She is one nasty lonely uptight, b from you know where.
At first my landlord thought it might be the people next door that used to have the dog he used to complain about., but I'm friends with them and they wouldn't have filed a complaint about the cats. The woman there even helped me bury Cali-Co in her yard!
I think it's the nasty b upstairs from me because she recently got a new car and with the landlords four cars in the back and mine, there is no room for her and her car. So why then take it out on me and the critters in the back. Why? Because she's nasty, vindictive and hasn't got much else to do. She just sits up there just about 24/7 smoking day in and day out. I can even smell her smoke in my living room as it filters down the hall into my apartment. Doesn't even take up her mail for days on end.
Of course by process of elimination and the fact that most of the neighbors are into the stray cats, she would the the logical one. I tried calling the number on the letter today but of course the office is closed. And I'm sure when I call on Monday they won't tell me who complained. Shouldn't that be the law that they should tell you?
Apparently this ordinance about feeding wildlife was just passed a coule of months ago. Now I guess I have to live in fear about the nasty b or anyone else complaining about my inside cats. Especially now with Missy I have 6.
Argh!!!!!!!

[Traci]

Counter with a board of health complaint about second hand smoke, and have them post that notice on her door.

Not that I condone bitter neighbor battles, but this is just plain crappy on her part. Also, if the landlord has no problem with you feeding the cats, there shouldn't be that much cause for concern -- why wasn't this taken up between her and the landlord anyway? I'd like to know how the board of health got into this anyway, exactly how does your feeding the cats affect anyone?

Do you have a link to your city's ordinance? Does your city also have feral cat ordinances? If there is some sort of condtion in an ordinance (i.e., feral cat organizers, the city can't really complain if a landlord has agreed to feeding/managing ferals on his/her property)...

[Auntie Debbie]

There is an ordinance; went into effect two months ago. I'm assuming it's her, only because I can't imagine anyone else knowing that much about what goes on around here that would want to nail both the land lord and myself. The letter stated that if I am feeding cats they should be vaccinated for rabies and I must take ownership. All I need to do I think is trap Mr. Orange, put a collar with his rabies tag on him and let him back out. (Ideally I was hoping to catch him, neuter him, get him his shots and see if he's at all a good candidate for being homed) Then if I claim ownership to "feral" Mr. Orange, I will be feeding "him". Right????
Gotta get ready g\to go out, but we'll pick up on this again tomorrow.

[Traci]

If Mr Orange IS in fact, already vaccinated for rabies, then putting a collar with the rabies tag would seem sufficient. But, the rabies tag has to be current. One problem with this is if he is caught by animal control, and there is no owner info on his tag, or no vet clinic number on the tag, he could be in trouble. If you have your info on the tag, and if the rabies vacc/tag isn't current, then YOU could be in trouble for not having it current. Also, if the ordinance states "owners" must have their cats safely contained (in the house, in a fenced yard, etc), AND properly licensed by the city, then you could still be in trouble for not following the rules. This woman has really put you in an awful position, and I'm sure she's enjoying every minute of it.

If your city has a website, or animal shelter website, look closely for the ordinance and it's wording, and look for any indication about feral cats. Find out if the health department has it right, or even if they have a right to tell you what to do regarding ferals. I'm assuming they are talking about the "public health issue" of unvaccinated animals, particularly the rabies issue, but anything beyond that probably isn't even in their scope of operations, that would be up to the city or animal control to deal with. If you keep the premises clean from garbage etc, you're not posing any public health issue (save for rabies vaccinations for the cats), as far as I can see.

If the woman updatairs has a complaint about the landlord's 4 cars, why can't they work that out between themselves and not drag you into the middle of it? Have you talked to your landlord about this? Sometimes, all it takes is an attempt to communicate and for an amicable resolution. Although it sounds like the woman upstairs has nothing better to do than meddle in other people's affairs simply because she's unhappy. If that's the case, you may be in for the long haul, but accusing you and feeding the cats as a public health issue without bothering to communicate is just her way of being lazy, curmudgery (?), and outright mean.

We get that here all the time. "they crap in my yard, they ruin my flowerbeds, blah blah blah", educating them is futile I usually tell them cat poo is excellent fertilizer for those flowers, and since the cats bury it in the soil, it's instant fertilizer, saves money at their garden center. It's usually futile though, they just HAVE to complain about something.

[Auntie Debbie]

I will trap Mr. O and see if he's a good candidate for finding a home. I owe him that. If not, then he will be the one I collar with a name tag and rabies tag and hope for the best for him. But that way he will be fed and if anyone else feels like dipping into his bowl, i can't help that, now can I?
I do plan on calling the health department Mon or Tues (Mons are very busy for me at work) and discussing this further. The letter was basically telling me what I can't do...."but" I can do other things around it. I don't think they're hostile, just following a complaint.
I also have another theory as to who the complainer may be. His own son. He was just around here a couple of weeks ago when John (landlord) hurt his knee. His son did complain to me that Dad's apartment wasn't really all that tidy. So, since this guy is going to inherit the place one day, maybe he want things spruced up for the day the old man kicks and it'll be less for him to clean up. Who knows? But it's definitely someone that knows exactly who'd who and what is going on here. Any wonder why I prefer animals to peoploe any day?

[Traci]

But wouldn't your landlord mention that to you if the son was the complainer?

I'd be willing to bet the health department is, as you say, just following up, but other than the rabies issue (which even then, isn't always within their authority to act), they really shouldn't have anything to do with this.

[Auntie Debbie]

The landlords' son is a jerk and I wouldn't really put it past him. Also the landlord wouldn't know if it was son unless the officials told him sho complained or whoever the compainer is fessed up.
I just hope that whoever did this will one day need a meal or an act of kindness and not get it.

[Auntie Debbie]

I feel like a real heel and I haven't heard back from the Health Department.
I leave for work this morning and in front there were two squirrels waiting for me. Out back there were three. They were all looking at me and coming closer than they usually do, looking at me like, "What's up? No more nuts?" Told them I was sorry and that there's Meanos in the world. I will be looking into bird feeders soon.
Meanwhile, at work, I called the Health Dept, twice. No answer. I am to stop "this practice" immediately but they can't even return my call. They close at 4:30. It's 4:27. My breath is not being held. That's real fair isn't it?
If I do see Mr. Orange when I get home, I do plan on putting some dry down on the ground for him. #$^@$ them and where they all live!

[Tambrey]

{{{Auntie Debbie}}}

Can you maybe just be casually walking along with a small bag of nuts and have it "accidentally" tear open, then you can fall to the ground and "attempt to scoop them up" but then throw your hands up in frustration and just walk away?!

As for feeding the ferals....hhmmm....discreetness....gotta think on that one...it is a bit tougher than accidentally spilling your nuts!!!

[Auntie Debbie]

Tambrey, I've got to shell them first...leave no evidence. If I see Mr. Orange or any of them I will leave food on the ground, but I really can't draw much attention to myself right now. I will be working on birdfeeders though.
With all the work being done around here and no food left out, Mr. Orange hasn't been around. I hope I haven't lost him.