Well, I've been busted on feeding cats

[Traci]

Just leave the food in an inconspicuous place, Mr Orange will find it if he knows you've left it. Leave the food at night or early morning when it's not light out yet (providing you're up that early).

The squirrels can live on sunflower seeds if you scatter them or put a pile in another inconspicuous area (but try not to put them near where the cats would be)...chances are, the squirrels are eating berries and stems anyway, so a few sunflower seeds will tidy them over.

As for the health dept, document your efforts on that, since they saw fit to put a notice on your door, you can see fit they answer their phone (log how many times you've tried to no avail to respond to your notice, that gives you a good mark for "good faith efforts" if necessary). If they don't answer their phone, then how are you supposed to respond or complain about the notice? If you get an answering service, leave a number where they can reach you. (more proof you've tried to contact them)

[Auntie Debbie]

Documenting my attempts to contact them is a very good idea. The dept. also has an email addy so if I don't hear from them by tomorrw afternoon, tomorrow night I will emailing them a letter.
I mean how can you tell someone to stop doing something that was legal until two months ago, and then thell them they can't do whatever anymore and not answer their calls? Not faor at all!

[Traci]

Well that's what I mean, if the notice contained wording that they expect you to "respond or act" to the notice, and you make attempts to do so, and they don't communicate, then either they don't take their own job seriously, or they are only serving you notice to cover their own behinds. As I stated earlier, this doesn't sound like a job for the health dept, but rather, animal control, in which, let's hope it NEVER gets to that point.

[Auntie Debbie]

I'm hoping too that it doesn't get to that point. First of all, whoever made the complaint also got on my landlord about 3 disabled cars, the mess in the corner of the parking lot and the hedges. Disgruntled neighbor? Maybe but how would they know 3 of his cars don't work? I say it's either the b above me or his son.

Well, well, well....as I was typing above I got a call from the health dept. Of course they won't tell me who made the complaint. All she did tell me was who the cop was that the compaint was made to. So I asked if I could feed Mr. Orange if I catch him and put the collar on his with the rabies tag etc. Sure but just him. Well dang, I can't he;p it is other cats in the the neighborhoood eat his food too. Bird feeders are to be 5 feet above ground. To prtect my butt since I dont know who the erk is and she won't tell, I asked about trapping. Sure as long as I register whatever I catch. I really tried to keep a positive attitude with this b^#ch and the more I talked the crappier she got. I finally flat out told her I get the message about the complaint. I do try to home what I can, if I can. I am trying to clean up someone else's mess. She asked how many cats are there....dunno, I've only the the orange one who I've seen chase the "other two" away. I don't want her bringing animal control around so I downplayed it. She expects me to leave the trap out while I'm at work. I explained that I've done this and I'd prefer to be home when it's out so I can keep an eye on it in case I catch something other than a cat. She wants to come around whenever and it had better be out there. "B with a major capital B"! I'm just too furious right now to even think straight.

[Traci]

So, get a trap, rig it so it won't actually work, leave it there, but camoflauged so the B upstairs can't find it and use it!

The less said the better, especially to whomever at the health dept phone line. It's truly not in their authority to govern feral cats.

Are you comfortable asking your landlord about the son being the complainer? Are you comfortable asking the landlord to speak to the B upstairs and simply resolving this? If she's going to be a chronic complainer and bad neighbor, then he has the authority to "counter-threaten" her with whatever, since he IS the landlord, correct? (not that I condone this, but ...)

What a mess, and I definately can sympathize with you! But, me, I wouldn't let this one incident prevent me from continuing to feed the cats (or the birds or the squirrels).

[Auntie Debbie]

I'm actually beginning to think it may not be the b upstairs. If it was her, she'd probably go after the inside cats too while she was at it. In fact she could also have gone after more things wrong with the property that affect real living conditions. Of course it could still be her and she just didn't think through it all.
I've already talked to that landlord and told him I think it might possibly be his son, and he even agreed that it is a possibility. He seemed to brighten up when I said I was going to try to find out who it is. I doubt he likes the idea that someone has so much to say and we don't know who either.
Go over to BCC board. I really let loose there about how I could retaliate against most of my neighbors....but let's not expose the complainer so we don't start any rifts. I could take down the whole block if I wanted to. Just may! The way I left it with the b on the board, was that "we'll stay in touch". Made me feel like she will now be keeping tabs on me as well. I guess if I fart I'll have the frickin EPA on my *beep*.

[Traci]

This may not be sound advice on my part, because you know exactly what I would do, but here goes. Forget the B at the health dept. You've responded to the complaint. Unless you've asked for the complaint to be discarded or finalized or closed or whatever they require, then it should be a moot issue now with her and the dept. Again, document what transpired from the time you attempted to reach them, to the actual discussion, to what steps you took that weren't even technically your responsibility to rectify the situation as worded in the complaint/notice posted on your door. You've done your part, the rest is up to them and an invisible coward who can't bother him/herself to provide real information, let alone any truthiness (stolen from Colbert -I hope you can laugh at that).

If the landlord has been confronted with the problems you mention, then why didn't he tell you who complained about the other issues? It does sound like one person, and whomever complained about the cars, etc, is probably the one who complained about the cats. It's the landlord's responsibility to handle such complaints between himself and the complainer and NOT bring you or any of the other neighbors into it.

You could call the police dept and ask for the officer who filed or recieved the initial complaint. Ask who the complainer was (although anyone can file an "anonymous" complaint, they should have the balls to give a name and address, otherwise it should be viewed as an invalid complaint), Briefly explain you feel the complaint was in error, far-fetched and your responsibility has been met. You wish to express that if any further notice comes your way from the complainer or anyone else over this particular issue, that you intend to contemplate counter-issuing a complaint against THEM for harrassment. Do NOT give information about TNR, feeding stray/ferals, or feeding squirrels/birds, unless you are asked directly for that information, be brief, to the point but don't offer any more information than is directly asked of you, if any at all. You are not obligated to tell anyone you have a direct interest/passion for helping strays and ferals etc, and you are not obligated to tell them you TNR or anything else. To do so, with the wrong people (particularly those in power, oftentimes are uneducated anyway and don't give one iota about feral cats), could cause you to look like the crazy cat woman up the street. Do not underestimate city/federal employees, while they are obligated to investigate complaints, they usually don't have the slightest clue on what TNR is, or why people do it. You sometimes have to treat them with kid gloves but when you do, keep all information brief as possible so you're not putting yourself in a situation that leaves YOU as the bad guy. If you talk to the officer, document the discussion as well. Heck, I'd even document the discussions with the landlord.

Talk to the landlord again and request that it's his job to find out who complained and to take that directly up with that person. Tell him you prefer things are handled amicably, that you've done your part, the other person needs to shut up or put up. (um, not in those exact words of course, but you know what I mean).

If you can't put out a non-working trap (the rigged one or don't have one) and the health dept comes by, simply tell them it's in use by another person and you're not obligated to give any other information. I mean, who are they, the Debbie-police? If they call, stop by, harrass, etc, then ask them to define to you what exactly you are doing wrong.

As for food, use sunflower seeds either shelled or non-shelled for the birds and squirrels, raise the feeders (god only knows why, seed gets dropped to the ground regardless of height), scatter peanuts in the crooks of the trees, under brush, or even slightly hidden under leaves, the squirrels will find them. (they bury them anyway in winter). You can use shelled peanuts (can get them at petsmart) without shells, and use these the same way for the squirrels.

Maybe put out smaller amounts of food for the cats in hidden areas (but areas the cats know where to find), twice a day (morning and night), leave a few treats to lead them to the food. I wouldn't even worry about sneaking out at night just to accomplish the job, but just be careful if BF isn't around or with you. Better that you're not alone with some hidden coward around, and not go out at night, but you shouldn't have to live like this either, you shouldn't have to worry about him/her at all.

[Auntie Debbie]

Landlord really doesn't know. He's 85 and really hasno clue on how to find out. His notice was on his door. Mine was mailed to me as the wildlife feeding is me and the rest of the stuff is him. I've already shot my foot by saying I trap and tnr. Damage done, no going back. Move forward. I simply cannot leave a live trap out all day. I will leave it out, closed with a note stating that I cannot in good concious leave it out unattended all day. Whatever goes in could thrash and hurt itself. She's an idiot. I really wanted to ask her if being an idiot was like being high all the time. But that wouldn't have helped my situation. I'm just hoping that she will eventually lose interest and find someone else to bug.
There are just some people out there that just have to suck. They're not happy otherwise. My landlord actually feels b ad about the whole thing and was genuiniely afraid that I might think it was him that complained. I know it wasn't him because he liked me feeding them and I am pretty cetain he wouldn't rat on himself, LOL!
So for now, I gotta let this slide, finally put up bird feeders, catch Mr. O and if he can be homed great, if not tnr. But I will get him registered, etc. and take it from there.
I am however afraid my cat feeding days are over. The neighbors two doors down still feed them, but they said they've only been seeing one of the black ones. Maybe Mr. O is chasing them away or maybe the complainer or someone else has Ac out on their trail.
This whole thing just has me sick. It really is so, so creepy knowing someone is "watching" you and you don't know who. That's just plain wrong.
And here's a picture of the Health Dept B

[Traci]

Hey, I know her, and her no-good friends!

Never say never. Mr Orange might just be on the prowl, you know it's April. Don't give up and don't give in Debbie, and most of all, don't let some invisible coward with nothing better to do than make life miserable for the sole purpose because he/she is miserable, get to you. You are the better person, don't change that! (besides, Mr Orange and his friends know that). Don't think of this as defeat, think of it as a bigger opportunity to help the cats because there's one more wicked witch to protect them from!

[Auntie Debbie]

I'd be afraid at this point to even bring any of them in, because I have to report to her when I do. Sick, this is sick.I'm taking care of cats and squirrels and birds, not running a freaking prostitution ring here. I fed some cats. I'm not a *beep* offender. Should wear a Scarlet letter?
I'm just hoping this will run its' course and Ms. Gulch will find something bigger and better to play with.
And the fact that it is April is what is so upsetting. I'm sure if there aren't kittens out there now, there will be.