Unsure situation. Please help!

beccagore

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First off I was unsure where to post this, but since I consider these cats strays/Ferals I will post it here, lol.

So about 2 years ago we bought a house, and met our neighbor. He has barrel racing horses, and about 15 barn cats. Being a crazy cat lady I did not mind that they would wonder onto my property, and hang out with me while I did yard work. My family, and his family became close, and I started helping with the animals over time, because I notice while he took top notch care of his horses, the cats where in his opinion "just barn cats, some live, some die, blah blah blah." They would go at times without food, or very little food, some had bad ear mites, some had fleas. So I did my best to help the cats. Flea baths, cleaned out their ears, gave them whatever scraps we had in the kitchen. Over time I had grown very close to all of the cats. All these cats do is breed! During the summer they have tons of kittens! Whenever one would have kittens, and the mother would die for whatever reason, or she would reject them, or she wasn't quite the best mother, the neighbors daughter would drop them at my door, and beg me to take care of them, and insure they don't die. Of course I never minded helping, but it started to get annoying. The father would say one day. "I don't care if that F-ing cat dies, they're barn cats, they die all the time!." Then his daughters would find one that wasn't doing well, they would start crying, and he come right to me, and say please help, we don't need anymore dead cats around here, I don't want to see it die. So I would take it in for a few months, and get them fixed up. After a while my husband, and I agreed that I was done taking these cats in, because I would spend so much of my time helping the cats only for them to die, days, weeks, or months later, and the neighbor never seemed to appreciate anything I did. 

About 6 months ago 2 of the kittens someone in town had taken as pets, showed up, and just dropped off the 2 sisters. *They were adorable, and so sweet!* What I found funny is that, the guy dropped them off at our neighbors, and they ran straight to my yard, and WOULD NOT go to his house for any reason. They'd follow me if I went over there, but they would not go on there own, or stay there at all! So they ended up sleeping on our porch, or in our garage. After a few weeks one of the sisters disappeared, and I was saddened by it, but became sort of used to it as sad as that sounds. Our neighbor had always said that those 2 cats were pretty mine, because they would not leave me, or my porch. During that time the 1 cat that had survived became pregnant.

Now flash forward to the last 2 months. He had been having me watch his horses every weekend for 2 months whenever he, and his kids went to horse shows, and again I did not mind at all! I love animals, and helping in anyway I can, the last weekend he asked me to watch the horses it was 120 degrees all weekend, and I was busting my butt keeping my animals, and HIS cool, fresh water, fed, fans on, shaded, etc. As I was walking back to my house I noticed "my" cat was not pregnant anymore. I said, "Oh you had your babies! Show me where they are." She meowed, and walked right to her kittens, and sat down to feed them. She had them in a bush that was sitting right by the neighbors AC unit. As I looked at these kittens, they were all black, and born right in the sun, and panting so so so hard. I got scared right away. I swear they looked as though they might die in the heat. So I scooped up momma, and all 4 of the kittens, and rushed them to our garage, got water for momma, and put a fan on all of them. Momma seemed a little nervous, so I took them all exactly back to where she had them. I sat them all down, as I stepped back she laid down, and began to feed them once again. The neighbor sent me a text saying it was too hot out, and they were coming back home early. 

The neighbor and his kids get home, and I walk over to say hi, and ask how the horse show went, and he seemed a little short, and rude whenever he spoke, so I went outside to talk to his oldest daughter (16.) She said the show went great, they are just hot, and tired. I told her that Raven had her kittens, and she asked where they were. I showed her the bush, and they were all sleeping. I told her about me trying to cool them in our garage, but having to bring them back, and she didn't say anything. We said bye, and I walked home. 

An hour later the neighbor texts me, and he is livid, and sending very rude, and hateful texts. "Did you really f-ing take MY cats to your garage, and the momma cat had to take them back, because you tried to keep them?! You can't do that Becca, what is wrong with you?!" I sent back. "They were about to die from the heat, so I tried to keep them cool, momma seemed nervous, so I took them all back, and she laid down to feed them, they are fine." He said "I really doubt they are fine! I bet she'll kill them now, or move them, and I truly hope she hides them from you. They are MY cats, and they WILL STAY on MY property." I just sent back, "Ok." Then he tried blaming me for his other cats dying, because I let them come into my yard. *rolls eyes* At that point my husband had, had enough of his ungratefullness, and went to talk to him. While there the neighbor jumped up in my husbands face threatening him, and trying to hit him, or my husband kneed him in the stomach. Needless to say, we no longer speak, and want nothing to do with them, and I have not been near their property since that event. About 2 days after that his daughter text me asking if I had taken the kittens again, and I said no I haven't stepped foot near your property. Well with careful eyes I had seen the momma cat move the kittens from the bush to just behind the AC unit, but I NEVER went over there at all! 

Raven, *the momma cat* still comes to my house every day when she isn't dealing with her kittens, and again I don't mind. I pet her for a while, and she hurries back to her babies. Now the issue is. 2 days ago my husband, and I were outside on the porch, and the tiniest little kitten hobbled on to our porch. Omg are they CUTE!! Then I see 3 more, and I knew right off that they were Raven's. I quickly checked them for any health issues, made sure they all looked good. I scooped them all up, and walked just barely to the fence line that separates our properties, and sat them gently on his side of the fence. I go back out the next day, and find that momma brought them all to the bush by the side of our house, and they have been there for a while, because I found little kitten poops all over the inside of the bush. I checked to make sure my neighbor wasn't home, and tried to put them back on his property, and an hour later I found them sleeping in the same bush by our house. My husband is really worried that the neighbor will somehow use this as the perfect excuse to start more crap with us. (I personally don't think he will, but my husband is very worried.) 

I'm not sure what to do. I take them over there, and they come right back. I feel so bad, but I can not get involved any longer, but I love the crap out of these little guys already! I feel sp bad, because Raven even though she had her babies in his bush, she never eats there, nothing. She's either with her babies, or on my porch, and her babies are starting to do the same thing. 

I angry at the neighbor for treating me as if I am an idiot when it comes to outside cats, and cats in general. I am 25 years old, and have been dealing with cats since I could even say the word cat, haha. I've dealt with hundred's of wild, outdoor, stray, feral, and barn cats. I know what to do, and knew what I was doing when these kittens were born. 
 

ondine

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Where I'm from, if he isn't providing food for the cats, he's guilty of animal cruelty.  Even though they are barn cats, they deserve the minimum of care and he is not providing it.   Also, if you feed a cat for seven days, the local powers-that-be consider it your cat.

Is there an SPCA or Humane Society near you that you can contact for information about the law?  You need to find out if he's breaking any and proceed from there.

From your description, you neighbor sounds a bit unbalanced - one minute expecting you to care for his animals and the next accusing you of stealing them.  That would be more reason to make me find out where I stood legally.

I think the ultimate solution depends on what you want to do.  Whether you are willing to provide food and shelter for the cats or you simply want to ensure their well being, you have a different fight on your hands.

Talk to the local authorities first, then make a decision.

I would also explore the resources near you concerning spaying and neutering,  Outside cats have a rough enough life as it is.  Being pregnant every year multiple times only adds to the stress for females.  Male cats fight and hurt one another terribly.  The survival rate for kittens is horrendous.

Once you talk to the authorities and make a decision, you can figure out if spaying and neutering them is in their future.  Personally, I would have been taking them one by one.
 
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beccagore

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There have been a few cats in the past that had chosen to stay on my property rather than his, and I took them to a friend if mine who runs a no kill shelter out of her home. That's I am thinking about doing with these guys as well. I won't take them to any other place around here, because they make you pay to drop them off, AND bill you whatever they received, and I just can not afford that. I don't mind that they live on my land, but between my husband being nervous, and the neighbor being ruthless, I just can't have them. I would love to take them, but I know it would cause us A LOT of trouble. The neighbor would do whatever it took make life hell for us. 
 

Sarthur2

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I agree that it is time to get local authorities involved. It sounds as though nothing will change otherwise. And the neighbor sounds highly volatile.
 
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ondine

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Just to be safe, check with your friend - she may be able to give you guidance, especially about your rights and those of the cats.  You do not want to antagonize this man and you certainly don't want to be on the wrong side of the law.
 
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