A little over a year ago I came across a large colony of stray and feral cats that live in the park across a very wide street from a middle class neighborhood and a busy boulevard with a bus stop. Even though plenty of people fed and cared for the cats, the colony population and trash strewn about was out of control. I began mass TNR in the area. Kittens and sociable cats went to rescue, sickly ones were humanely euthanized if treatment was not possible, and healthy ones were returned to the colony once they were vetted. I cleaned the area up and provided wonderful shelters which I placed down into the woods, as well as a feeding area, to keep the cats secure and make them inconspicuous. I continue to run a very tight ship by providing food and medical care. Driving by you would never even know they were there.
All that and it still isn't enough. Some neighbors aren't pleased and they'll gossip amongst themselves but that is mostly harmless. One woman though in particular who fancies herself the ringleader is a manipulative two faced pathological liar who has made things miserable for me and threatens the cats right to live there. For the past year, at the expense of my pride, I have bent over backwards trying to accommodate and address this woman's feelings and grievances no matter how exaggerated or non existent. In return I've gotten nothing but her relentless nagging, stalking, and passive aggressive belittlement. She has poisoned the more open minded neighbors' opinions of me by spreading lies like claiming I called her bad names. If I try to reason with her by having a logical conversation she will stamp her feet and cry to the nearest passerby that I am the one harassing her, that she is the victim and I am the aggressor. All I ever tried to do was work to keep the cats healthy and the community happy.
She waits at her door every morning for me to show up so she can quick run out with her dogs and bark commands at me from her yard. She follows me into the park and stands behind me taking my picture while I try and feed the cats. Sometimes she snaps photos of my car and license plate. She lets me know she is on the board of Best Friends For Animals Society and works with adolescent teens who abuse drugs so she is indeed a good person. In her words she has the Fairmount Park Police on speed dial so I should watch myself. She also lets me know she has a million twitter followers and works for the Howard Stern Show so if she wants to have my colony shut down she can at the drop of a hat. According to her the colony only exists because she allows it to.
I've finally lost my temper with her this morning after euthanizing one of my dilute tortie girls yesterday evening due to pneumonia and early stage hepalipidosis. She was taking pictures of another woman who feeds the cats, my 70 year old mother, and me while I was bent over with my breasts popping out of my shirt trying to feed the cats. I asked her to please stop that. She said she could legally take pictures of us as long as she didn't post them on Facebook. I had enough and got in her face and screamed at her, telling her that she was a mean old lady who was only satisfied when she was unsatisfied so she could justify her relentless bullying. That she had no heart and would grow old and die all alone. It felt so good to get stop being her doormat so I relaxed a bit, then she ran crying to this woman walking her dog. She told the woman that the cats are always on her patio and that she went in to the park to take pictures of the cats to see if her friend wanted to adopt them and I screamed at her efforts. Further adding to my astonishment was the woman walking the dog correcting ME for my so called bad behavior. I tried once more with a cooler head to reason with her but it was useless. Her parting words to me were a threat to call the city or park police to have the cats and their shelters removed.
I love those cats. I love animals in general. I like being part of something good no matter how small it is but I don't know if I can subject myself to this woman anymore. I seriously feel like I am about to have a nervous breakdown. I feel like I have no options. I'm also really worried about the cats. Does anyone have any advice on what to do in this situation or how to deal with this psycho?
A.
All that and it still isn't enough. Some neighbors aren't pleased and they'll gossip amongst themselves but that is mostly harmless. One woman though in particular who fancies herself the ringleader is a manipulative two faced pathological liar who has made things miserable for me and threatens the cats right to live there. For the past year, at the expense of my pride, I have bent over backwards trying to accommodate and address this woman's feelings and grievances no matter how exaggerated or non existent. In return I've gotten nothing but her relentless nagging, stalking, and passive aggressive belittlement. She has poisoned the more open minded neighbors' opinions of me by spreading lies like claiming I called her bad names. If I try to reason with her by having a logical conversation she will stamp her feet and cry to the nearest passerby that I am the one harassing her, that she is the victim and I am the aggressor. All I ever tried to do was work to keep the cats healthy and the community happy.
She waits at her door every morning for me to show up so she can quick run out with her dogs and bark commands at me from her yard. She follows me into the park and stands behind me taking my picture while I try and feed the cats. Sometimes she snaps photos of my car and license plate. She lets me know she is on the board of Best Friends For Animals Society and works with adolescent teens who abuse drugs so she is indeed a good person. In her words she has the Fairmount Park Police on speed dial so I should watch myself. She also lets me know she has a million twitter followers and works for the Howard Stern Show so if she wants to have my colony shut down she can at the drop of a hat. According to her the colony only exists because she allows it to.
I've finally lost my temper with her this morning after euthanizing one of my dilute tortie girls yesterday evening due to pneumonia and early stage hepalipidosis. She was taking pictures of another woman who feeds the cats, my 70 year old mother, and me while I was bent over with my breasts popping out of my shirt trying to feed the cats. I asked her to please stop that. She said she could legally take pictures of us as long as she didn't post them on Facebook. I had enough and got in her face and screamed at her, telling her that she was a mean old lady who was only satisfied when she was unsatisfied so she could justify her relentless bullying. That she had no heart and would grow old and die all alone. It felt so good to get stop being her doormat so I relaxed a bit, then she ran crying to this woman walking her dog. She told the woman that the cats are always on her patio and that she went in to the park to take pictures of the cats to see if her friend wanted to adopt them and I screamed at her efforts. Further adding to my astonishment was the woman walking the dog correcting ME for my so called bad behavior. I tried once more with a cooler head to reason with her but it was useless. Her parting words to me were a threat to call the city or park police to have the cats and their shelters removed.
I love those cats. I love animals in general. I like being part of something good no matter how small it is but I don't know if I can subject myself to this woman anymore. I seriously feel like I am about to have a nervous breakdown. I feel like I have no options. I'm also really worried about the cats. Does anyone have any advice on what to do in this situation or how to deal with this psycho?
A.
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