Leave bully neighbours behind

- For 20-plus years I’ve rented an office space that shares common hallway/restrooms with other tenants on that floor.

A five-year tenant has been hostile toward me and another construction company for the last two years.

They’re unhappy that our slum landlord keeps the hallways/restrooms dimly lit and cleaned only sporadically, etc.

The other issue is that I have one cat that lives in my office and so does one of the other tenants.

We’ve had these cats for 12 years, and before that, another cat for eight years.

The tenant has called the village authorities and complained, resulting in a notice requiring us to relocate the cats.

There’s nothing pets in the office laws.

But the village official said that specific about in the zoning since we’re not a shelter, it’s not allowed.

These neighbours have made my life hell.

They make rude noises when I’m in the bathroom, pour water on the cat, and leave outside doors open so that bugs come in.

They yell and scream at us because we aren’t “nice” to them (they didn’t get invited to my wedding) and leave bad reviews of our companies on social media.

Talking only results in them screaming at me. They’re trying (unsuccessfully so far) to get me evicted.

There’s no other place to move the cats, other than to a shelter.

Other than move, what should I do about these bully neighbours? Cat-Lover

- You could go to the police and accuse them with harassment, but that can become a costly, timeconsuming legal battle if it goes to court.

It’ll also make your life a worse nightmare of stress because these people don’t hold back.

You haven’t said why can’t live in your home.

If possible, that would be the simplest solution.

But my own leaning would be to move, despite the inconvenience.

Removing the cat to a shelter won’t make these bullies nicer people. It’ll just give them more power. Leaving them to the neglectful slum landlord seems sweeter justice to me… and provides you with the chance for a new locale, better conditions, nicer neighbours… and, perhaps, a happier atmosphere for the cat, too.

the

cat