While some regions of the world have the benefit of not suffering from a harsh winter, Tekirdag, Turkey is not one of those places. Local dentist Sebnem Ilhan, a self-proclaimed animal lover who also volunteers her time at local shelters, has done something simple yet amazing to help the stray cats that suffer during these cold times.
According to Ilhan, Tekirdag is particularly cold this year and she wants the homeless cats to have a safe haven when the nights are freezing. She told Love Meow,
“It is very cold here this winter. My housekeeper and I are living in the warmth. I was sad and worried about the cats outside.”
Rather than trying to lure in or catch stray cats to help them, which is never a good idea because cats are very independent and often skittish so this can lead to them hurting others and becoming fearful of humans, she decided to build an entryway into her home. This way, cats can come in of their own volition and leave whenever they please. It also means that she doesn’t have to be outside actively letting cats in and that they can instead let themselves in. She told The Dodo,
“I made the ladder so the cats can come into my comfortable house.”
Ilhan dedicated a part of her home to the cats that come in by making the space a safe haven that is open at all times. So far, 10 cats have come by and the numbers are rising as others see their cat contemporaries entering this home and leaving happy.
Since Ilhan wasn’t sure how this additional ladder would sit with her neighbors, she added the decorative plants to make it cute and win them over. It turns out, however, that her idea has been well-received and the feedback has been positive.
When asked why she puts in the effort to help these animals, she said,
“I wish no animal is hungry or thirsty, just happy.”
“I don’t think I have done much at all. I try to make a difference for the animals that I touch and see,” Ilhan said. “This world is not just for us people.”
Would you construct a similar ladder to help animals if you could? Please share, like, and comment on this article!
This article (Woman Builds Ladder To Her Window So Stray Cats Can Come In And Be Warm) is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to the author and True Activist.
