A compassionate veterinarian from Monchique in Portugal has found a novel way to turn trash into treasure, repurposing old washing machines as shelters for stray cats throughout the town.
Ann Silva came up with the idea when she was caring for two little kittens in her vet practice. The adventurous pair curled up inside a broken washing machine destined for collection in the backyard and made themselves right at home.
“I put in some blankets, and they’ve never left,” said Silva.
Silva regularly sterilizes stray cats and returns them to their colonies, but often worries about them not having shelter to rest and recover. She decided that this was the perfect solution.
After getting permission from the local council, Silva began depositing unwanted, broken washing machines around the town. The machines are decorated with art created by local students and graffiti artists to transform them into funky street art. By involving local children from the local community, Silva hopes to teach them that cats are not harmful and instill the values of compassion and empathy for the future.
There are five of these stylish cat “houses” dotted around town now — spread out through residential areas and one at a local school — but Silva is hoping to grow the initiative further and is accepting donations of old washing machines and dryers.
“The project has only just started so we are welcoming donations and soon hope to place more shelters for our cats.”
The machines make fantastic shelters for the stray cats, keeping them warm in winter and cool in the hot summer months.
The veterinarian also says it’s much easier to keep tabs on and care for the stray cat populations in the area; she was able to sterilize an impressive 50 cats in only one week this month.
She finds homes and she sterilizes and educates. May all people especially Vets continue this.
Mixed feelings – this is a lot of metal not to be recycled. Also I think houses made of other scrap materials would be cooled in summer & warmer in winter than metal.
some day.. when more people are as nice as this… and more people are smart about spay and neuter, they won’t be needed and can be sold for recycle and the money can be donated to a nice new shelter.
Ok, so you’re a gift from God. The compassion, time, and love you put into this for the cats is astonishing and I consider you a H. E..R. O! Getting the kids involved and teaching them about animal welfare.. showing the cats love and giving them shelter, all while minimalizing the problem with the over population. You’re such an angel! Good luck!
I just noticed that the word hero starts with H.E.R. (-:
AS you are so clever, compassionate……….and your idea is so creative. Thanks for helping save innocent souls.
BEST WISHES AND GOOD LUCK TO NOT ONLY SAVE A LOT MORE ANIMALS AND EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ABOUT HOW WONDERFUL ALL ANIMALS ARE!!
Love her!!!! Not only is she sterilizing the cats and providing them with a safe place to rest, but she is spreading the word about compassion to the next generation!!
Applause! Applause!! for her compassionate work and for this novel, creative idea. Applause also goes to the town council for seeing the compassionate benefit and allowing it. May the town benefit as much as the cats. Wishing all heartfelt success, in the long run.
you’re right.. it would have been so typical if the town objected to the shelters and wanted the cats dead instead.
How kind. Thank you so much.
What a cool place for stray cats, poor babies!! I LOVE CATS, ALL!!
Thank you for caring, puts my faith in the LORD, EXTRA. I love them so much! I pray and thank you for your time and help.
Smart idea ! I’m sure the cats thank you !
One east thing to do is: Hefty plastic box, cut hole and tape edges in one end, tape or somehow fasten lid down, put an old towel in and then put it out where feral cats need to place to get out of the rain and cold. Not warm enough for our northern states but works well in the south.
Ingenious!! Wonderful idea.
I would like details on how the cats get in and out of the machines….so that we can do this in the Middle East. Thanks!
I was wondering the exact same thing, Rae. Perhaps she’s removing the glass door permanently? But then that seems like it would allow too much cold air/rain/snow to seep in?? Or maybe there’s an opening in the back of the washing machines where the plumbing would normally go that allows just enough room for the cats to safely hop in/out. I wish the article had gone into more detail because I would like very much to start a program like this here in the PNW where the winters can be fatal for ferals.
Well done, Ann. Great idea. Thank you.
What a novel idea & a true show of love & devotion. We have two feral cats, one of whom showed up around 6 yrs ago and now another just lately. Of course I can’t stand to see anything hungry or thirsty nor can I stand an animal to be out in storms, cold, snow, storms, hail, floods, etc.,etc.,etc. So the first cat has a house and an electric heated pads for animals and heated bowls for food and water. Now my husband is working on the the 2nd cat’s house and I’ve ordered his heat pad. Guess now I need a heated bowl for good & water so it won’t freeze. But this is such a great idea! Maybe we should start doing this. Thank you & Bless you for your unconditional love of these feral cats and for spaying/neutering them for nothing.
We have taken plastic boxes cut a hole in one end, taped the lid on, put an old towel in and the ferals we feed are very happy to get in our of the cold.
I love this idea!
Great idea. Hope the doors are removed
What a great idea !
Thank you Dr. Silva for helping these stray cats to have a better life. A great use for equipment no longer needed. thank you also for using the TNR program.We need more people like you in the World..
Wonderful young lady. It’s a great idea. And attractive too. So many pluses.
The use of discarded old machines is brilliant and kudos to the vet who is doing this. Yes, they are God’s creatures as are we, and we are meant to care for them. Thank you from my heart to all who help in this endeavour .
Great idea and kudos to her for performing TNR!! Trap.Neuter.Return. There is a great volunteer group in California that does tnr weekly after work and they’ve done 5000 cats for 2018 so far. I learned how and volunteer regularly. It’s becoming popular and it’s the way to get shelters to no kill. Plus the tnr is humane! The TNR Project tgetnrproject.org to learn more about tnr. This very is amazing and we need more like her!!
http://www.thetnrproject.org
This is disgraceful ! Community service caring for animals is what is needed so that they can see what they have done and understand how cruel it is.
Priscilla, you make no sense.
STOP ALL EVIL BARBATIC SAVAGE ABUSE ON ALL ANIMALS. NOT ours to abuse they belong to God and MUST be RESPECTED.
Anne-Mari, you’ve evidently posted to the wrong issue, or you did not understand this one.
What a fantastic idea.
I know what I am going to do with our old machine now.
I’d be worried because people that don’t like cats might look for these machines, otherwise brilliant idea.
Brilliant idea ☺☺☺
What an amazing idea! Using washing machines! She is a saint!
Lovely idea, lovely person.
this is funny, a couple years ago we had to replace our dryer… we took the door off, put some bedding inside and some cushioning on top and made a duplex for our cats and they love it!! and I love to see that other people love cats, too.
I wish this wonderful woman all the luck in the world.
Thank you, Ann Silva, for turning trash into these treasures, and helping homeless cats <3
I wish this wonderful woman all the luck in the world.
Thank you, Ann Silva, for turning trash into these treasures, and helping homeless cats <3
Very creative! J’aime beaucoup! I would call them catabodes. These are not just common homeless kitties “homes”. These are “abodes” in my opinion! There is environmental thought into it also. So, yeah, I wish this lady Silva continued peace and protection in her life. She’s a beautiful soul and God! How we need IT! Thank you Silva.