Former police officer from West Yorkshire infuriates neighbours with zoo-style 'big cat' enclosure for her domestic felines

Sue Haworth, 53, and husband Richard, 51, spent £10,000 on the 9ft-high cage in their garden so their four “fur babies” had a safe space to play.

The 13ft by 11.5ft cage is accessed through a catflap and features a number of ramps and frames which enables the pets to climb to the top.

But neighbours have described the structure - dubbed the 'catio' - as an eyesore and complained to the local council.

They claim it is out of character, impedes access to a narrow nearby lane and creates a blind spot for motorists.

Now officials at Kirklees Council in West Yorkshire have ordered the couple to apply for retrospective planning permission or take the cage down.

Their application for it to remain was rejected last week and they are now set to take their case to appeal.

Sue, a retired Northumbria police officer, claims the cage keeps pets Chloe, Floyd, Freddie and Millie, whose ages range from 20 months to 11 months old, away from harm.

She said: "The cage is designed as a place for our cats to play in safely.

"It keeps them away from the road. And there are a couple of bully cats in the area that my cats wouldn't be able to defend themselves against.

"We didn't do it on the cheap. We paid over the odds for our house so that we could do what we've done without affecting anybody else.

"We don't want to upset anyone we just want to live a quiet life and for our cats to be happy. They really love the space, there are lots of things for them to play with.

"Most of our neighbours think the cage is a great idea, there are just a few who have a problem with it.

"We are willing to work with the council to find a resolution but they don't want to listen."

Sue and her husband Richard, an electrician, moved into the end-of-terrace house in Huddersfield two years ago.

They have four cats, including three which were from Huddersfield Feral and Strays, a registered charity and one which was abandoned.

But they say a couple of "big bully cats" in the neighbourhood prevented them from letting their four rescue cats out of the house and inspired them to build an enclosed area.

Before erecting the cage the couple spoke to a number of neighbours and told the council of their plans but no one ever raised any concerns, according to them.

The structure was completed in August last year and since then their pets, Chloe, Floyd, Freddie and Millie, have been enjoying the space.

Sue and Richard, who don't have children together, were first told there was an issue in January when a Kirklees Council official knocked on their door.

The woman said some complaints had been made and that the cage must be taken down, which led the Haworths to make a retrospective planning application that was rejected on July 18.

More than a dozen critics of the cage made representations against the application.

One person said: "It can be seen from a distance and is an extremely dark and ugly object."

Another added: "The construction is completely out of character with the whole terrace."

Someone else said: "Both I and my husband feel that the cat cage is an eyesore and somewhat devalues other houses in the terrace."

The Haworths say they are willing to work with the council to find a solution by either making it smaller or painting it a different colour.

Residents opposing the cage set up a petition, which has been signed by more than 20 people.

Sue and Richard set up a petition of their own in opposition, which has received more than 6,000 electronic signatures.

A resident on the road called Maggie Oddy said: "I am their neighbour and fully support them, it is not an eyesore and was built from the desire to keep their rescue cats safe.

"It's responsible pet ownership."

A Kirklees Council spokesman said: "The council investigated the matter and found a cat cage had been erected in the front garden of the property, requiring planning permission.

"The owners did apply for planning permission which members of the Huddersfield Sub Planning Committee refused.

"However, the owners do have the right of appeal to the planning inspector against the council’s decision."