Tiny houses are still a popular choice for people trying to downsize but tiny houses for cats are springing up in one man’s backyard.
Back in 2024, a man who simply goes by the name “Barna,” thought he was doing a good deed for a stray cat that decided that he kinda liked hanging out in this human’s backyard. At first, the cat would show up but wouldn’t eat the food set out for him. That didn’t stop Barna.
The man continued to set food out for the cat. Taking note of the changing weather, Barna decided to take one of his hobbies and build the cat, now named Domino a cozy little house. Building things is a hobby for him, so he made sure to equip Domino’s tiny abode with a heating pad, light and camera.
Before too long the situation turned into a version of the famous children’s book, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. Another cat showed up (because of course Domino had a bestie) but it didn’t stop there.
From one house to a kitty condo
Barna built a tiny two story condo for the two cats to hang out in while still keeping Domino’s original tiny house. The backyard looks like it was made to host furry tenants in a makeshift cat community because more cats indeed showed up. Soon the tuxedo cat had several neighbors to hang out with and thanks to Barna, none of the cats looked like they were missing any meals.
“We have about four or five cats who will go in and sleep in the houses,” Barna told The Dodo. “One night one of the biggest storms of the year hit, I saw that two kittens actually took shelter in the house. That was one of the sweetest things ever.”
Keeping an eye on the neighbors
Barna had cameras set up inside and outside of the itty bitty kitty community so he can keep an eye on his feline neighbors. The cats’ landlord expressed that he feels gratification seeing his little houses be used by furry tenants. Having a group of cats around probably isn’t too terrible for keeping pests away either, so it’s a win for all involved. Since then, the kitty village has kept growing. A mother cat and her two kittens, later named Winnie, Bowie, and Ziggy, have been spotted playing inside the shelters, and an older tom cat named Howie has become a regular after two years of cautiously visiting.
Barna has also spoken openly about why he’s committed to trap-neuter-return (TNR) for the cats in his yard, not just feeding and sheltering them: “You can’t just feed them and leave them unfixed,” he explained. “They’ll keep reproducing, and most of the kittens won’t survive to adulthood.”
Down in the comments, people applauded Barna for taking such good care of his feline friends.
“If you build it, they will come. what a kind and thoughtful gentleman to take care of these babies during the hard weather.”
“This man has such a good heart.”
“How a man treats animals reveals who the man is. This is a good man.”
“Just imagine how good the inside of those little houses feel to a kitty after he or she has been outdoors in all kinds of weather for who knows how long. They would finally be able to relax and get a good sleep. Kudos for being so kind and handy.”
“There is most definitely a special place in heaven for the animal rescuers. I love you.”
“This world NEEDS more people like this gentleman.”
Why the world needs more Barnas
What started as one small house for one shy cat has turned into an ongoing commitment that takes real time, money, and patience. It’s the kind of quiet, unglamorous work that rarely goes viral on its own, which is exactly why it’s worth celebrating when it does. Barna never set out to build a village. He just kept saying yes, one cat at a time.
Indeed, the world could definitely use a few more Barnas. Best of luck to him and his kitty companions.
This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.
