Nestled in San Francisco, Barna and his wife have transformed their backyard into a peaceful haven for the feral cats that roam their neighborhood. As a skilled woodworker, Barna designed and built a heated, weatherproof shelter, complete with food and water, offering the cats a safe, cozy retreat during colder months.
It all began with Domino, a cautious tuxedo cat who became the shelter’s first resident. Since then, more cats have come and gone, but one, an older tom named Howie, has stayed. After two years of visiting, Howie still keeps his distance, but he’s found comfort, warmth, and a quiet place to call home.
More info: Instagram
Barna and his wife have turned their San Francisco backyard into a peaceful sanctuary for feral cats, but it all started with just one
Image credits: domino.gardencat
A scrappy little tuxedo cat with a mustache began showing up in the yard, curious but cautious, even sleeping on the dog beds at night
Image credits: domino.gardencat
Barna named him Domino, and as the nights got colder, he knew the cat would need more than just food
Image credits: domino.gardencat
So he built the Red House, a heated, insulated shelter designed just for Domino to survive the winter
Image credits: domino.gardencat
"I completed the Red House and installed it in our backyard. I built it for a little scraggly black tuxedo feral cat with a mustache who started appearing in our backyard a few months prior to that, cautious but curious, even starting to sleep on our dogs’ outdoor beds at night.
We were feeding Domino (whom we thought was a girl initially) daily by that time, but the nighttime temperatures were dropping, and it was just a matter of time until the winter storms arrived," Barna shared on Instagram.
Image credits: domino.gardencat
"I studied all information I could find on shelters for feral cats and tried to incorporate all those learnings into my design.
I worked all day on completing the house with Domino watching from afar, and went to bed tired, not knowing what to expect. Would Domino get close to the house, maybe even stick his head in? The next morning, I woke up early and saw many camera notifications on my phone, which I assumed were false positives due to not setting up the cameras correctly."
The very night it was finished, Domino surprised everyone by curling up inside like he’d been waiting for it all along
Image credits: domino.gardencat
"You can imagine my shock when I opened my phone and was greeted by footage of Domino inside the house, curled up on the heated bed, sleeping. To say that I was hooked would be an understatement.
What followed was an exciting year of discovery, learning, building, TNR, social media growth, triumphs, and some heartbreaks, too. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Let’s hope for many more years of backyard kitty fun!"
Barna started learning more about feral cats, designing better shelters, practicing TNR, and quietly growing a backyard community
Image credits: domino.gardencat
Domino slowly transformed, too, from an untouchable stray to a friendly porch king who now asks for pets
Image credits: domino.gardencat
Image credits: domino.gardencat
Image credits: domino.gardencat
Other cats began to pass through, stopping in for a meal, a nap, or a warm night before moving on
Image credits: domino.gardencat
As days went by, more stray cats came to check out Domino’s new home. Cameras outside even caught a mother cat and her two kittens, later named Winnie, Bowie, and Ziggy, playing inside the shelter.
But taking care of stray cats isn’t just about giving them food and shelter. Barna points out how important it is to trap, neuter, and return (TNR) feral cats. “You can’t just feed them and leave them unfixed,” he explains. “They’ll keep reproducing, and most of the kittens won’t survive to adulthood. The males will fight, the females will be constantly harassed — it’s not a sustainable or humane situation.”
But then another cat began showing up, older, quieter, and clearly not just passing through
Image credits: domino.gardencat
His name is Howie, an older tomcat with a grumpy face and tired walk who seemed to be looking for a place to retire
Image credits: domino.gardencat
He’s been coming around for two years now, and while he still won’t let anyone touch him, he's claimed his spot and never left
Image credits: domino.gardencat
Image credits: domino.gardencat
Howie’s a little set in his ways, but he’s safe, warm, and finally has a place to just be
Image credits: domino.gardencat
Image credits: domino.gardencat
Barna now builds custom shelters, shares his plans online, and keeps growing the sanctuary
Image credits: domino.gardencat
Because sometimes, all it takes is a warm place and a little patience for the wild to feel welcome
Image credits: domino.gardencat
Although Barna can’t bring all the feral cats inside, he treats them like family. He has managed to catch most of them and has arranged for them to be neutered. Each cat is also microchipped with his contact details to help if they ever get lost.
While Barna wishes he could give a home to every stray in the neighborhood, he finds comfort knowing that his specially built cat houses are making a meaningful difference in their lives.
Due to popular demand, Barna now makes cat houses to sell. You can find more information here!
As the story spread, people from all over shared their love and support
